NFL Week 12: Raiders vs. Falcons odds, preview, and pick
Quarterback Matt Ryan (2) of the Atlanta Falcons drops back to pass. (Photo by David John Griffin/Icon Sportswire)
November 27th, 2020
The Las Vegas Raiders (6-4) will look to solidify their playoff position when they visit the Atlanta Falcons (3-7) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday afternoon (1:00 p.m. ET, CBS). Will Jon Gruden’s squad reward the chalk players, or will the Falcons outfox their foes at home? Here’s our wagering preview.
Both clubs had Week 11 hiccups
The Raiders had a three-game winning streak snapped last Sunday night by the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs. However, they covered for the fourth week in a row in that 35-31 defeat.
The #Saints have 17 sacks vs the Falcons over their last two games...so far#ATLvsNO | 📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/7B2nU7ZTLu
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) November 22, 2020
The Falcons won two straight games going into their bye week, but came out of it flat, falling 24-9 to the New Orleans Saints.
Versatile Vegas offense should torch Atlanta’s stoppers
The Raiders had been relying primarily on running back Josh Jacobs in recent weeks, and for good reason. Going into Week 11, Jacobs accumulated the fourth-most rushing yards in the NFL.
But Las Vegas needed quarterback Derek Carr to keep them competitive against the Chiefs, and he did so. The Fresno State product went 23-for-31 through the air for 275 yards and three touchdowns in that narrow loss.
CARR. WITTEN. 💰
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 23, 2020
Raiders lead by three with 1:43 left! (via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/IYgGXVFFsG
Carr should be able to drive down the field at will against Atlanta’s porous pass stoppers, which have allowed the second-most passing yards per game in the NFL.
Raiders and Falcons statistics and rankings
| Team | Passing Yards | Rushing Yards | Passing Yards Allowed | Rushing Yards Allowed |
|---|
Las Vegas Raiders | 235.2 (25th) | 134.2 (7th) | 273.6 (28th) | 112.2 (12th) |
Atlanta Falcons | 280.6 (2nd) | 101.3 (23rd) | 300.3 (31st) | 106.5 (9th) |
Ryan should relish matchup with Raiders defense
Only Patrick Mahomes and Russell Wilson have accumulated more passing yards than Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan in 2020. The Boston College product should feast on a Raiders defense that’s 25th in stopping the pass through 11 weeks.
Top 5 passing leaders in the NFL 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/C4P2kYJZP7
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 24, 2020
Ryan’s top targets – Calvin Ridley (foot) and Julio Jones (hamstring) – are both on the injury report as "limited" in practice, but bettors should expect them to suit up on Sunday.
Strong Raiders trends suggest Over will cash
Las Vegas has covered in six of its last seven road games, but Atlanta is 10-4 against the spread in its last 14 games as a home underdog. Fortunately, the trends regarding the total are far less muddled.
The Over is 8-2 in games involving the Raiders this season, including a 4-1 record in games in which Las Vegas played on the road.
The Raiders have exceeded the total in four straight games after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game. The Over is 6-1 in that same situation for the Falcons.
Score prediction: Raiders 34, Falcons 30
NFL pick: Over
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