When the Falcons take the field against the Green Bay Packers on “Monday Night Football”, they’ll be biggest underdog of Week 13.
The gamblers in Las Vegas and some NFL Scouts don’t give the first-place Falcons (5-7) much of a chance of knocking off the 9-3 Green Bay Packers.
In part because of an apparent statistical mismatch between the Falcons’ defense (last in the league) and Green Bay’s offense (8th in the league), the Falcons are 11 ½ point underdogs against the Packers. Some Vegas sports books have the game at 12 points.
“If the Falcons win the division, it will be unbelievable,” a personnel director for an NFL team said told Bob McGinn of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Tuesday. “That would be a joke. If Green Bay doesn’t torch them for 40, I’ll be shocked.”
McGinn wrote that the scout predicted a 48-17 triumph for Green Bay, another scout called it, 38-21, for the Packers and an assistant coach for a recent Falcons’ opponent sees Green Bay rolling, 35-13.
“Atlanta’s secondary is as bad as Philadelphia’s secondary,” one of the scouts said. “If the Packers don’t blow this team out, I’ll be disappointed.”
There is some support out there for the Falcons. Another personnel man picked the Falcons, 20-17.
“I see this as a trap game for Green Bay,” the scout said. “I’m expecting an emotional letdown on offense as the Packers come off the New England game.
“This is my upset of the week. Gulp!”
