Charlie Cummings breaks down his prediction and pick for Sunday’s Week 13 clash between the Atlanta Falcons and the New York Jets.
The Falcons and Jets sure hoped this season was going differently. Injuries and ineffectiveness have taken Atlanta out of the playoff race after it was set on contention at the start of this season. To add insult to injury, they traded their first-round pick to the NFC’s top seed, the LA Rams. Things aren’t much better for the New York Jets. They got a new quarterback and head coach in the offseason, bringing a sense of hope; only months later, they’ve had a fire sale at the trade deadline. It’s a battle for pride on Sunday.
The Falcons enter as 2.5-point road favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, while the Jets are listed as +124 underdogs. The game’s total is set at 39.5 points. Here is my preview, pick and prediction for Sunday’s Week 13 matchup between the Falcons and Jets.
Falcons vs. Jets Preview
The Falcons are only two games behind in the NFC South, but that feels like a vast gulf. They beat the Saints last week to stop a five-game losing skid and keep their hopes alive, but they’ll have to pull a few upsets down the stretch if they want a shot. To do that, they’ll have to rely on the most expensive backup quarterback in the game: Kirk Cousins.
It also means more reliance on the defense. Atlanta’s secondary has been outstanding all season long, and they’ve managed to force plenty of turnovers as a unit. If the run defense can clean up some gaps, they’re capable of pulling off a few wins down the stretch and putting pressure on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
First things first, they have to take care of the New York Jets. That hasn’t been much of a problem for the rest of the NFL this season. With one of the worst passing games and secondaries in the NFL, they’ve been subject to some truly awful losses this year. The only thing that has saved them from time to time has been Breece Hall and a stout run defense.
But it’s fair to wonder how they hold up down the stretch now that Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner are playing football elsewhere. Is there enough fight left in these Jets to wrangle another upset win? Or will the Falcons inch closer to their playoff pipe dream?
Falcons vs. Jets Prediction, Pick
Neither passing game carries much upside here, especially with the Falcons not expected to have Drake London in the lineup. But the Jets’ secondary is abhorrent overall and is bound to create some opportunities for Cousins to take advantage of. That’s enough reason to put my faith in the Falcons as road favorites.
Best Bet: Atlanta Falcons -2.5