It’s a matchup of two young quarterbacks who could lead their teams into the playoffs in their rookie season as the Commanders (10-5) take on the Falcons (8-7) on Sunday Night Football. Jayden Daniels led Washington to a stunning comeback win last week against the Eagles while Michael Penix Jr. earned his first win in his first start against the Giants.
Atlanta Falcons
A week after benching Kirk Cousins the Falcons went out and did what they needed to do, beat the Giants to keep their playoff hopes alive. Bijan Robinson rushed for 94 yards and two scores while new starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. passed for 240 yards and 1 interception in his debut. Drake London anchors the receiving corps with 978 yards and 7 touchdowns. Atlanta ranks 9th in total offense (360.9 yards per game) but struggles on third downs and in the red zone. Defensively, Atlanta allows 23.3 points per game, ranking 19th. The Falcons are solid against the run, giving up just 112 yards per game. They have just 26 sacks, last in the league and 11 interceptions. The key for this unit will be pressuring and containing Jayden Daniels to give the offense more time to cook.
Washington Commanders
The Commanders rank 4th in scoring, averaging 28.8 points per game. Rookie Jayden Daniels is coming off a career game where he threw for five touchdowns. He’s thrown for 12 touchdowns over the last four weeks, and is 3-1 in that stretch. Additionally, Daniels has 3,303 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions while rushing for 128 yards and 6 scores. Terry McLaurin leads all Commanders receivers with 1,029 yards and 12 touchdowns. Washington is 5th in total offense and 3rd in rushing yards per game (152.7). On the other side of the ball, Washington allows 23.2 points per game (18th) but excels against the pass, giving up just 185.5 yards per game (4th). The run defense gives up 137.4 YPG, fourth most overall, something Altanta will try to exploit with Robinson.
Prediction: Falcons +4, Atlanta ML +175
After an emotional comeback win against the Eagles, this feels like a let down game for the Commanders. Michael Penix Jr. is making his first road start for the Falcons but should be ready for this challenge. He has Bijan Robinson who is finally turning into the centerpiece of this offense. He’s averaging 23 carries and over 100 yards rushing in the last four games, and four touchdowns to boot. Long drives, eating the clock keeps the Falcons in this game, and keeps their playoff hopes alive. Sprinkling a bit on the moneyline isn’t a bad option either.
Game Betting Odds
Falcons +4
Commanders -4
Total: 47
Moneyline: Atlanta +175, Washington -210
Recent Betting Trends
Atlanta is 1-4-1 ATS in the last six games
The total has been under in six of Atlanta’s last seven games
Washington is 2-4 ATS in the last six games
The total has been over in five of Washington’s last seven games
