We are five weeks into the 2022 NFL season, and teams are finally starting to form a true identity. We can already see that teams such as the Eagles, Bills, and Chiefs are extremely good this year, and we know that the Panthers and Commanders aren’t so good. However, there is one team in the NFL that has been the greatest team in the entirety of the league this season. It’s not the Bills, not the Vikings, and certainly not the Cooper Rush-led Cowboys. The best football team you didn’t realize was good is the… Atlanta Falcons.
Well, at least according to NFL betters.
The Falcons are 2-3, and are a team that is average to below average in almost every statistical category in the NFL, hence the 2-3 record. You might then counter with “how in the world are they the best team in the NFL then?”
Well, I’m here to tell you that they actually are, just not in the terms you might think. You see, the Falcons are what we like to call a “bettor’s choice,” and it’s been quite remarkable to see. For a team that is known for choking games away, they have been fantastic as a betting choice this year. The Falcons are 5-0 against the spread this year, and they are the only team undefeated against the spread through five games. They have played some pretty solid opponents so far, with games against the Saints, Rams, Seahawks, Browns, and Buccaneers.
In week 1 against the Saints, the line was -5.5 in the Saints’ favor, and the final score of that game ended up being a 27-26 win for New Orleans. The over/under for that game was 43.5, so bettors that took the over in that game were quite pleased.
I talked about the Falcons’ horrific start to the season through two weeks here, but in betting terms, week 2 was even better than week 1. Against the Rams in Los Angeles, the line was a pretty large -10.0 in the Rams favor, and the over/under was an even 46. The Falcons only lost by four in a narrow 27-31 loss, but another game won ATS, and another game the Falcons helped reached the over.
It just keeps getting “bettor,” pun very much so intended.
Coming off a two-game losing streak, the Falcons were already reeling only two weeks into the season. But the betting season was just getting started. In week 3 against the Seahawks, Atlanta defeated Seattle 27-23, and the spread was only -1.0 in favor of Seattle. That’s another cover, and since the over/under was 43.5, the Falcons helped achieve the over again for the third consecutive week
In week 4 against the Browns, guess what happened? Another win against the spread. The Browns were favored by -1.0, the same that Seattle was only a week prior. Atlanta won that game 23-20. and for the first week in the season, failed to hit the over, which was 48.5
In week 5, the Falcons yet again covered the spread. While it was a 15-21 loss, the Bucs were favored by -10.0, a pretty big number when you consider that Atlanta was on a two-game winning streak. The over/under was 46.0, and the over was not reached for a consecutive week, however the Falcons still, yet again, covered.
The Falcons are officially the betting juggernaut of the NFL this season.
It feels very odd to say that about a team that is known for choking, but here we are. Now, they are not gonna go 17-0 against the spread this season, but it looks as though the Falcons will still remain a popular betting choice. For the upcoming week 6 matchup against the 49ers, the Falcons are yet again not favored, with San Francisco getting the nod at -5.5. For a team that has played hard in every week, and since the Falcons are at home again, I see no reason why you shouldn’t take the Falcons to cover yet again.
The over/under for Atlanta’s week 6 matchup is 44.5, and the Falcons have only failed to put up 20+ points in just one game this season, against a stout Bucs defense. Although the 49ers defense is also good, I would say you should feel good about each team scoring at least 22 or 23 points this game and taking the over. Both teams are strikingly similar on the offensive side of the ball, statistically speaking. The 49ers average 5.7 yards per play, and the Falcons average 5.6. The 49ers convert 40% of their third downs, and the Falcons covert 39% of them. The list goes on, and since these two teams are so close, I feel very comfortable taking the over for this game.
All in all, the Falcons are the best football team you didn’t realize was good.
In betting terms. And they should stay that way for the foreseeable future, with another good matchup with the 49ers just over the horizon.
For More Great Football Content
Follow us on Twitter at @GridironHeroics for more great content. We appreciate you taking time to read our articles. To interact more with our community and keep up to date on the latest in Football news, JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP by CLICKING HERE
1 Comment
Interesting breakdown! I wouldn’t have guessed the 5-0 ATS team would be the Falcons.