Predictions: Lions-Falcons
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The Falcons come into this afternoon's tilt with the Lions carrying some potential momentum, after capturing their first win of the season last week against the Minnesota Vikings.
From a completion percentage (75 percent) and passer rating perspective (136.6), the win over Minnesota marked Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan's best performance of the season.
Ryan threw for four touchdowns in the contest, including two to star wideout Julio Jones (who also had 137 reception yards) and another to 25-year-old, emerging stud Calvin Ridley.
They will now get the chance to take on a suspect Detroit secondary that is set to be without veteran defensive back and former Falcons cornerback Desmond Trufant.
Expect Jones and Ridley to give the Lions fits all day long and to ultimately be too much to handle for rookie Jeff Okudah and the rest of Detroit's defensive backs Sunday.
I've got Atlanta prevailing in a high-scoring affair. Falcons 35, Lions 30
Talk about two teams that couldn’t be more similar.
Both have struggled on defense and rely mostly on their franchise quarterbacks in the passing game. It’s likely to be very high scoring.
I would not want to make a bet on this one, because I could see it going either way or coming down to the last drive.
If I have to choose one outcome, my gut says the Falcons' receivers will be too much for the Lions' defense to handle and will ultimately be the deciding factor. Falcons 32, Lions 30
Atlanta is still a dangerous team offensively, despite the team's sub-.500 record.
Detroit will likely be forced to air it out, because Atlanta features one of the best defenses in the NFL against the run yet one of the worst pass defenses.
Atlanta features two solid wide receivers (Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley) and a quarterback in Matt Ryan that will be looking to win a friendly dinner bet with Detroit's franchise passer Matthew Stafford. Falcons 27, Lions 23
I see a shootout in this game, because both of these defenses have week secondaries and struggle getting to the quarterback.
The Atlanta Falcons' offense has just a bit more firepower, and I think they pull away in the second half.
This Falcons' offense looks refreshed, and has come alive after Dan Quinn's firing.
Matt Ryan threw for over 370 yards and 4 touchdowns, but most importantly, he took care of the ball last week.
Ryan also got Julio Jones involved, and Calvin Ridley is a force that this Lions secondary will struggle with. Falcons 38, Lions 27
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