Atlanta Falcons (-2.5) at Chicago Bears, Total 40.5 |
The Atlanta Falcons hope that being favored on the road in a season opener turns out better than last year’s 15-9 loss in Pittsburgh last year. If you were Falcons betting, they went on to cover their next five opportunities as a road favorite to end the 2010 campaign.
“They’re never easy,” commented Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan. “Chicago is a very good football team.” This will be the 25th regular-season meeting between the two teams, with it knotted at 12 games apiece.
It’s important to note that the Falcons will travel 11,118 miles during the regular season, which ranks them 26th in the league for most miles traveled. Being weary on the road will not be an excuse.
Ryan’s 33 wins as a starter ties him with former Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino for the most wins by a signal-caller in his first three seasons.
He is coming off a fantastic season that saw him throw for 3,705 yards and 28 touchdowns, leading the squad to a NFC-best 13-3 record. Wide receivers Roddy White and Julio Jones give him explosive play makers to target on the outside.
Atlanta is 11-5 ATS on the road and the ‘over’ is 10-6 in those contests.
Chicago plays its first regular season game since falling in the NFC Championship to the eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers. The Bears will need to do a much better job of protecting quarterback Jay Cutler, as he was sacked an NFL-high 52 times last year.
The Bears picked up a new weapon offensively for Cutler to target, as Roy Williams is set to begin his first season in the Windy City after spending time in Detroit and Dallas. He enjoyed some solid years when Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz was in the Motor City.
“Expectations should be high,” Williams stated. “I want them high.” It would be noted that the former Texas Longhorns star averaged just 37 catches in his three years in the Lone Star State.
Running back Matt Forte is disappointed that a new deal wasn’t completed before the season, but he’s still a major threat coming into the season, gaining 1,616 yards from scrimmage a year ago.
Bears betting as a home underdog is certainly an option, as the team has covered five of their last seven when the line is within a field goal. The ‘under’ is also 7-0 in the team’s last seven openers in NFL betting.
