NFL Preseason Predictions: Will Falcons knock off Steelers? 8/20/17
Will the Atlanta Falcons pick up their first victory of the preseason when they visit the Pittsburgh Steelers today at 4:00PM ET?
The Matchup: Falcons vs. Steelers, 4:00PM ET, Heinz Field
According to oddsmakers, Atlanta is favored by a field goal this afternoon in Pittsburgh. The Steelers opened as 2-point favorites, but the line has “jumped the fence” leading up to kickoff. As for the total, the number sits at 38.5 after opening at 39.5.
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons lost their preseason opener, falling 23-20 to the Dolphins in Miami. The starters played well, however, as Matt Ryan completed all three of his pass attempts for 32 yards and a touchdown to Devonta Freeman. Terron Ward led the team in rushing yards with 48 on 11 carries, while Reggie Davis caught two passes for a team-high 32 yards.
The defense, meanwhile, received a good showing from its young linebacker crew. Rookie Duke Riley led the team in tackles with five, while De’Vondre Campbell finished with three tackles and an interception. Defensive back Jarnor Jones also made highlight reels with his one-handed interception in the second half.
Pittsburgh Steelers
While Atlanta lost its opener, Pittsburgh beat the Giants 20-12 in East Rutherford last Friday night. Rookie quarterback Josh Dobbs threw a 28-yard touchdown pass and Chris Boswell kicked a 37-yard field goal to help propel the Steelers to victory. Starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger did not suit up for the game.
With Le’Veon Bell still holding out, Terrell Watson led the Steelers in rushing with 44 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. Former Chief Knile Davis also rushed eight times for 34 yards. Cobi Hamilton, meanwhile, caught two passes for a team-high 72 yards. Hamilton also caught a touchdown pass.
Our Prediction
Since NFL preseason games can be a crapshoot, I like to look at the line movement leading up to kickoff. The line movement in this game is similar to that of the Kansas City-Cincinnati matchup on Saturday. The Chiefs went from a 1.5-point underdog to a 2.5-point favorite and then beat the Bengals comfortably. Seeing as how the movement in this game was similar, I’ll side with the Falcons, whose starters looked great a week ago.
NFL Preseason Week 2 Prediction: Atlanta Falcons -3
