Table of Contents
Betting Matchup Preview
Game Details
- Who: Atlanta Falcons vs. Los Angeles Rams
- When: Sunday, September 18 (Week 2)
- Time: 1:05 p.m. PT
- Where: SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, California)
Betting Odds Summary (DraftKings Sportsbook)
- Spread: Falcons +10 (-110), Rams -10 (-110)
- Moneyline: Falcons +370, Rams -460
- Total: Over 46.5 (-110), Under 46.5 (-110)
Note: Odds and lines are current at the time of writing and subject to change.
The Atlanta Falcons lost in Week 1 but performed much better than expected. Marcus Mariota and the offense moved the ball while the young defense held its own.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Rams lost in Week 1 and performed much worse than expected. The Rams were embarrassed in primetime by the Buffalo Bills.
What can we glean from each team’s Week 1 performance? Which team should we bet on for this Sunday matchup?
There are many ways how sports betting works on this NFL game, and we’re here to give you the best options.
Spread, Moneyline, Total: Falcons vs. Rams
The New Orleans Saints have a very talented defense. Cam Jordan and Demario Davis lead a good front seven. Marshon Lattimore and Tyrann Mathieu lead a great secondary.
Atlanta laid waste to the New Orleans defense. Head coach Arthur Smith has discovered something with Marcus Mariota and his dual-threat ability. The Falcons ran for over 200 yards and two scores while averaging five yards per carry. Mariota didn’t exceed passing the ball, but he was productive behind an offensive line that ranked third in the NFL in Pro Football Focus’s Pass Blocking grades.
Buffalo dominated the Rams using a very similar dual-threat offensive scheme. The Rams’ offseason losses on the defense were notably absent during the Week 1 loss, as the Rams allowed 300 passing yards and 120 rushing yards.
We think Atlanta’s offense can exploit Los Angeles’s defense in a similar way. We power rate the Los Angeles and New Orleans defenses similarly, so the Falcons offense should move the ball again in Week 2.
We’re also worried about the Rams offense. Los Angeles is short on offensive weapons and notably weak on the offensive line. Matthew Stafford also threw two interceptions, raising questions about his future performance.
Atlanta’s defense is weak but has great pieces in the secondary, including A.J. Terrell. We think Stafford might make a few more mistakes.
All-in-all, we’re high on Atlanta and low on Los Angeles. We think the talent differential isn’t worth the 10 points and therefore will be betting Atlanta with the points.
Our Pick: Atlanta Falcons +10 (-110) at DraftKings Sportsbook
Many sports bettors might ask: What does the point spread mean? It’s a simple way of balancing out the game odds.
Player Prop Bets: Falcons vs. Rams
- Marcus Mariota Over 34.5 Rush Yards (-115) at DraftKings Sportsbook
NFL prop bets are a popular way of taking action on individual performances.
We think Atlanta will lean heavily on a dual-threat option with Mariota. Cordarrelle Patterson will lead the rushing attack, but Mariota will be able to play off him.
Mariota ran for 72 yards last week, and we think he will do it again against Los Angeles.
Our Same-Game Parlay: Falcons vs. Rams
Our Falcons vs. Rams same-game parlay has +912 odds at FanDuel Sportsbook:
- Atlanta Falcons +10.5 (-114)
- Over 45.5 Total Points (-115)
- Cooper Kupp Any Time Touchdown Scorer (-180)
- Cordarrelle Patterson Any Time Touchdown Scorer (+155)
We believe Atlanta will keep this game close. However, the Falcons defense should still be exploited by the Los Angeles offense.
Los Angeles still has one of the most explosive offenses in football. Cooper Kupp can beat any secondary in football. We like Atlanta’s young secondary pieces, but they won’t have enough to hold Kupp back.
That is why we like Kupp to score a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Atlanta’s most explosive player is Patterson. The converted wide receiver is a big-bodied backfield presence with a knack for creating explosive plays. He rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown in Week 1.
If the Falcons move the ball, Patterson will get red-zone scoring opportunities.
