NFL Free
Pick | Panthers @ Falcons | Week 5
Carolina
started the 2020 season with consecutive losses under first-year head coach
Matt Rhule. Then, they lost star RB Christian McCaffrey to a sprained ankle and
promptly won their next two games.
Now, the
Panthers will face NFC South Division foe Atlanta which has possibly the worst
defense in the entire NFL. The Falcons are giving up 460.5 yards and 34.5
points per game. Ouch.
GET
THE 1VICE ADVANTAGE BETTING THE NFL
It’s ironic
that Falcons head coach Dan Quinn is a defensive guy. Remember, he was the
Seahawks defensive coordinator when they won their Super Bowl. He’s also
the key to this free pick.
Game:
Carolina Panthers (2-2, 2-2 ATS) at Atlanta Falcons (0-4, 1-3 ATS)
When:
1:00 PM ET, Sunday, October 11, 2020
Where:
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
Current
Line: ATL -2 Total: 54
TV Coverage:
FOX
Head to
Head
Atlanta has
actually won the last five games in this series. The Panthers haven’t beaten
the Falcons since 2017. Carolina hasn’t been very good overall as of late.
Their two wins in the past two weeks are their only two wins in their past ten
games, but will that stop those looking for the best free picks?.
Still,
there is reason to back the Panthers on Sunday. Yes, they will be without
McCaffrey again, but Mike Davis has filled in quite admirably for the Carolina
star and QB Teddy Bridgewater is completing 73 percent of his passes.
The
Carolina defense has also played well enough the past two weeks to allow the
Panthers an opportunity to win. That cannot be said of the Falcons defense.
Where’s
the Defense?
Atlanta has
given up at least 30 points in each of its four games this season. The pass
defense is horrendous yielding 353.8 yards per game. Bridgewater could have a
field day picking apart the Falcons who have four safeties listed as
questionable for Sunday’s game.
MUST
READ> 5Dimes
Sportsbook Customers are Switching to America’s Bookie
As bad as
the Atlanta defense is, it’s not the most attractive reason for betting against
the Falcons.
In Quinn’s
five-plus seasons as the Falcons head coach, his record against the spread is
not very good. Atlanta opponents have flourished.
Against the
Spread Numbers
Falcons
opponents are 46-37 ATS with Quinn as the head coach. If you take out the one
season when Quinn had current San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan as his
offensive coordinator, the opponents record ATS soars to 40-27.
Underdogs
are an impressive 33-18 ATS against Quinn. Speaking of underdogs, those playing
on the road against a divisional opponent early in the season fare pretty
well.
In the last
657 such divisional games, the road underdog is 354-280-23 in games played in
either September, October, or November. The road dog has a bit of an advantage,
it appears, when playing a team in the first of two games in a season. Later in
the second game, the two divisional rivals are more familiar with each other.
Now,
Atlanta has beaten Carolina in five straight. The Falcons have even covered the
spread in each of those five games. Yes, Quinn was the head coach in all five
games too.
Still, this
is another chance to bet on an underdog going up against Quinn and Atlanta. And
that’s a bet worth taking.
NFL Free
Pick: CAROLINA +2 at America’s
Bookie
Need
another free pick? Check out our Bengals
@ Ravens free pick over at BestFreePicks.com.
