Darnell Mooney will oppose rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell and slot corner Avonte Maddox. Maddox allowed a touchdown in Week 1.
Since 2022, Barkley averages more than 18 rush attempts per game.
During his tenure with the Minnesota Vikings, Kirk Cousins averaged nearly two passing touchdowns per game.
Closing out Week 2 on Monday Night Football is the Philadelphia Eagles home opener, which features the Atlanta Falcons. The Eagles are 1-0 after their win over the Green Bay Packers in Brazil, while the Falcons fell to 0-1 following their home loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Below, I’ll not only give a prediction for this game but provide three player props that I think are worth taking a chance on using odds from FanDuel Sportsbook, where, right now, you can get $200 in bonus bets and three free weeks of NFL Sunday Ticket when you sign up, deposit $10, and wager $5.
Heading into Week 2, these are two completely different-looking teams. The Eagles put up 34 points in their Week 1 win over the Packers in Brazil, led by running back Saquon Barkley’s three touchdowns. Conversely, the Falcons put up just 10 and lost to the Steelers despite not scoring a touchdown, 18-10.
Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins is coming off a torn Achilles, and the Week 1 performance, based on the complete lack of play-action passing, leads me to believe he’s not quite all the way back yet, whether it’s physically or mentally. Something feels off.
Meanwhile, the Eagles have multiple weapons on offense and an offensive line that will, I think, be able to block Matthew Judon off the edge and Grady Jarrett on the interior.
The Falcons will have a better showing here, though. The Eagles' corners allowed Packers quarterback Jordan Love to throw for 260 yards and two touchdowns, and the Falcons have some solid weapons of their own, especially running back Bijan Robinson.
This feels like a spot where taking the Eagles on the point spread feels like a trap, but I also don’t feel confident in the Falcons to pull this one out.
I’d lean under at 47.5, and if I had to take a team on the point spread, it would be the Falcons. I trust that Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson will get something going.
Below are the three best prop bets for this matchup, including Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney, Cousins, and Barkley.
This is a bit of a long-shot bet at +340, but this is worthy of a half-unit wager or so.
In Week 1, Mooney played out of the slot and out wide. Where he lines up will oppose Eagles rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell and slot cornerback Avonte Maddox.
For a rookie cornerback in his debut, Mitchell did play well with two pass breakups and limiting the yards after the catch, but he still allowed five receptions on nine targets for 85 yards (17.2 yards per catch). As for Maddox, he allowed three catches on five targets for 30 yards and a score.
Ray-Ray McCloud also plays out of the slot for the Eagles, so an even bigger dart throw Any Time TD prop would be him, but Mooney will see the field more often, including any two wide receiver sets, so I’ll take a chance on him here against some beatable competition as a road underdog by nearly a touchdown.
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In Week 1, Barkley had 24 carries for 109 yards and two scores, while quarterback Jalen Hurts also had 13 carries for 33 yards. While I don’t expect the Eagles to run Barkley into the ground every game, the point spread speaks to a game script that would put the Eagles in a great position to run the ball.
Outside of Barkley, the next running back up is Kenneth Gainwell, who saw just one carry in Week 1.
The Steelers ran the ball at the Falcons 41 times, including 20 from Najee Harris and 14 from Justin Fields. However, this Eagles' passing attack will force the Falcons to not stack the box nearly as much as they did against a Steelers offense with a running quarterback making his team debut after the starting quarterback was ruled out later in the week.
Since 2022 and including Week 1, Barkley averages 18.25 carries per game. He’s had 566 carries since then and has played in 31 games.
Also, this is the home opener, so I expect the Eagles to show off their new star running back to their fans here.
Look for Barkley to get about 20 carries here.
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After Week 1, this prop bet may seem quite lofty, but given the upside of the odds at +148, I’m willing to take it.
Cousins completed just 16 of 26 passes for 155 yards in Week 1, but he did throw a touchdown.
Since joining the Vikings in 2018, Cousins averaged nearly two passing touchdowns per game.
Yes, Week 1 was rough, but again, as I mentioned earlier, the Falcons ran exactly zero play-action. Not only will that help Cousins find open receivers, but it’s an excellent passing concept for the Falcons' offensive line, which isn’t exactly known for straight-up pass blocking with a quarterback taking a snap under center and three-or-five-step drop.
The Falcons are underdogs on the road here, which could force Cousins to throw more.
The Eagles allowed just 56.7% of targets to be caught, but they also allowed 15.3 yards per catch and 260 yards despite Love completing 50% of his passes.
This Eagles secondary can be beaten, and I think the Falcons have the pieces to do it with Kyle Pitts, Drake London, and even Robinson out of the backfield.
It may not be a pretty stat line, but I think Cousins hits two passing touchdowns here.
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What: Falcons vs. Eagles Monday Night Football Week 2
When: Monday, September 16 at 8:15 p.m. ET
Where: Lincoln Financial Field
How to Watch: ESPN
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