The Atlanta Falcons and Buffalo Bills face off on Sunday in a Week 17 NFL showdown at Bills Stadium. When these two teams last faced off in 2017 it was the Bills that came away with the 23-17 victory.
The Falcons come into this game with a 7-8 record overall and they have gone 6-9 against the spread. The Falcons still have a chance to make the playoffs but they are going to need to win the last two games and get some help. In the last game against the Lions it wasn’t the most impressive win but they were able to win by four points. The Falcons are averaging only 18.53 points while their defense is giving up 26.6 points per game. Under center for the Falcons is Matt Ryan who has thrown for 3,555 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. The defense is a bit short-handed with Marlon Davidson, Jonathan Bullard, and Brandon Copeland all dealing with COVID.
On the other side of this matchup is the Buffalo Bills who sit with a 9-6 record and they have gone 8-6-1 against the spread. The Bills have been a bit inconsistent but they are coming off an impressive victory in their last game against the New England Patriots. The offense put up 33 points, and that was enough to come away with the 12 point victory. The Bills are averaging 28.5 points while their defense is giving up 17.6 points per game. Josh Allen has thrown for over 4000 yards and rushed for over 600 yards.
The Falcons are 2-5 against the spread in their last seven games. The Bills are 7-1-1 against the spread in their last nine games against a team with a losing record. The Falcons are 3-1-1 against the spread in their last five games against the Falcons. The underdog is 3-1-1 against the spread in the last five meetings.
This might be a sweat, but the Falcons are going to find a way to cover the spread. Matt Ryan has been inconsistent but he is going to find enough offensive success to keep this game. Look for the Falcons to score at least 17 points, and that will lead them to a cover of the spread.
AUTHOR: Shane Mickle
