The Atlanta Falcons have secured their spot in Super Bowl LI against the New England Patriots after routing the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game. The Falcons have shown their offensive prowess throughout the season, making them the highest scoring team on average in the league this year. QB Matt Ryan is having an MVP-caliber season. In the 2016-2017 season, Ryan has thrown for just under 5,000 total yards with a 38-7 touchdown to interception ratio. He’s only fumbled the ball 4 times and managed an overall rating of 117.1. These numbers are the best of his career and he’ll be looking to cement his record season with Atlanta’s first ever Super Bowl Championship by beating the Patriots.
Ryan isn’t the only offensive weapon for the Falcons. RB Devonta Freeman has rushed for over 1,000 yards for 11 touchdowns. Just in his third NFL season, Freeman is showcasing the same incredible ability that he displayed at Florida State. The Falcons will surely try to utilize Freeman to the best of his ability against a stout Patriots defensive front. The Falcons are lucky to have a solid RB rotation in Tevin Coleman, who has scored 8 touchdowns so far this year. With these two dynamic rushing threats, the Patriots will have to lock them down while simultaneously focusing on Ryan and his accuracy.
As far as offensive targets go, Ryan has a few options. Freeman and Coleman have combined for a total of 85 receptions, so they are also wide out options. WR Julio Jones has caught 83 receptions for a total of 1,409 yards and 6 touchdowns. During the NFC Championship game against the Packers, Jones was playing with the ferocity of a champion. New England will certainly have him on their radar. WR Mohamed Sanu provides another threat to the Patriots secondary. Sanu posted 59 receptions for a combined 653 yards and 4 touchdowns. These offensive threats make sports gambling in Georgia not only exciting for locals betting on their favorite home team, but also good for those who bet on the totals to go over.
The Falcons’ biggest liability comes in their defense. Patriots QB Tom Brady is a future Hall-of-Famer and is playing for his 5th Super Bowl title. He’s also playing with a chip on his shoulder since getting suspended for the first 4 games of the season because of the Deflategate scandal. The Patriots have been playing with pace and intensity, dismantling the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship game. The Falcons defense gave up 476 total passing yards over the course of the season, and Brady’s passing is no joke. If the Falcons want to win, they’re going to have to pressure Brady right out of the gate and force throws. Even if they are able to force the run game, they have to deal with RB LeGarrette Blount, who is coming off a dominant performance in the NFC Championship.
In just his second year at the helm, head coach Dan Quinn has turned the Falcons into a Super Bowl team. He seems as determined as ever to deny the Patriots another Super Bowl Championship. The team is buying the dream that he is selling and they hope to bring Atlanta their first ever championship. If the Falcons can start the game strong with their powerful offense, they may be able to keep up with Brady and the Patriots. Super Bowl LI is poised to be a shootout. Bookmakers have the point spread at 3 and over/under bet at 59 ½ points. The Falcons are going in as the underdogs, but they have the tools and the drive to defeat the Patriots in Houston.