The Falcons have the kind of problem most teams would kill for. Since they're the No.1 seed in the NFC playoffs, do play their starters even a little against the Buccaneers? Bettors, of course, want to know.
The Falcons are likely to rest their starters - at some point. Although the Falcons say that they aren’t going to rest their starters, common sense suggests they will. After all, they have already clinched the top seed in the NFC and have nothing to play for. How stupid would Mike Smith look seeing one of his stars get carted off the field in a meaningless game? If someone like Matt Ryan, Julio Jones or Roddy White were injured against the Bucs, their Super Bowl chances would be affected significantly.
The Buccaneers can win because…
The Falcons are likely to rest their starters - at some point. Although the Falcons say that they aren’t going to rest their starters, common sense suggests they will. After all, they have already clinched the top seed in the NFC and have nothing to play for. How stupid would Mike Smith look seeing one of his stars get carted off the field in a meaningless game? If someone like Matt Ryan, Julio Jones or Roddy White were injured against the Bucs, their Super Bowl chances would be affected significantly.
What’s more likely to happen is that the Falcons treat this like a preseason game. They’ll leave the starters in for a half or so but will not risk injury in the latter stages of the game. If that’s the case, look for the Bucs first stringers to take advantage of the Falcons backups, and get the win.
The Falcons can win because…
The Bucs have been absolutely abysmal in recent weeks. It’s one thing to lose a few games, but it’s another to start getting rolled and look like you’ve quit on the season.
Yes, the Bucs have lost five straight, but what’s more alarming is how they’ve lost their last two games. The New Orleans Saints shut them out 41-0 two weeks ago and then the St. Louis Rams went to Tampa Bay and left with a 28-14 win. The 28 points the Rams scored was their second-highest total of the season. That means that even if the Falcons leave their starters in for just a half, they are likely to rack up the points. Tampa Bay hasn’t allowed fewer than 24 points in the last five games while allowing an average of 29.4. The Falcons should have no problems moving the ball, building a lead and breaking the feeble will of the Bucs.
Worse yet, Josh Freeman has been a disaster. He’s thrown a whopping eight interceptions the last two weeks and he’s completely lost his confidence. If the Falcons keep their starters in for this game, they are likely to have opportunities for takeaways.
Outlook & NFL Football Betting Prediction
The Bucs have had a very unpredictable season. They started 1-3, then won four of five but have since lost five straight. If Atlanta is trying, this is an easy win for them and they will wrap up the Bucs season with a loss and head to the playoffs on a high with another win.
However, if Atlanta is clearly going to rest their starters and put up the white flag, common sense suggests to take the Bucs. Watch the wires and see what the Falcons plan is for this Sunday.
NFL Football Picks: Falcons ---
The Tennessee Titans are a four-point home favorite on Sunday but I’m not sure they should be favored against any team in the NFL in any situation. The Titans have lost four of their last five and their only win was a fluky 14-10 squeaker over the New York Jets. Their shoddy defense, which had improved in the second half of the season, gave up 55 points to the Green Bay Packers last week. This is the sign of a team that has quit.