Matt Ryan Says Falcons Are 'Doing Everything We Can' to Save Dan Quinn's Job
Dec 17, 2019
CLEVELAND, OH - AUGUST 18: Head coach Dan Quinn and quarterback Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons talk as they leave the field after the Falcons defeated the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on August 18, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Falcons defeated the Browns 24-13. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan said Tuesday the team is trying to finish the 2019 season strong to help head coach Dan Quinn keep his job.
On Sunday, Ryan led the 5-9 Falcons to an upset of the 11-3 San Francisco 49ers with a game-winning touchdown pass to wide receiver Julio Jones with two seconds left. He told NFL Now (via Nick Shook of NFL.com) the team's surge in the second half of the campaign is for Quinn.
"He has the respect of the locker room, and the guys play hard for Dan," he said. "There's no question about it. We all appreciate everything that he does for us, the style of coaching, and he's got great relationships with all of the guys in our locker room. So we love him. We are playing hard and doing everything we can for him."
The Falcons hired Quinn in 2015 and posted a 29-19 regular-season record across his first three years. The team earned two playoff berths, highlighted by an appearance in Super Bowl LI, where it lost to the New England Patriots in overtime.
Atlanta dropped off to 7-9 last year, however, and has been eliminated from playoff contention again following a 1-7 start to the campaign in 2019.
"I've been in this profession long enough to know that it's a production-based business," Ryan toldNFL Now. "I hope it is because we love him and he's a great football coach."
After Atlanta's Week 14 win over the Carolina Panthers, Falcons owner Arthur Blank toldJeff Schultzof The Athletic he hadn't decided on the coach's future: "We've got games left. Let's see how this plays out."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWkX9P_7cW0
Following the upset of the Niners, Quinn told Schultz he's happy about the team's turnaround.
"You'd have to ask those guys," the 49-year-old said regarding whether he believed the Falcons were playing hard to save him. "But it's really cool. I'm proud to be a part of it. ... It means a lot. It means a lot to all of us. We're all fighting for our football lives. I damn sure appreciate it."
A win or two combined with the players' love for Quinn, as displayed in Ryan's comments, could buy him another year to get things back on track.
Panthers' Donte Jackson Rips 'Horrible Calls' Made by Interim Coach Perry Fewell
Dec 8, 2019
El wide receiver de los Falcons de Atlanta Olamide Zaccheaus consigue una recepción ante la defensiva del cornerback de los Panthers de Carolina Donte Jackson en la segunda mitad del juego del domingo 8 de diciembre de 2019 en Atlanta. (AP Foto/John Bazemore)
The 2019 season has not gone according to plan for the Carolina Panthers.
Cornerback Donte Jackson bashed the coaching staff, led by interim head coach Perry Fewell, when asked about the defensive play calls on Matt Ryan's two touchdown passes during the Atlanta Falcons' 40-20 victory on Sunday.
"First of all, it was two bad calls," Jackson said, per Scott Fowler of the Charlotte Observer. "Two horrible calls. Two calls that we didn't call in those situations all week at practice."
The second-year corner was particularly frustrated with the 93-yard connection to Olamide Zaccheaus:
"Backed up, 3rd-and-7, called an engage-eight blitz, we sent everybody. To leave the corners out there on an island by (themselves)? Zero coverage. No help. Backed up. With a quarterback like that?. I don't care if you're Champ Bailey or any of those quarterback on the (NFL) 100 list, that is a play that's hard to make for any guy. Especially with a quarterback like Matt Ryan."
Jackson finished with four tackles as part of a defense that was shredded throughout the contest.
The second-round pick out of LSU has three interceptions but has dealt with some inconsistency.Pro Football Focusgives him a less-than-stellar grade of 63.0 on the 2019 season, and Sunday's performance surely didn't help.
Ryan threw for 313 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions, while Devonta Freeman and Brian Hill each scored on the ground. Calvin Ridley hauled in Ryan's other touchdown throw, although it was only 15 yards compared to the long one from Zaccheaus.
Carolina has lost five games in a row after a solid 5-3 start and has fallen well out of the playoff picture. It already fired head coach Ron Rivera and now has to play out the string after one of its cornerbacks publicly ripped his coaching staff, including Fewell, who was his position coach. Eric Washington is in his second year as defensive coordinator.
Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 14: Debating Difficult Fantasy Football Lineup Decisions
Dec 7, 2019
One wrong move could spell the end of your fantasy football season. Here, we'll try to help you avoid that by highlighting some close lineup decisions.
Quarterback
Start: Philadelphia Eagles QB Carson Wentz vs. New York Giants
The motivation is there for the Eagles to pull out a Monday night win over the Giants. If they do, they'll improve to 6-7, the same record as the NFC East-leading Cowboys.
Wentz is coming off a strong showing against the Dolphins, in which he had his first three-touchdown game since Week 4 and his first 300-yard passing performance since Week 6. Further, the Giants rank 25th in passing defense (258.6 yards allowed per game).
Sit: Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan vs. Carolina Panthers
At the beginning of the season, Ryan was one of the more consistent fantasy options at quarterback. That has changed over the past few weeks, as he hasn't passed for more than two touchdowns since Week 6. In five games since, he has only five total touchdowns, including two games with none.
Ryan is too risky to play, even against the Panthers' middle-of-the-pack passing defense.
Running Back
Start: Los Angeles RB Austin Ekeler at Jacksonville Jaguars
Even with Melvin Gordon around, Ekeler remains a solid fantasy option, and both have the potential to have big games this week. The Jaguars rank 28th in rushing defense (136.6 yards allowed per game), and Ekeler will also get involved in the passing game.
He should build on his solid performance from last week, when he had 67 total yards and a touchdown against the Broncos. Expect even more this week.
Sit: San Francisco 49ers RB Tevin Coleman at New Orleans Saints
The 49ers backfield is a mystery. Matt Breida is getting close to returning from an ankle injury, while Raheem Mostert took the bulk of the carries instead of Coleman last week against the Ravens.
Coleman had his worst fantasy day of the season at Baltimore, recording only six rushing yards on five carries in addition to a nine-yard reception. Up next, the Saints rank third in rushing defense, allowing only 88.6 yards per game.
Wide Receiver
Start: Miami Dolphins WR DeVante Parker at New York Jets
Parker is coming off a huge game with seven receptions for a season-high 159 yards and two touchdowns—his first multi-touchdown contest of the year—last week against the Eagles. He has also been targeted at least 10 times in each of the Dolphins' past four games.
The Jets lead the NFL in rushing defense, so expect Ryan Fitzpatrick to air it out.
Sit: Washington Redskins WR Terry McLaurin at Green Bay Packers
Since Dwayne Haskins took over as the Redskins' starting quarterback, McLaurin hasn't been as involved in their offense, despite the two having history from playing together at Ohio State.
Over Washington's past six games, McLaurin has been held under 40 yards four times. He also hasn't scored a touchdown during that stretch; his last score came in Week 6. Against a Packers team that should dominate time of possession, there are better options out there.
Week 14 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Fantasy Football Stars to Play and Bench
Dec 5, 2019
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins warms up before an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Monday, Dec. 2, 2019, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
It's the most wonderful time of the year.
Not that holiday nonsense—driving anywhere is and will be a nightmare for the next month—but the real gift that keeps on giving: the fantasy football playoffs.
You made it (hopefully), and now you need to throw on your thinking gap, gather all your good-luck charms and prepare to make the most critical start-or-sit decisions of the campaign.
Luckily, you came to the right place, as we're providing our top starts and sits at each position. Chalk it up to the holiday spirit, we suppose.
Start 'Em
QB: Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings vs. Detroit Lions
RB: James White, New England Patriots vs. Kansas City Chiefs
WR: DeVante Parker, Miami Dolphins at New York Jets
TE: Jack Doyle, Indianapolis Colts at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
D/ST: Minnesota Vikings vs. Detroit Lions
Kicker: Jake Elliott, Philadelphia Eagles vs. New York Giants
Sit 'Em
QB: Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons vs. Carolina Panthers
RB: Tevin Coleman, San Francisco 49ers at New Orleans Saints
WR: Marquise Brown, Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills
TE: Darren Fells, Houston Texans vs. Denver Broncos
D/ST: Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots
Kicker: Zane Gonzalez, Arizona Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Start: Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings vs. Detroit Lions
Kirk Cousins hasn't spent the entire season inside the circle of trust, but he's having a better year than you might think.
Dating back to Week 5, he's scored 20-plus points in five of his last eight games and 18-plus in all but one. Even the dud was pretty impressive, as he completed 23 of his 26 passes against the Washington Redskins in Week 8, but he just didn't find the end zone.
In the other seven outings of this stretch, he's had at least two touchdowns in all of them and twice doubled that number. He also has just two interceptions in his last 10 games and only four on the season.
Now, he's getting a Lions defense that has allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to the position, per Yahoo Sports, and might be even worse than that implies. They've allowed three touchdown passes to Mitchell Tribusky twice, four to Daniel Jones and three to Cousins himself back in Week 7.
Sit: Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons vs. Carolina Panthers
The Falcons' season went sideways from the start, and of late, they're starting to take Matt Ryan with them.
Given the fact he throws as often as he does (tied for fourth-most attempts) and can spin so many balls the direction of Julio Jones, Ryan is capable of providing impressive yardage volume. That said, after starting his year with six straight 300-yard efforts, that column is coming down, too.
Over the last five weeks, he has as many sub-200 yard games as ones with 300-plus (two each). During the same stretch, he also has an identical number of passing scores and interceptions (five).
In the right matchup, he's probably usable, but this isn't it. The Panthers have only allowed multiple touchdowns to four of the 12 quarterbacks they've faced, as Ryan can attest, since he managed just a single score against them in Week 11.
Start: James White, New England Patriots vs. Kansas City Chiefs
In some years, James White can get lost amid a plethora of pass-catching options and a deep stable of running backs for the Patriots.
This is not one of those years.
With no Rob Gronkowski and spotty production from receivers not named Julian Edelman, White has become something of a safety blanket for Tom Brady. White is second on the team in both receptions (57) and targets (76), and the gap between him and No. 3 isn't close in either category. White also saw a season-high 14 carries last week and responded with 5.6 yards per rush, so his role as a runner might be trending up, too.
No matter how he's used, he has a chance to be a difference-maker against a Chiefs defense allowing the second-most fantasy points to the position. Kansas City has allowed six different running backs to clear the century mark on the ground and five to finish with 40-plus receiving yards.
Taysom Hill's 2 TDs Lead Drew Brees, Saints to 26-18 Win vs. Matt Ryan, Falcons
Nov 28, 2019
It's the New Orleans Saints and everyone else in the NFC South.
New Orleans extended its winning streak to three with a 26-18 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Saints are 10-2 and clinched a division that doesn't feature another team over .500 after Taysom Hill scored two touchdowns in the latest win.
As for the Falcons, they are just 3-9 and playing out the string on a lost season.
Notable Fantasy Stats
NO QB Drew Brees: 18-of-30 for 184 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions
NO QB/WR Taysom Hill: 33 rushing yards and one touchdown; two catches for 12 yards and one touchdown
NO RB Alvin Kamara: 11 carries for 61 yards; four catches for 23 yards
NO WR Michael Thomas: six catches for 48 yards
ATL QB Matt Ryan: 35-of-50 for 312 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions
ATL RB Devonta Freeman: 17 carries for 51 yards; four catches for 13 yards
ATL WR Calvin Ridley: eight catches for 91 yards
Taysom Hill Puts on a Thanksgiving Show, Saves Team From Onside Blunders
The Saints offense managed just nine points against the Falcons in their first matchup but has turned into the Michael Thomas show since.
The receiver went over the century mark during each of the previous five games and helped New Orleans put up 34 points in both of the previous two weeks. However, Atlanta prevented the two-time Pro Bowler from torching its secondary in Thursday's matchup.
New Orleans responded by turning to backup quarterback and utility player Hill.
The former BYU quarterback blocked a punt to end the Falcons' first possession and caught a touchdown to end the Saints' first possession. From there, he took a direct snap on 3rd-and-1 and went 30 yards for a touchdown to open a two-score lead while also playing a role on special teams.
New Orleans needed all of Hill's production by the end considering its failure to ice the game away with onside-kick recoveries. The Falcons recovered two onside kicks in the fourth quarter—actually three, counting one that was called back for offsides—and added plenty of drama at the end of an otherwise listless game.
Considering the Saints also failed to recover multiple onside kicks during an October win over the Chicago Bears—one of which was overturned due to a penalty—the NFC South leaders may want to work on their special teams play outside of Hill before the playoffs.
Falcons' Lack of Offensive Firepower Has No Chance Against Saints
Atlanta already traded Mohamed Sanu earlier this season and was without wide receiver Julio Jones and tight end Austin Hooper because of injuries suffered prior to Thursday's contest. What's more, running back Devonta Freeman was returning from his own injury and playing for the first time since Nov. 10.
That left Matt Ryan without his most explosive playmakers, forcing him to turn toward tight end Jaeden Graham for the home team's first touchdown. While it was Graham's first career touchdown, the Falcons didn't have enough other options to keep pace with Brees and Co.
New Orleans' stout defense deserves plenty of credit, as well.
It placed Marshon Lattimore on Calvin Ridley, and the Ohio State product helped keep the de facto No. 1 receiver in check. Elsewhere, defensive tackle Shy Tuttle ended a promising drive with a one-handed interception and threw Ryan to the ground with a vicious stiff-arm before C.J. Gardner-Johnson notched a pick in the fourth quarter.
As if that weren't enough for Ryan, Marcus Davenport and Lattimore jarred loose a fumble in the fourth quarter with a massive hit. Cameron Jordan also tallied four sacks and led the way for a defensive line that overwhelmed Ryan with nine total sacks.
Things may have been different if Jones and Hooper were on the field, but the version of the Falcons on display Thursday had no chance to consistently score against the New Orleans defense.
What's Next?
Both teams are home in Week 14. The Saints host the San Francisco 49ers, while the Falcons face the Carolina Panthers.
The Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers have combined to give up 55 touchdowns.
The two defenses allowed at least 300 total yards in their last five games, which leads us to believe they could produce a high-scoring affair in Week 11.
Additionally, Matt Ryan and Christian McCaffrey have performed well in recent meetings, and both players have produced scores on a consistent basis in 2019.
While the trends suggest the over may hit at Bank of America Stadium, the opposite can be said about the clash between the New York Jets and Washington Redskins.
Neither side has impressed on a consistent basis, and it may be hard for them to eclipse one of two totals set under 40.
New England (-4) atPhiladelphia(O/U: 44.5)(4:25 p.m., CBS)
Chicago atLos Angeles Rams(-6.5) (O/U: 39.5) (8:20 p.m., NBC)
Monday, November 18
Kansas City(-4) vs. Los Angeles Chargers (O/U: 52) (8:15 p.m., ESPN; Game in Mexico City)
Over/Under Tips
Atlanta at Carolina Over 49.5
The two defenses set to square off at Bank of America Stadium have had lackluster showings in recent weeks.
Before holding New Orleans to nine points in Week 10, the Falcons allowed over 20 points to each of their eight opponents. The Panthers have also been gashed for 20 or more points in all but one of their nine contests.
In Carolina's four home games, an average of 50.5 points has been scored, including 104 in the last two against Jacksonville and Tennessee.
If you apply the over/under of 49.5 to Atlanta's five road games, three of them would have hit the over.
As he always is, McCaffrey could be the key to Carolina adding on to the score. In his two clashes with the Falcons in 2018, he earned 317 total yards.
A year ago, Matt Ryan threw for 511 yards and five touchdowns against the Panthers, and in 2017, he had a pair of 300-yard performances versus his NFC South foe.
If even some of those trends extend into Sunday, the over has a good chance of hitting.
Getting it at 49.5 is an even better deal than earlier this week, as it opened above 50.
New York Jets at Washington Under 38.5
There should be zero trust in the New York Jets and Washington Redskins totaling 39 points for the over to hit.
In their last three contests, the Redskins have failed to find the end zone against the San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings and Buffalo Bills.
The offense may receive a jolt with Dwayne Haskins at quarterback and Derrius Guice returning from injury, but it could take a few weeks for the two young players to gain chemistry in the backfield.
While Haskins and Guice are solid players, they may not be able to fix Washington's futility in a single game.
After racking up 1,009 total yards in the first three weeks, Washington earned 1,323 total yards in the last six contests.
Before lighting up the New York Giants defense for 34 points in Week 10, the Jets reached 20 points on a single occasion.
In their two victories, the Jets have recorded 58 points. In seven losses, they produced 72 points.
If that trend holds true, a pick in favor of the Jets as a 2.5-point underdog would lead us to believe they will put up somewhere around 20-25 points.
That might be a good sign for over bettors, but then you have to factor in what Washington can contribute to that total.
Based on their recent performances, it is hard to believe the Redskins can reach double digits, which leaves the over in doubt.
Fantasy Alert: Falcons TE Austin Hooper to Miss 'About a Month' with Knee Injury
Nov 13, 2019
The Atlanta Falcons and fantasy football players will reportedly be without tight end Austin Hooper for a significant amount of time.
On Wednesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Hooper will miss "about a month" due to an MCL sprain. Hooper has been a revelation this season with 56 catches for 608 yards and six touchdowns as one of the best tight ends in the league.
However, Falcons head coach Dan Quinn told reporters that the Falcons don't believe Hooper will need that much time to recover.
From Atlanta's perspective, this is another setback in a disappointing season. It is just 2-7 and will be without one of its premier weapons with division games against the Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints in the next four weeks.
What's more, running back Devonta Freemanmay notplay Sunday because of a foot injury.
The Falcons will likely turn toward Luke Stocker at tight end while Hooper is sidelined. Stocker is a veteran who has been in the league since 2011 and has never finished with more than 165 receiving yards in a single season.
He has six catches for 34 yards this year, his first with the Falcons.
For fantasy players, this is not a situation where simply heading to the waiver wire and picking up Hooper's backup is an ideal move. Stocker doesn't have anything resembling a track record to trust, and the Falcons will likely just turn toward wide receivers Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley and Russell Gage in the aerial attack even more.
While tight end is nowhere near as deep as wide receiver or even running back in fantasy leagues, it is best for players looking to replace Hooper in their lineups to turn elsewhere instead of Stocker.
NFL Predictions Week 11: Picks and Projections for Top Underdogs' Upset Bids
Nov 13, 2019
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) scrambles as San Francisco 49ers defensive end Ronald Blair (98) pursues during the second half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
The largest underdog of Week 11 is one of the top candidates to cover on the road.
The Arizona Cardinals have been involved in a handful of one-possession games, including Week 9's loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
San Francisco is five games ahead of Arizona in the NFC West, but it has not blown out many opponents in its last few victories.
The Atlanta Falcons could join Arizona on the list of underdogs to cover Sunday. The Falcons delivered a stunning blow to the New Orleans Saints in Week 10 and might be able to surprise another NFC South foe on the road.
New England (-3.5) atPhiladelphia(O/U: 44)(4:25 p.m., CBS)
Chicago atLos Angeles Rams(-7) (O/U: 41.5) (8:20 p.m., NBC)
Monday, November 18
Kansas City(-3.5) vs. Los Angeles Chargers (O/U: 53) (8:15 p.m., ESPN; Game in Mexico City)
Top Underdogs
Arizona (+11.5) at San Francisco
Two weeks ago, the Cardinals used 11 fourth-quarter points to pull within three of the 49ers and cover at home.
Kliff Kingsbury's team followed that up with another road cover at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 10, as it lost by three points in a back-and-forth affair.
Since the start of October, Arizona has played in five one-possession games, with the lone blowout coming to New Orleans in Week 8.
Even in the loss to the Saints, the Cardinals were competitive for three quarters before the home side pulled away with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns.
Kyler Murray's improved play is one of the reasons why the Cardinals have been a tough foe to put away.
The No. 1 overall draft pick recorded his fourth 300-yard performance Sunday, and he has thrown a single interception since October 6.
In two of the last three games, Murray has played well despite receiving little support from the ground game. Arizona had 75 rushing yards versus Tampa Bay and 40 against the Saints.
That is significant because the 49ers have allowed 970 rushing yards, four touchdowns and 4.6 yards per attempt.
Even if the ground attack struggles, Murray should be able to work down the field by connecting with Christian Kirk, Larry Fitzgerald and others.
Outside of the 51-13 win over Carolina, the 49ers have not blown away opponents in their last four games.
They were slowed down by poor weather in Washington, dealt with Arizona's late surge and fell to Seattle in overtime.
Those three contests were decided by a total of 15 points, with the last two being three-point games.
Based off those results and the fight Arizona displayed in the last month, there is enough evidence to suggest the Cardinals will keep Sunday's NFC West clash within single digits.
Atlanta (+5.5) at Carolina
Atlanta flipped from miserable squad potentially playing for the No. 1 pick entering its bye to beating New Orleans in Week 10.
Due to their road win over the Saints, the Falcons will intrigue a few bettors for their Week 11 trip to Carolina.
The Panthers' recent defensive performances should strike concerns, as they allowed over 380 yards in their last five games.
In its last three contests, Ron Rivera's team has turned the ball over on six occasions, including an interception and fumble from Kyle Allen in the loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Dan Quinn's side has forced a league-worst four turnovers, but its defense could still make an impact Sunday.
The Falcons held New Orleans to 52 rushing yards and limited the Los Angeles Rams to 90 yards on the ground in Week 7.
If Vic Beasley, Grady Jarrett and Co. frustrate Christian McCaffrey on a few drives, the Falcons may be able to limit the running back's threat, and in turn, give the offense more time on the field.
Jarrett and Beasley have combined for 8.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss and 19 quarterback hits.
If they disturb McCaffrey's rhythm and force Allen into a handful of bad throws, the Falcons' defense could have one of its most successful performances.
Matt Ryan could benefit from that defensive pressure, or Carolina's shaky run against the pass. The Panthers have allowed over 300 passing yards in three of the last five games.
Ryan started the campaign with six straight 300-yard games, and he threw for 239 yards and three scores in his last visit to Bank of America Stadium.
If Atlanta thrives against Carolina's secondary, it could open up a path to cover, and possibly an outright victory.
Week 11 NFL Picks: Vegas Betting Odds, Over-Under Spreads and Line Projections
Nov 12, 2019
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) passes against the Seattle Seahawks during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Nov. 11, 2019. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
The San Francisco 49ers' first loss of 2019 has not deterred the oddsmakers from setting a double-digit line in their favor for the Week 11 clash with Arizona.
Just two weeks ago, the Cardinals were competitive at home with the 49ers and only lost by three points.
Outside of the 51-13 thumping of Carolina in Week 8, the 49ers have been involved in games with a margin of victory of 13 or fewer recently.
Speaking of the Panthers, their meeting with Atlanta has one of three over/under lines set at 50 or higher.
Two of those three clashes involve NFC South teams and a recent trend suggests the overs could hit in those divisional matchups.
New England (-3.5) atPhiladelphia (O/U: 44)(4:25 p.m., CBS)
Chicago atLos Angeles Rams(-7) (O/U: 41.5) (8:20 p.m., NBC)
Monday, November 18
Kansas City(-3.5) vs. Los Angeles Chargers (O/U: 53) (8:15 p.m., ESPN; Game in Mexico City)
Best Bets
Arizona (+11.5) at San Francisco
The line for Sunday's clash at Levi's Stadium has already dropped from 14 to 11.5, but it still feels like too high of a spread in favor of the 49ers.
Since San Francisco's Week 4 bye, three of its five games would have covered the Week 11 spread if applied.
However, the 49ers' three divisional contests have been determined by a combined 19 points, with the last two decided by three.
Since the start of October, five of Arizona's six games have been decided by one possession, with the lone exception a 31-9 loss to New Orleans in which it played well in the first half.
In four of those contests, the Cardinals produced over 350 total yards, including 357 in the home loss to San Francisco.
All of those trends suggest Kyler Murray can be competitive in a road environment, just like he was in Week 2 against Baltimore and Week 10 versus Tampa Bay.
San Francisco's offense may have trouble overwhelming the Cardinals' defense without a healthy Emmanuel Sanders and George Kittle.
Sanders left Monday's game with a rib injury and will undergo an MRI Tuesday, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, while Kittle missed the clash with Seattle due to knee and ankle injuries.
Even if both play Sunday, they would not be at 100 percent and Garoppolo may have to rely on a combination of Deebo Samuel, Kendrick Bourne and Ross Dwelley to beat Arizona.
Samuel is the only one of those players with more than 250 receiving yards, so the San Francisco offense could face some production issues.
The injuries may force the current line closer to 10 points, so if you can get the Cardinals as a large underdog now, we recommend doing so.
NFC South Overs
Two of the three highest totals set for Week 11 have been applied to NFC South matchups.
There is a good chance the two clashes exceed 50 points, as Tampa Bay, Atlanta and Carolina all rank in the bottom half of the NFC in points allowed.
Before it held the Saints to nine points Sunday, Atlanta conceded 20 or more to each of its opponents.
The Falcons could be gashed for yards by Christian McCaffrey, who recorded 317 total yards in two meetings a year ago.
The MVP candidate has four 100-yard rushing performances in his last five games, and he is going up against a defense that allowed over 100 yards on the ground in four of five contests before the Week 9 bye.
In 2018, Matt Ryan threw for 511 yards and five scores against Carolina and he has four games with three or more passing touchdowns this season.
In the last five contests, the Panthers have allowed at least 385 total yards to Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, San Francisco, Tennessee and Green Bay.
Carolina has held a single opponent under 20 points and allowed 95 points over the last three weeks.
New Orleans could be poised for a bounce-back performance against a Tampa Bay unit that let up 909 total yards in the previous two contests.
In Week 5, the Saints produced 457 total yards with Teddy Bridgewater under center. Drew Brees totaled 640 passing yards and four passing touchdowns in last year's pair of matchups.
The last five clashes between the Saints and Buccaneers have averaged 54 points, with the 88-point shootout in Week 1 of 2018 earning the largest total.
New Orleans' defense could throw a wrench in the over bets, as it held Jacksonville and Arizona to single digits in Week 6 and 8.
However, the Saints defense gave up an average of 26.3 points in last season's NFC South matchups and it allowed 50 to Tampa Bay and Atlanta in their first two divisional clashes of 2019.
Ryan was injured during the Falcons' Week 7 loss to the Los Angeles Rams and was replaced by Matt Schaub for the following week's loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Atlanta had a bye in Week 9.
The 34-year-old Boston College product was enjoying a solid season before the injury. He completed 70.9 percent of his passes for 2,170 yards with 15 touchdowns and eight interceptions in seven games.
Schaub filled the void admirably against the Seahawks. He connected on 39 of his 52 throws for 460 yards with one TD and one pick.
Atlanta's generally strong play at quarterback hasn't translated into much team success, though. It owns a 1-7 record, which is tied for the third-worst mark in the league.
"We've got to focus on taking care of our business and being the type of football team we can be," Ryantold reportersThursday. "We have not been in the first half of the season. This is a good opportunity for us with the break to come out and hopefully play a better brand of football."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JhYuTuLVW0
The Falcons are 13.5-point underdogs against the 7-1 Saints, perCaesars Sportsbook.
Atlanta likely needs to run the table to make a miracle surge into the playoffs. Getting Ryan back helps the cause, but winning on the road against a Saints squad that's been firing on all cylinders, even when quarterback Drew Brees was sidelined by a thumb injury, is an uphill battle.
Sunday's kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
