ESPN Unanimous with Atlanta Falcons vs. LA Rams Predictions for Monday Night

The Atlanta Falcons take on the LA Rams on Monday Night Football as 8.5-point home underdogs. Atlanta is 3-2 in their last five games, all started by quarterback Kirk Cousins.

After picking up back-to-back wins over the Arizona Cardinals and sinking Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the competition is about to take a step up. The Rams are 11-4 and have the NFL's highest-scoring offense.

What happens next for the Atlanta Falcons? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Falcons news delivered to your inbox daily!

The Falcons have seen their scoring defense fall to No. 20 in the NFL, and ESPN's weekly panel of writers is predicting a high-scoring affair on Monday night with the LA Rams being the clear winner.

ESPN's panel includes reporter Pamela Maldonado, fantasy analyst Eric Moody, and analytics writer Seth Walder.

ESPN's LA Rams vs. Atlanta Falcons Predictions

Maldonado's pick: Rams 34, Falcons 24
Moody's pick: Rams 31, Falcons 20
Walder's pick: Rams 42, Falcons 20
FPI prediction: LAR, 71.6% (by an average of 8.7 points)

The Falcons invested heavily in their pass rush during the offseason, and it has paid dividends with the team being No. 2 in the league in sacks. However, the blitz-heavy scheme employed by defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has been high-risk, high-reward with the Falcons lacking talent and depth across their back seven.

Atlanta hasn't used a Day 1 or Day 2 pick (1st, 2nd, or 3rd round) on a cornerback since A.J. Terrell was drafted in 2020, and when linebacker Divine Deablo was out injured, the defense took a noticeable step back.

In his bold prediction, Walder thinks the Falcons match up poorly with the Rams' offense, and head coach Sean McVay and quarterback Matthew Stafford will exploit it.

"The Rams will score at least 42 points," Walder wrote on ESPN. "If they can put up 37 (granted, with overtime) against the elite Seahawks defense, then there's no limit against a normal defense. The Falcons are the second-most blitz-heavy defense in the league (36%), and the Rams are even more efficient passing against the blitz (0.30 EPA/P) than they are otherwise."

The Falcons have relied on the blitz, and Stafford has dissected the blitz. Unfortunately, they're not deep enough on the back end to drop into coverage without pressure.

This would be an ideal time for edge rusher James Pearce Jr. to have a statement game for his defensive rookie of the year candidacy. There will be plenty of talk about the talented rookied who leads the team, and all rookies, with 8.5 sacks.

If the Falcons can rush four, including Pearce, and disrupt Stafford, they'll have a chance of slowing him down.

If they can't, and Stafford has as much time as he wants to pick out matchups against the Falcons' secondary, it'll be a long night for the home team at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.