The Atlanta Falcons (6-4) take on the Minnesota Vikings (7-3) looking to break their three-game losing streak. The NFL’s leading receiver, Julio Jones (1,189 yards, 6 TDs), and leading rusher, Adrian Peterson (1,006 yards, 6 TDs), will be the players to watch in this game. Kickoff is at 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov 29 and will air on FOX.
In last week’s game, Atlanta lost in a close one against the Colts 24-21. Julio Jones had a huge game in the loss, pulling in nine receptions for 160 yards. Matt Ryan had a great game as well, adding 280 yards and three TDs through the air. Minnesota also came up short, losing to the Packers 30-13. Kyle Rudolph had a great game for the Vikings, grabbing six receptions for 106 yards and one TD.
As a slim two-point underdog, the Vikings look to upend the Falcons. The Over/Under (O/U) is sitting at 44 points.
Even with a positive Straight Up (SU) record of 6-4, the Falcons have not been an excellent bet so far this year, going 4-6 Against The Spread (ATS). The Falcons are 1-4 SU in their last five games, but a less-than-stellar 0-5 ATS. The Atlanta’s passing game is averaging 293.8 passing yards during their last five matchups. During their last five games, the Falcons have also done a better job stopping the run, giving up an average of 96.4 rushing yards. In the second quarter, Atlanta relies on a sturdy offense, putting up 9.6 points during home games. With the second-highest time of possession per game at 33:17, expect Atlanta to control the clock this week.
Shifting to the opposition, the Vikings head into Week 12 with records of 8-2 ATS and 7-3 SU. Over their last five games, the Vikings have a SU and ATS record of 4-1. The defensive front seven better be ready for Minnesota’s tough rushing game which has averaged 157.8 yards on the ground over its past five games. The Vikings should be aware that the Falcons have been victims of late scoring during the fourth quarter of home games, when they allow 10.6 PPG. Few teams have been worse than Atlanta at losing yardage through infractions. The Falcons have accumulated 68 penalty yards per game this season.
Predictions: SU Winner – Atl, ATS Winner – Atl, O/U – Under
Notes
Atlanta is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Atlanta’s last 6 games.
Atlanta is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Atlanta’s last 7 games at home.
Atlanta is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games at home.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta’s last 5 games when playing Minnesota.
Atlanta is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Minnesota.
Atlanta is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Minnesota.
Minnesota is 4-0 SU this season, when leading at the half. Atlanta is 2-1 SU when taking a lead into halftime.
This season, Minnesota is 4-1 SU in games where it wins the turnover battle, and 3-1 SU in games where it loses the turnover battle.
When it comes to passing this season, Atlanta is rated higher on both sides of the ball. Its fifth-ranked passing attack will face the sixth-ranked pass defense of Minnesota, while its 18th-ranked pass defense will look to limit the 30th-ranked passing game of the Vikings.
