With an Atlanta Falcons Week 11 game scheduled against the New England Patriots, the stakes are high for Matt Ryan in a crucial Thursday Night Football showcase. Here are some Falcons-Patriots predictions for Atlanta.
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Atlanta Falcons Week 11 Predictions
4. Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan throws for 275 yards
The Falcons were completely shut down by the Dallas Cowboys this past Sunday. It's hard for them to play any worse than they did, including on offense. Matt Ryan was pulled before the end of the third quarter. Atlanta didn't even manage to score a garbage-time touchdown when trailing the Cowboys by more than 30 points.
For more insight on the Falcons' Week 11 matchup against the Patriots, listen below:
The Falcons will be better than they were against the Patriots, but only marginally, because the Dallas disaster was and is a very low bar to clear. Atlanta will need to be dramatically better in this Thursday night clash against the Patriots.
The big key for Matt Ryan — who went to Boston College and faced the Patriots in Super Bowl LI, making this game extra special for him — is to hit home runs. He can't hit a bunch of singles. The Patriots have prevented the big play against Justin Herbert and Baker Mayfield, among others. Their defense is in great form and presents the ultimate challenge to NFL signal-callers. Bill Belichick has shown this season that he has not lost the mustard on his fastball as a defensive coach. Ryan will probably move the ball between the 20s, but the measure of his night is how well he and the Falcons perform in the red zone. Collecting 275 passing yards isn't an indicator of success (or failure). Making those yards count is the real task in Week 11.
3. Falcons will score fewer than 10 points in the first half
The Falcons learned against the Cowboys that their personnel just isn't ready to perform at a high level against quality opposition. The Falcons have defeated the New York Jets and Giants, the Miami Dolphins, and (their one remotely good win) the New Orleans Saints with Trevor Siemian. A fully-loaded Cowboys team buried them, which reaffirms the longstanding view among many Atlanta fans that the organization needs to engage in a full rebuild and stop kidding itself about its present situation.
The Falcons aren't likely to solve a Belichick defense. The first half is likely to be a very bumpy ride.
2. Falcons defense will hold Patriots under 375 total yards
The Patriots don't rely on their offense to win games. They put games in the hands of their defense. Belichick emphasizes to Mac Jones the need to not make the big mistake. Jones has been minimizing his errors and allowing the defense-first plan to work. That's the blueprint for the Pats.
The Falcons' defense was roasted by Dak Prescott and Company in the blowout loss to the Cowboys. The Patriots' offense will provide a less daunting challenge than the ‘Boys, and that will enable Atlanta's defense to keep New England under 400 yards. We'll go even lower and say below 375.
1. Atlanta Falcons will lose to the New England Patriots in Week 11
While the Thursday Night Football turnaround could ambush the Patriots, and while the boomerang theory — one week in the NFL will be completely different from the previous one — could point to a great Falcons performance, we're just not confident enough to see it.
Yes, the game will be close. The Patriots will not play well enough to blow out the Falcons. However, it's hard to trust that Atlanta's offensive line will be good enough against the Pats' defensive line to bring home an outright win.
The Patriots will beat the Falcons by one score, probably a touchdown.
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