Best NFL Picks and Predictions Today (How to Bet Falcons vs. Eagles in NFL Week 2)

Iain MacMillan | Sep 16, 2024

Sep 12, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) tries to pass over Atlanta Falcons linebacker Deion Jones (45) during the first half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Eagles will take on the Atlanta Falcons in the Week 2 edition of Monday Night Football.

The Eagles will look to extend their record to 2-0 after beating the Packers in Brazil in Week 1. Meanwhile, the Falcons are desperate to steal a win after getting upset by the Pittsburgh Steelers last week. With the Chiefs waiting for them on Sunday Night Football in Week 3, a loss tonight could potentially mean an 0-3 start to the 2024 campaign.

The Eagles opened as 6.5-point favorites but the line has moved a point in favor of the Falcons throughout the week, who are now 5.5-point underdogs.

If you want to place a bet on this prime time showdown, you've come to the right place. Let's take a look at some of the best bets that have been given out by the Sports Illustrated team this week.

Best NFL Picks and Predictions Today

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

• Falcons +5.5 vs. Eagles - Iain MacMillan
• Devonta Smith Anytime TD (+150) - Peter Dewey
• Saquon Barkley OVER 98.5 rushing + receiving yards (-115) - Jennifer Piacenti

Falcons +5.5 vs. Eagles - Iain MacMillan

I broke down why I liked the Falcons to cover the spread in this week's edition of the "Road to 272 Bets":

The Falcons didn't play any of their starters in the preseason and it certainly looked like it in Week 1 against the Steelers. Despite being one of the worst-looking offenses in the opening week, I expect them to do nothing but improve as the weeks go on.

The bright side in Atlanta is their defense looked strong, keeping the Steelers out of the end zone and allowing just 4.1 yards per carry.

Speaking of defense, not enough people are talking about how bad the Eagles looked on that side of the ball, allowing the Packers to gain an eye-popping 7.1 yards per play. Despite Philadelphia getting the win, they showed plenty of red flags themselves.

It's an ugly bet, but I'll try my best not to overreact to Atlanta's Week 1 performance and take them with the points in Week 2.

Devonta Smith Anytime TD (+150) - Peter Dewey

A.J. Brown is out for Monday night which means Peter Dewey is loving Devonta Smith to find the end zone:

DeVonta Smith didn’t score in Week 1, but he was a huge part of the game plan, catching seven of his eight targets for 84 yards against Green Bay.

Atlanta’s pass defense is solid, but Jalen Hurts and Barkley are simply too juiced in this prop for me to wager on them on Monday.

Saquon Barkley OVER 98.5 rushing + receiving yards (-115)

Jennifer Piacenti wrote about backing Saquon Barkley in her article breaking down her favorite prop bets for this game:

Saquon was an absolute beast in his debut vs. the Packers. Not only did he beat Green Bay for 109 ground yards and 23 receiving yards, he found the end zone three times.

The Atlanta defense held Steelers runners to 90 yards in Week 1 but they allowed 43 receiving yards. With no AJ Brown, Saquon should remain heavily featured in this matchup. Barkley can beat them for 98 combined yards.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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