Atlanta Falcons vs. Cincinnati Bengals
It was an excellent week for the Falcons and Bengals as they kicked off their 2014 NFL seasons in a close victory, both teams one-upping a division opponent.
If you’re into narratives, Falcons-Bengals will provide one of the better ones of the weekend: Julio Jones vs. A.J. Green. Arguably two of the top five receivers in the league, these two will always be connected, having been drafted a few picks apart from each other, with the Falcons failing on an attempt to draft Green before settling Jones.
Outside of those two, it’s going to be interesting to see how defenses match up with each other. Can the Bengals slow down Matt Ryan coming off a 400+ yard performance? Can the Falcons contain the Bengals running game–if not, it could open things up for Green to dominate.
To tune in to all of the action on Sunday, be sure to check out all of the information below so you don’t miss a second of the action.
Date: Sunday, September 14th, 2014
Start Time: 1:00 P.M. ET
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Stadium: Paul Brown Stadium
TV Info: CBS
Live Stream: NFL Sunday Ticket
Radio: For Falcons: 790 The Zone, For Bengals: On the Air
Ticket Information: For Chiefs ticket info click here. For Titans ticket info click here.
Keys to Victory
It’s been pretty much the same story for the Falcons these last few years–if they can defend, the game is a bit easier. The duo of Andy Dalton and A.J. Green has haunted opponents since they’ve reunited, and their offense lives and dies by their success. Desmond Trufant has made his claim as a top cornerback in the league, but with Green opposite of him, there’s no better way to prove it.
Opposite of them, the Bengals frontline will need to keep Matt Ryan shuffling in the pocket from opening snap to end snap. The Bengals defensive core isn’t deep enough to match up with a scary four-wideouts (Jones, White, Douglas, Hester), meaning Cincy’s front four–against a shaky offensive line–will need to make life easier on those behind them.
Betting Odds
Point Spread: Cincinnati Bengals (-5)
Money Line: Atlanta Falcons (205), Cincinnati (-245)
O/U: 48.5
Prediction
For the second week in a row, Atlanta’s offense and defense will be tested–the Cincinnati Bengals were one of two teams to finish top-10 in offense and defense in 2013 (New Orleans the other). But in comparison to the Saints, the Bengals offense is a step down meaning Atlanta should be prepared to stifle the Bengals, slowing down the A.J. Green-led offense just enough to run off with an easy victory.
Final Score: ATL 27, CIN 17