Commanders vs. Falcons Prediction, Pick, Odds: Can the Commanders get to Desmond Ridder, Falcons?
The Washington Commanders travel to face the Atlanta Falcons after an embarrassing loss to the Bears. Can the Commanders defense get to Desmond Ridder and end his perfect start at home? Jason Radowitz breaks down the Commanders vs. Falcons Week 6 game.
Jason Radowitz - October 11, 2023, 10:54 AM EDT
6 minCommanders vs. Falcons Prediction, Pick, Odds: Can the Commanders get to Desmond Ridder, Falcons?
The Atlanta Falcons were a bit shocking last week against the Texans. The Falcons are typically a team that will run the football at a high rate.
Against the Texans, Atlanta's Desmond Ridder threw for 351 yards and helped the Falcons earn nearly 450 yards total of offense against Houston. That's rare for the Falcons. But after all of those yards, the Falcons only scored 21 points in a 21-19 win.
On the other hand, the Commanders came out flat against the Chicago Bears on last week's Thursday Night Football. Washington allowed 40 points to the Bears in a 40-20 loss.
Can the Commanders rebound after a pitiful display last week?
Here are our picks, predictions, and odds for Sunday's game between the Washington Commanders vs. Atlanta Falcons.
Commanders vs. Falcons Date, Time, and Where to Watch
- Date: October 15, 2023
- Game Time: 1:00 pm ET
- Where to Watch: CBS
Commanders vs. Falcons Odds
- Spread: Commanders +2.5 (-110), Falcons -2.5 (-110)
- Total Odds: O/U 42.5 (-110)
- Moneyline Odds: Commanders (+125), Falcons (-150)
Commanders vs. Falcons Injury Report
Commanders
Questionable: RB Chris Rodriguez Jr. (Illness)
Out: Darrick Forrest (Shoulder), S Jeremy Reaves (Knee)
Falcons
Out: WR Josh Ali (Ankle), LB Troy Andersen (Shoulder)
Washington Commanders vs. Atlanta Falcons Prediction
The Washington Commanders had an ugly loss on Thursday Night Football. But with a little over a week to prepare for Atlanta, the Commanders should get back on track.
Let's not forget that this Washington team took the Eagles to overtime on the road in the previous week.
Washington has still earned 360.8 yards of offense per game. Sam Howell has been sacked 29 times and hasn't found his top receivers recently. But all that should change when Washington faces Atlanta.
The Falcons' weakest portion of their defense is the pass rush. If Howell has enough time in the pocket, he'll make the proper reads and find his targets like Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson. He didn't find those two last weekend against the Bears.
Atlanta has allowed 303.6 yards per game. The Falcons have an excellent defense that has allowed only 199.2 yards in the air per game. But again, the pass rush isn't as effective, and that should enable teams to pick apart the defense eventually.
Meanwhile, the Falcons have averaged 340.6 yards per game, with 219 yards in the air. It's typically a big moment when Drake London and Kyle Pitts are involved in the offense. Last week, the Falcons got everyone involved in the offense, with Desmond Ridder and the Falcons earning over 350 yards of offense in the air.
But that's not sustainable for this Atlanta offense. Ridder hasn't played very well, and he's backed by an average offensive line.
We discussed how the pass rush is the Falcons' weakest part of their defense. But that's Washington's best. They'll create some disruption on the line of scrimmage against the Falcons.
The public is going to be all over Atlanta for many different reasons. One reason is that Desmond Ridder hasn't lost a home game in his career since college. Another is because the Falcons finally threw the ball a lot last weekend.
Finally, Washington's play against the Bears probably turned off the public.
But none of what the Falcons did is truly sustainable. Ridder won't stay undefeated at home for his entire career when his team is average at best in the NFL.
Let's take the Commanders at +2.5 in this one.
Washington Commanders vs. Atlanta Falcons Pick
- Commanders +2.5 -110 is currently the best odds. Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds
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