After coming out on the wrong end of the scoreboard in their Week 1 matchups, the Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys will both be looking to notch their first win of the season when they do battle at Jerry’s World this Sunday. The 20 percent capacity crowd could be treated to offensive fireworks aplenty in this one, courtesy of the myriad of weapons that both teams bring to the table. The NFL odds are expecting this to be a close game.
The following will give you the Week 2 NFL odds and best NFL picks for Falcons vs. Cowboys.
Falcons vs. Cowboys Week 2 NFL Odds
- Opening Lines: The SuperBook at Westgate opened the game Cowboys -7; O/U 52.5
- Current ATS Line: Cowboys -4.5
- Over/Under: 52.5
- Location: AT&T Stadium – Arlington, TX
- Start Time: 1 pm ET
- Television: FOX
- Last Meeting: November 18, 2018 – The Cowboys defeated the Falcons 22-19 in Atlanta
- Attendance: 20,000 fans will be allowed to attend
Falcons vs. Cowboys Overview
Atlanta’s prolific aerial attack hit the ground running to start the 2020 season. Matt Ryan amassed 450 yards passing, and three Falcons receivers eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the game. Julio Jones (157 yards), Calvin Ridley (130), and Russell Gage (114) all had nine receptions apiece. Todd Gurley’s Atlanta debut was also encouraging, as he averaged 4.0 yards per carry. A big deficit on the scoreboard throughout was probably the biggest factor in limiting him to 14 carries.
That game script was a familiar one for the Falcons. Unless Dan Quinn’s defense gets it together, it could be more of the same throughout the 2020 campaign. The Seahawks had less yardage than Atlanta overall, but Russell Wilson had no trouble picking apart the Falcons secondary.
Dak Prescott and the Cowboys played well, offensively, in Week 1, but not great. Fortunately for them, Atlanta does not have the likes of Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey suiting up on the defensive side of the ball, as the Los Angeles Rams do. The Cowboys could be in for a major offensive rebound this week. The three-headed wide receiver monster that is Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and CeeDee Lamb will simply be too much for the Falcons secondary to handle.
Ezekiel Elliott averaged 4.4 yards per carry against the Rams. Something else to take note of was his receiving touchdown. Despite their wealth of talent at the wide receiver position, a point of emphasis for the Cowboys throughout the offseason has been to involve Elliott more as a receiver out of the backfield. This could prove to be even more critical with the loss of tight end Blake Jarwin for the season. Elliott’s three catches for 31 yards figure to be a sign of more to come.
Falcons vs. Cowboys Betting Trends
- The Falcons lost to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1, 38-25.
- The Cowboys lost to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1, 20-17.
- The total has gone over in four of the Falcons’ last five games.
- The Cowboys are 10-3 straight up in their last 13 home games.
- The total has gone over in 13 of the Cowboys’ last 20 games.
Falcons vs. Cowboys Stats
- Atlanta averaged 23.8 points per game (PPG) during the 2019 season (No. 13 in NFL).
- Atlanta surrendered 24.9 PPG during the 2019 season (No. 22 in NFL).
- Dallas averaged 27.1 PPG during the 2019 season (No. 6 in NFL).
- Dallas surrendered 20.1 PPG during the 2019 season (No. 9 in NFL).
Falcons vs. Cowboys NFL Picks and NFL Odds
Prop Bet
First Quarter Total Over 10 (-110 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
It’s no secret that the star power in this matchup resides on the offenses. Even if the below-average secondaries of both teams manage to shut down the opposing top receivers (Julio Jones, Amari Cooper), both sides have four other reliable weapons to turn to. While establishing the ground game early could be something both teams look to do, there is still a real potential for scoring. The Falcons and Cowboys ranked 25th and 28th respectively in adjusted defensive efficiency against the run in Week 1. This game figures to be a track meet, with the potential to be the highest total score of the Week 2 slate. The first quarter line of 10 points even seems hard-pressed to go under. The worst I could see an over bet playing out here is with a push.
Falcons vs. Cowboys NFL Pick
From the matchup and positional analysis to the trends, everything points to the over in this matchup. It’s no surprise that the NFL odds over/under line of 52.5 is the largest total of the Week 2 slate. And yet, it still feels on the low side. Neither the Falcons nor Cowboys pose anywhere near the defensive resistance capable of slowing down the other’s attack over a full four quarters.
We have seen the total go over with regularity in the Falcons’ recent games, including last week. The Cowboys saw their Week 1 contest come in well under the total, but that was against a much more formidable defensive opponent. Unless pass rushers Aldon Smith and Takkarist McKinley steal the show, I just don’t see how either defense can hold up. With the opening NFL odds point spread of Cowboys -7 long gone (betting Atlanta ATS would’ve been my favorite play at that number), hitting the total over before it inevitably climbs is the next best alternative.
Pick: Total Over 52.5 (-115 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
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