The Atlanta Falcons have struggled to compete since their Super Bowl collapse a few years ago. The team fired head coach Dan Quinn after starting the 2020 season 0-5, and replacement Raheem Morris didn’t fare any better at 4-7. Arthur Smith will take the helm in 2021 after having spent time as the Tennessee Titans’ offensive coordinator.
This 2020 NFL betting recap shows that the Falcons were as poor of a team as the sportsbooks expected. The Falcons mostly went along with the spreads and totals that the sportsbooks posted for their games.
How They Fared Against the Spread
The Falcons were underdogs for most of their games in 2020. The team had a 7-9 record against the spread. There were a few concerns about the offense, as there is doubt whether Todd Gurley should be the running back of the team’s future. Wideout Calvin Ridley had a breakout season, as the Falcons had about 270 passing yards per game.
Who will the @AtlantaFalcons take in 2021?
Some previous picks made by teams with their current draft picks:4: Walter Payton
35: Mike Alstott
68: Lance Briggs
99: Joe Theismann
132: Dave Meggett
163: Lemar ParrishStory – https://t.co/r54THE3IRB pic.twitter.com/MYT5cBQcql
— Matthew Tabeek (@MatthewTabeek) February 13, 2021
The club managed to keep some of their games close. The team covered a +6 line in their home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and they covered the +11 line against the Kansas City Chiefs. The team also beat a +3.5 line when they upset the Las Vegas Raiders.
The lines for the Falcons were mostly within a field goal. They would become heavier as the season progressed due to the team competing against heavy hitters like the Chiefs and Buccaneers. They also had two late season games with the New Orleans Saints where they failed to beat the spread.
Over/Under Report
The Falcons saw their over/under values around fifty for most of the season. The team had a 7-9 record on the over/under, as the club had about 25 points per game and surrounded 26 on average.
Some of the team’s overs came early in the season when the Falcons had multiple bad breaks and last-minute collapses. The team lost to the Dallas Cowboys 40-39 in the second week of the season, and they lost to the Chicago Bears 30-26 in a game that saw the Bears score twenty points in the fourth quarter.
The team’s constant struggles to keep a lead going cost Dan Quinn his job, but they helped some bettors pick the over on their matches.
The team slipped into the unders as Raheem Morris took over. The team stopped falling apart late in the game and instead didn’t bother to show up on time. There were four games late in the season where the Falcons didn’t score at least twenty points.
What to See in 2021
The Atlanta Falcons are over the cap by tens of millions of dollars. The team already has long-term deals with Matt Ryan and Julio Jones, so the team might have to shed some players elsewhere to stay under the cap. This point could hurt the Falcons’ odds to succeed in 2021.
The club has the worst odds to win the NFC South in 2021, as they have a +1000 line to win. The team also holds a +6000 line to win Super Bowl LVI. The Falcons have games with the NFC East and AFC East in 2021. They will also compete with the Minnesota Vikings and the Arizona Cardinals.
The NFL betting plans for the Atlanta Falcons in 2021 are tough to figure, as there will likely be some roster turnover. The upcoming schedule suggests the team might face a few clubs with some quarterback uncertainties.
But it will be a good bit before Arthur Smith can get the Falcons to be competitive once more. He’ll need to help the Falcons learn how to keep a lead for a change.
Even though the NFL season is over, we will still be keeping our eye on what’s going on! Make sure you check all the latest information on our NFL hub page.
*Odds correct at time of writing.
Image by: pixy.org
