Falcons
vs.
Bengals
Week 2
NFL Pick
with Analysis
9/14/14
The Bengals host the Falcons on Sunday at 1pm est. in what looks to be one of the better NFL matchups of week 2. Currently the Bengals are -5 point favorites at sportsbook.ag with a total of 49. The betting trends show that 69% of the wagers taken on this Game have some in on the Falcons as bettors are apparently more impressed with the Falcons week 1 performance against the Saints than the Bengals home win over the Ravens.
Last week we did a write up on the Saints-Falcons Game, picking the Falcons to win and cover that Game. We liked the Falcons because we simply didn’t feel they were as bad as their record indicated the previous year, and didn’t feel the Saints were as good as theirs. We knew the Saints defense was nothing special, so the results from that Game came as no surprise. Matt Ryan and the Atlanta offense should find things a bit more difficult this week in Cinci.
For the Bengals, this is really it. NFL teams that go on to be legitimate Super Bowl contenders, teams that go on to become an annual post season preseNCe most often follow a pattern we have seen over and over again in modern NFL history. They knock on the door a few times before finally breaking that door down. The Bengals have indeed knocked on that door. Now we find out if they’ll continue to knock, like an unwanted guest, or whether they are ready to break that door down.
The Bengals have improved their win total each of the last three seasons. Unfortunately, each of the last three seasons they have also been bouNCed out of the playoffs in the Wild Card round. In fact, they have been bouNCed out in the Wild Card round 4 out of the last 5 seasons. The last 3 were with QB Andy Dalton who has been pegged as a QB that just can’t win a playoff Game. Bottom line is, those results simply won’t cut it. The time is NOW if they Bengals are going to make a move.
With the time being now, this is as close to a week 2 must win Game as it gets. The Bengals were a perfect 8-0 at home during the regular season last year. They face a Falcons defense that quite frankly isn’t very good. The Bengals should have no trouble moving the ball here and playing their Game. The QB edge goes to Ryan and the Falcons but obviously a perfect spot for the Bengals defense to come up big at home while the offense does enough to win. Bengals -5