Commanders vs Falcons Odds: Can Atlanta Sustain Its Success Against Washington?
QB Desmond Ridder Hasn't Lost a Home Game as Starting QB in College & NFL - But That Might Change Soon
The Atlanta Falcons will welcome the Washington Commanders to the Mercedes-Benz Stadium for an NFC matchup on Sunday.
The Commanders most recently lost to the Chicago Bears on Thursday Night Football, 40-20. That loss pushed the Washington losing streak to three games.
On the other hand, the Falcons ended their two-game losing streak last week with a 21-19 win over the Texans.
Atlanta is now 3-2 and has their fans thinking about the playoffs for the first time in a long time.
Can the Falcons hold off the Commanders in Week 6?
Take a look at the Commanders vs Falcons odds for this enticing matchup between two NFC squads.
Washington Commanders vs Atlanta Falcons 
Date & Time: Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Streaming: CBS
Commanders Not Happy With Ticket Sales
Commanders owner Josh Harris, who recently bought the Commanders, has reportedly been unhappy with ticket sales after Washington lost to the Bears.
Josina Anderson of CBS Sports tweeted about this on Monday.
Anderson stated that Harris is typically a patient owner who lets things play out before being all hands out.
He likely won’t fire anyone until the season ends and will give all coaches and staff members a fair chance. However, his biggest concern, according to Anderson, is the emotional national loss’s impact on ticket sales.
Washington has sold out its first three games this season. But ticket sales could see a hit after a blowout to the Bears, which were once viewed as the worst team in the NFL. That’s what Harris seems to believe will happen.
However, many fans are calling for the firing of head coach Ron Rivera and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio. But it doesn’t seem promising, at least in the middle of the season.
The Falcons Added Van Jefferson to the WR Room
Van Jefferson was a second-round pick for the Los Angeles Rams in 2020. However, in 49 games, he’s only added 101 catches on 179 targets in his career with the Rams.
Van Jefferson has earned under 1,500 yards and only has ten touchdowns in his career.
The Rams couldn’t offer Van Jefferson much playing time with the emergence of Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell, along with a healthy Cooper Kupp.
So, the Rams shipped Van Jefferson to Atlanta. The trade includes 2025 pick swaps, with the Rams obtaining Atlanta’s sixth-round pick. The Falcons got Jefferson and a seventh-rounder.
This comes as a surprise for Atlanta. The offense rarely uses its wide receivers in the first place. But Van Jefferson will give Atlanta some depth behind Drake London and Mack Hollins.
This season, Van Jefferson only caught eight balls on 15 targets in five games. He averaged 13.5 yards per catch and had no touchdowns this year. His 108 receiving yards in five games wasn’t cutting it for the Rams.
Van Jefferson started the season as a No. 1 wide receiver. But he quickly fell off the depth chart for Los Angeles. Still, the Rams did right by Van Jefferson and gave him a shot elsewhere.
We’ll see if the Falcons use him any more than the Rams did.
Check out the odds for Sunday’s Commanders vs Falcons odds below.
Commanders vs Falcons Odds
The Falcons are a 2.5-point favorite against the Commanders on Sunday. Meanwhile, the total is currently at 42.
The Commanders have traded wins and losses against the spread this season. Washington is now 2-3 against the spread. But if that trend stays true, Washington would cover Sunday’s game against the Falcons.
The Over has also hit in each of Washington’s last two games. The total was 44 against the Bears last week, and Washington allowed them 40 points on their own.
On the other hand, Atlanta might be 3-2 straight up, but they’re only 1-4 against the spread. The Falcons covered their home opener against Carolina as a 3.5-point favorite. But since then, the Falcons have lost against the spread in four straight games.
Every game for the Falcons has been a spread of 3.5 or lower. They’re expected to play in many close games and have another low spread against the Commanders in Week 6.
Meanwhile, the total has gone Under in three straight games for Washington. Dating back to last season, the Commanders have hit the Under in eight of ten games.
Washington and Atlanta last played on November 27, 2022. In that game, Washington won, 19-13, and covered as a 3.5-point favorite. The Commanders have won the last two games against Atlanta.
Atlanta’s Defense Is Strong!
The Atlanta Falcons have looked good defensively to begin the year. Jesse Bates III is currently tied in the NFL interception leaders category with three.
The secondary has allowed just 199.2 yards per game in the air this season, which is good. You can thank Bates for that.
Meanwhile, the Atlanta defense has allowed just 104.4 yards per game on the ground. They’ve converted tackles at a high rate and have been above-average against the run.
Atlanta’s pass rush isn’t as good as the rest of the defense. But with the secondary playing at a high level, the Falcons are getting the job done.
They’ll try and stop QB Sam Howell of the Washington Commanders. Most teams have.
Howell has been sacked 29 times in five games this season. But if the pass rush isn’t as effective against Washinton, Howell might be able to escape pressure more in this game.
The offense hasn’t run the ball well. However, the passing game has still earned over 250 yards per game. Last week, Washington abandoned the run after the Bears went out to a hefty lead in the first half.
A more complementary style of football is needed if the Commanders want to win. The offense needs to limit sacks and turnovers, while the defense needs to get stops and play against other offenses with better field positions.
Can Atlanta Sustain Last Week’s Offense?
The Falcons haven’t been known for their passing game this season. However, Desmond Ridder and the Falcons added 351 yards in the air against the Texans last weekend.
Don’t expect that to continue. Even with Van Jefferson in the mix at receiver. Ridder has a 42.8 QBR with only four passing touchdowns and three interceptions.
Players like Drake London and Kyle Pitts deserve better. They were active last week, but the moment you start to trust the Atlanta offense is when the offense fades.
Desmond Ridder hasn’t lost a home game in his career through college and the NFL. But that’s also not sustainable. Not in the NFL, where at least 15 teams are better than you.
The latest NFL lines keep telling us a story. The oddsmakers believe the Falcons will play multiple tight games throughout the year. They can’t sustain winning with all of these close games.
Check the current NFL scores and watch the Commanders earn a sight upset over the Falcons on Sunday.
For NFL betting news, current NFL odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
