Banged-up Falcons no match for Eagles

Those making Florida vs Alabama betting picks on Saturday can stay with the Georgia Dome for Sunday’s NFL matchup between Philadelphia and Atlanta, who have suffered a lot of injuries over the last few weeks.

Eagles vs Falcons betting – Sunday, December 6, 1:00 PM ET

The Eagles (7-4) had to make a fourth-quarterback comeback for the second game in a row as they edged Washington 27-24 at home, winning the game on David Akers’ 32-yarder with 1:48 to play. Donovan McNabb was 21-of-35 for 260 yards, a touchdown and a pick, while LeSean McCoy added 76 yards on the ground, replacing the still-injured Brian Westbrook. Jeremy Maclin stepped in for the injured DeSean Jackson (who, like Westbrook, has a concussion) and made some big catches for the Eagles. The defense also picked off Washington pivot Jason Campbell twice.

The Falcons (6-5) had Matt Ryan, Michael Turner and a couple of offensive lineup leave early, but Chris Redman led them to a 20-17 win over Tampa Bay at home, going 23-of-41 for 243 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The Falcons had no other choice but to put the game on Redman’s shoulders and he responded in a big way, but not having Ryan under center hurts Atlanta’s NFL betting odds. The defense made some big stops when they needed to, especially on third down, where they held the Bucs in nine of 12 chances.

NFL betting odds in your online sportsbook have the Eagles as a 5.5-point favorite in Michael Vick’s return to Atlanta, although with the little playing time he sees, Vick shouldn’t be a factor. Instead, all eyes will be on his old position as the Atlanta starting quarterback. The Falcons’ line looked terrible against the Bucs, so how will they fare while trying to protect Redman from a Philly defense that blitzes every chance they get, especially without Turner to take some of the pressure off in the backfield. The Falcons have also given up some big plays on defense, and even without Jackson, the Eagles can still air it out.

NFL picks: Eagles -5.5

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