The New York Giants (1-5) and the Atlanta Falcons (2-4) will be fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive on Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Falcons are listed as four-point favorites at many sportsbooks, while the betting total is 53.
You can bet on Giants versus Falcons right now at FanDuel Sportsbook if you are in the state of New Jersey.
The Giants have struggled to put up points all season, averaging just 19.5 points per game. Surrounding the decrepit Eli Manning with assets that someone like Russell Wilson would kill for wasn’t the answer, unsurprisingly.
But Saquon Barkley could be sitting on a career day on Monday night. The Falcons’ have struggled to stop their opposition with the absence of three defensive starters for most of the year. They’re next-to-last in points per game allowed and 30th in yards per game allowed. They also can’t get anybody off the field, as they allow an NFL-worst 56 percent conversion rate on third down. Atlanta has also surrendered the most receptions to opposing running backs this season. Pat Shurmur loves to get Barkley involved in the passing game, as the Penn State product has already recorded 40 receptions through six games.
The Falcons will probably not be able to contain Odell Beckham Jr. either, and Evan Engram, missing since Sept. 23, is expected to make his long-awaited return at tight end. If New York doesn’t break 30 on Monday night, they probably won’t for the rest of the season.
Atlanta has been a golden goose for OVER bettors of late, exceeding the total in each of their last five contests. Their powerhouse offense, led by Matt Ryan, is eighth in scoring and seventh in yards per play. Most of their work is done through the air, as Julio Jones has been as productive as ever (though he’s inexplicably failed to find the end zone), while Mohamed Sanu and rookie Calvin Ridley have befuddled defenses all year long. The Giants’ defense would never be confused for the ’85 Bears, but they’ve done a decent job at preventing the pass, allowing the 10th-fewest yards per game through the air. New York has also hung tough with their competition on third down, allowing just a 39 percent conversion rate, good for 14th in the league.
The Giants have been a deceptively good bet as a road underdog of late, going 6-4 against the spread in their last 10 chances. Boiling it down to underdogs of more than a field goal away from home, the Giants are 5-2 against the spread. They might just win this game, so taking them as four-point underdogs looks like the right way to go. Have a gander at the OVER (53) too; these offenses will be tough to tame in the domed Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Prediction: Giants win, 31-27
The play: Giants +4
