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Expert Picks
Tennessee comes off their bye week. Rookie Will Levis will get the start for the injured Ryan Tannehill. Atlanta only scored more than 20 points once in their last five games. The only reason they are favored in this game is because of Tannehill’s injury. The Titans only allow 110 yards on the ground and will force Desmond Ridder to beat them through the air. In his career, Mike Vrabel is 5-0 off a bye week.
The Titans are starting a rookie QB and, amid one trade and speculation they could be looking to unload their stars in a fire sale, appear to be a franchise in borderline disarray. Of course that makes them a perfect play Sunday against an erratic Atlanta team that isn't used to being a road favorite.
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This is a pretty decent value considering Henry has scored in half the games so far and, with a rookie at QB, the Titans will rely even more heavily on their run game. Henry should get multiple chances to pay this off.
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With rookie Will Levis starting at quarterback, the Titans likely will lean on Derrick Henry. But he's facing an Atlanta defense that allows 3.7 yards per carry and ranks No. 1 in EPA allowed versus the run. Per analytics guru Clevta, the last five rushing attacks to face Atlanta have managed a success rate of 37 percent or worse. The Falcons obviously will stack the box and force Levis to beat them. Henry is coming off a 97-yard performance versus Baltimore, but that includes a 63-yard rush. On his other 11 carries, Henry gained 34 yards.
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Heading into this game understand there are volatilities everywhere, but then again this is sports betting so what's new. Tennessee will utilize both backup QB's in Malik Willis and Will Levis and...yeah who knows what to expect, except the one constant in Nashville and that's kicker Nick Folk. This should be a low scoring affair and every point matters, meaning Folk should get plenty of opportunities. I'll take my shot at +120, he's cashed this in 5 of 6 games already this season.
This is a team who should be averaging 24 points per game. They have had an obscene amount of red zone turnovers the past 2 weeks. It cannot be sustainable to continue that way. The only thing the Titans have going for them is their run defense, which shouldn't exactly effect an offense that hasn't been running the ball anyway. The Falcons are now a bottom half team in yards per carry and average 60 more yards in the air. Look for the Falcons to beat the Titans in the air, and possibly find themselves in some short field opportunities on behalf of Will Levis turnovers.
If you have two QBs, you have none. The Titans offense was horrible with veteran Ryan Tannehill and it’s about to get worse. Team bracing for a firesale ahead of the deadline and facing a very legit defense in the Falcons. This moved off 17.5 already and we want to grab it now. Titans held to 16 or less in four of their six games. Atlanta has allowed just 11 offensive TDs and is fourth in yards/play and top five in redzone and third down and 8th in yards per rush and 6th in yards per passing attempt. 8 sacks in the last two games. Titans have 8 offensive TD and are 31st in the redzone. Big game for kickers
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In six Tennessee games this year, they have surrendered 18 made field goals including five games of two or more. Justin Tucker hit six against them two weeks ago in London. Koo has four games of multiple successful three-pointers and in a low-scoring game where touchdowns should be at a premium, I'll predict another for Atlanta's kicker in Week 8.
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The Falcons run the ball at the fifth-highest rate (46.45 percent of the time) but that rate skyrockets when Atlanta has the lead. With the Titans starting rookie Will Levis at quarterback, I'm expecting a positive game script for the Falcons and a high play volume, assuming Tennessee will struggle to extend drives. It sets up as another monster game for Titans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, who is coming off back-to-back 15-tackle performances.
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He’s become one of the most reliable legs in the game and has 13 attempts in his last five games and two or more FGs in four of five. The Titans have had 18 FG attempts against them – fourth-most – and with QB Desmond Ridder awful in the redzone and prone to turnovers, and the Falcons facing a bad offensive team in the Titans, no reason not to take automatic three points when you can get them.
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The Titans have struggled with their run defense lately, and it seems to be declining each week. It has been quite a while since they have faced a running scheme like the one the Falcons use. Though Tennessee has had two weeks to prepare, Bijan Robinson has had three straight sub-par games. He was spotted on the practice field Wednesday and should be a "full go" on Sunday. My model has him pegged for 57.8 rushing yards, the largest delta from my RB projections. This number has already advanced up by one yard. Grab it now!
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Bijan finished Week 7 with a single carry for 3 yards despite entering the game without an injury designation. It has been reported Bijan was experiencing migraines early Sunday. While that was undoubtedly a bizarre situation, Bijan has practiced in full to start the week indicating he will be full systems go. We’re getting a sizable discount on his rushing line as a result of what transpired in Week 7. He will face a stout Titans run defense but they've begun to tail off recently. It is also fair to wonder how the team responds after trading Pro Bowl Safety Kevin Byard. I fully expect Bijan to handle 13-17 rushing attempts in what should be an optimal game environment.
Sportsbooks are split on whether to set this line at 2.5 or three. Seize the shorter spread as word gets out that the Titans intend to give most of the snaps to rookie QB Will Levis. Granted, the offense has been stuck in the mud under veteran Ryan Tannehill. But anytime a first-year QB not selected in the opening round is handed the reins, it's a play against. Falcons QB Desmond Ridder is on the hot seat after three lost fumbles Sunday, but his running ability is what keeps him on the field. Presumably, he is sleeping with a ball tucked under his arm this week.
The Titans traded Kevin Byard Monday and to say his presence will be missed is quite the understatement. Local underdog who made it to the hometown team and became an All-Pro captain. Tennessee saves $19 million but the team is now officially in rebuild mode. Tannehill is out (and everyone knows he'll be gone after the season), not to mention, Derrick Henry could be traded next. Couple all that with Falcons HC Arthur Smith used to be the Titans OC, he went against this defense every single day for years and knows the holes Byard masked. Not good in Nashville.
I’ll grab this total at 37, expecting it to grow lower. No Tannehill, and Tenn should play a very conservative game. Atlanta is always up for a slow paced run fest. I’m not sure either team cracks 23 and not sure both teams get to 17. Let’s go under
Ryan Tannehill doesn't seem likely to play through his high ankle sprain Sunday, which means I have to back the Falcons even though Desmond Ridder has turned the ball over four times inside the opponents' 12-yard line the past two weeks. Ridder, though, got the monkey off his back while registering his first road win at Tampa. Atlanta has outgained each of its last two opponents (Washington, Tampa Bay) by 1.2 yards per play. The Falcons are stout against the run (3.7 ypc allowed) and that will make it tough on either Malik Willis or Will Levis.
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Team Injuries
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