Sports Betting Spotlight: Atlanta Falcons 2017 season preview
The Review-Journal’s Todd Dewey, handicapper Kelly Stewart (@KellyInVegas) and Sunset Station sports book director Chuck Esposito preview the Falcons’ season in the 11th of a series of 32 NFL team videos in 32 days.
The Falcons finished 11-5 last season and lost Super Bowl LI to the New England Patriots. Fueled by the seventh-highest scoring offense in NFL history, Atlanta had a 16-2-1 over-under record and went 12-7 against the spread.
Atlanta replaced offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan with Steve Sarkisian but returns quarterback Matt Ryan, wide receiver Julio Jones and the rest of its high-flying offense.
Eight of the past 19 Super Bowl losers have had a losing record the following season. Does our panel foresee a similar fate for the 2017 Falcons? Atlanta’s win total is 9.5 (Over minus-130) at Station Casinos.
2017 Sports Betting Spotlight schedule*
Aug. 21: Atlanta Falcons
Aug. 22: Minnesota Vikings
Aug. 23: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Aug. 24: Carolina Panthers
Aug. 25: Detroit Lions
Aug. 26: Green Bay Packers
Aug. 27: San Francisco 49ers
Aug. 28: New York Giants
Aug. 29: Washington Redskins
Aug. 30: Dallas Cowboys
Aug. 31: Seattle Seahawks
Sept. 1: Los Angeles Rams
Sept. 2: Philadelphia Eagles
Sept. 3: Arizona Cardinals
Sept. 4: Oakland Raiders
Sept. 5: Buffalo Bills
Sept. 6: Kansas City Chiefs
Sept. 7: New England Patriots
Sept. 8: New York Jets
Sept. 9: Miami Dolphins
Sept. 10: Los Angeles Chargers
Sept. 11: Denver Broncos
*Schedule is subject to change
More betting: Follow all of our sports betting coverage online at reviewjournal.com/betting and @RJ_Sports on Twitter.
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.
