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We started the preseason 0-1 losing with the Broncos, but who were the right side in that game. Their offense was much more polished just like we predicted as they outyarded the Redskins by 80 yards and nearly doubled them in first downs. The turnovers ended up being the difference with the big one going for a touchdown. Losing that way stings but knowing we were on the correct side eases the pain. We come back strong on Thursday with:
Atlanta Falcons at Baltimore Ravens 8:00 PM ET
Atlanta Falcons +3.5 –113 (2 Units)
After an off-season of drastic changes, Atlanta has nothing to do but improve after finishing 2003 with the league’s worst defense. Add in a new coach and there is plenty of motivation to start this preseason off with a winning attitude. The Falcons have spent more time preparing for this preseason game than the team did in recent years, working against a 3-4 defensive front like the one the Ravens will deploy. After what happened to Michael Vick last preseason, don’t expect the Falcons to take any chances with their top QB. "What probably will happen is Mike will start and play a little, probably a series," head coach Jim Mora said. "And then [rookie] Matt [Schaub] will come in and he'll go into the fourth quarter. He'll get a ton of work. We'd like to get him in there against some of their better players on defense.” While that might not seem like the best of news for Atlanta backers, it is better than one might think. Schaub looked solid in scrimmages against the Tennessee Titans last week and took the majority of snaps in practice when Vick was sidelined with a hamstring injury. Schaub is ahead of the learning curve since he ran the West Coast offense in college. The West Coast offense is the new offensive look for the Falcons under new coordinator Gregg Knapp. He is already #2 on the depth charts and a solid performance will only solidify that. “There are some innuendoes that he knows about as far as blitz reads,” Knapp said. “He gets rid of the ball quicker than most rookies because he has an idea what to expect.” It will be a completely different ballgame for Schaub than what he has seen in the past but we feel he has the edge against his Ravens counterparts. With Dale Carter and Chris McAlister both out, Gary Baxter and veteran Corey Fuller are the only current starters in the Baltimore secondary. And with the other injuries, we would see much of them. On offense for the Ravens, Josh Harris and Brian Gaither are the two rookies going after the third spot at quarterback. Harris will likely play almost the entire second half and while he does have tremendous upside, he has struggled at camp working with the third team. As far as intensity, the Falcons seem to have the edge there as well. In Baltimore, reports are that training camps seem to be getting easier every year. Though the team is in full gear, tackling is nonexistent. While winning was a priority for Ravens coach Brian Billick in the past, that doesn’t seem to be the case early on in the preseason. Baltimore is just 2-4 SU the last 3 years in their first two games of the exhibition slate. They are 1-3 ATS as chalk in those games. They are also 1-7 ATS as favorites of 4 or more points and while this line isn’t that high, it does show them playing down to the competition in these games.
Atlanta Falcons at Baltimore Ravens 8:00 PM ET
Atlanta Falcons +3.5 –113 (2 Units)
After an off-season of drastic changes, Atlanta has nothing to do but improve after finishing 2003 with the league’s worst defense. Add in a new coach and there is plenty of motivation to start this preseason off with a winning attitude. The Falcons have spent more time preparing for this preseason game than the team did in recent years, working against a 3-4 defensive front like the one the Ravens will deploy. After what happened to Michael Vick last preseason, don’t expect the Falcons to take any chances with their top QB. "What probably will happen is Mike will start and play a little, probably a series," head coach Jim Mora said. "And then [rookie] Matt [Schaub] will come in and he'll go into the fourth quarter. He'll get a ton of work. We'd like to get him in there against some of their better players on defense.” While that might not seem like the best of news for Atlanta backers, it is better than one might think. Schaub looked solid in scrimmages against the Tennessee Titans last week and took the majority of snaps in practice when Vick was sidelined with a hamstring injury. Schaub is ahead of the learning curve since he ran the West Coast offense in college. The West Coast offense is the new offensive look for the Falcons under new coordinator Gregg Knapp. He is already #2 on the depth charts and a solid performance will only solidify that. “There are some innuendoes that he knows about as far as blitz reads,” Knapp said. “He gets rid of the ball quicker than most rookies because he has an idea what to expect.” It will be a completely different ballgame for Schaub than what he has seen in the past but we feel he has the edge against his Ravens counterparts. With Dale Carter and Chris McAlister both out, Gary Baxter and veteran Corey Fuller are the only current starters in the Baltimore secondary. And with the other injuries, we would see much of them. On offense for the Ravens, Josh Harris and Brian Gaither are the two rookies going after the third spot at quarterback. Harris will likely play almost the entire second half and while he does have tremendous upside, he has struggled at camp working with the third team. As far as intensity, the Falcons seem to have the edge there as well. In Baltimore, reports are that training camps seem to be getting easier every year. Though the team is in full gear, tackling is nonexistent. While winning was a priority for Ravens coach Brian Billick in the past, that doesn’t seem to be the case early on in the preseason. Baltimore is just 2-4 SU the last 3 years in their first two games of the exhibition slate. They are 1-3 ATS as chalk in those games. They are also 1-7 ATS as favorites of 4 or more points and while this line isn’t that high, it does show them playing down to the competition in these games.