Atlanta at Philadelphia 2018 NFL Week 1 Odds & Preview

For pro football fans (and sports betting enthusiasts), the long wait will come to an end on Thursday, September 6, as the 2018 regular season will get underway. The Atlanta Falcons visit the Philadelphia Eagles in a rematch of their divisional round playoff game, in which Philadelphia eked out a 15-10 win, scoring all six of the game’s second-half points to make it to the NFC Championship. The Falcons and Eagles both have gone winless in the preseason so far, and the Eagles are still waiting to see quarterback Carson Wentz in live-game action. They will likely welcome him back, as Nick Foles has not shown his Super Bowl MVP form in his preseason action thus far. Take a look at our NFL Week 1 odds prediction for Atlanta at Philadelphia, as you consider your wagers for the early NFL going.

Atlanta at Philadelphia 2018 NFL Week 1 Odds & Preview

Back to the lab to put in the work. 📸 – https://t.co/2L119HSFD2 pic.twitter.com/0OyzZN5UbJ

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) August 21, 2018

When: Thursday, September 6, 2018, 8:20pm ET Where: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia TV: NBC Radio: Westwood One Live Stream: NFL Live NFL Odds: Philadelphia -4, O/U 47

Why should you bet on the Falcons?

While the Super Bowl champion gets the honor of hosting the Thursday night opener of the next NFL regular season, that honor doesn’t always pay off. After all, Kansas City went to New England last year and delivered a rout that sent the Patriots into a brief tailspin as they had to recover their sense of hunger after a long Super Bowl hangover. The Eagles will be missing Nigel Bradham (suspension), and Brandon Graham, in addition to Wentz, still could be on the shelf. Atlanta is looking for a big season from Isaiah Oliver, a rookie cornerback who will attack the ball but also has the length and speed to catch up if he overplays. The Falcons already had a stacked secondary, but this just adds to their advantage. Rookie Calvin Ridley joins a receiving corps that already had Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu, so Matt Ryan will have a ton of options throwing down the field. If the Eagles’ pass rush isn’t assertive from the opening drive, the Falcons could turn this game into a track meet.

Why should you put your money on Philadelphia?

How hungry will the Eagles be after their Super Bowl breakthrough? There are rumors that the Eagles are going to wear their Super Bowl jerseys in the home opener, and that’s the sort of strutting that could turn into locker-room reading for the Falcons. Another big question — will it be Wentz or Foles? Foles has a reputation for being a one-season wonder, from his first stint in Philadelphia, his brief time with the Rams and now with his preseason struggles. Can he maintain his quality of play as teams focus on him? It looks like Wentz will be able to play in the opener, but the Eagles haven’t said yet. Frankly, I’m not sure I would lock in money on this game until the Eagles have decided his status. If he’s in, he will be rusty, but he showed poise all season long last year, and I don’t expect that to change. Foles also showed confidence in his play last season, but he’s been iffy so far. Philadelphia will have plenty of momentum at the start of this game — they will raise their championship banner, the team’s first since 1960, and this is a passionate fan base that will turn the Linc into a raucous environment. If the team comes out hungry, there should be no stopping them. However, they didn’t make any major additions to their roster in the off-season, and Atlanta has a lot more reasons to want this win.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

I’m making this pick with the assumption that Wentz won’t start until Week 2, so check injury news before you finalize your wager. I see the Falcons handling Foles and delivering some big passes down the field. I predict a final score of Atlanta 27, Philadelphia 16, as the Falcons make a statement of revenge after that divisional round loss.