2005 Atlanta Falcons NFL Handicapping Review

 

By Tom Wilkinson

 

Just as the Dallas Cowboys and Oakland Raiders are the ultimate public “name brand” pro football teams that the general sports betting public loves to use for football picks, the Atlanta Falcons have often served in the opposite mode as a “go against” team. As one of the most inept franchises in all of professional sports, that designation as a “go against” team with many sports betting players was more deserved than not, but with new ownership that has demonstrated a commitment to winning, sports handicapping attitudes may have to change in regards to the Falcons.

Atlanta has made the playoffs in two of their past three seasons although in three of the past four seasons they were significant losers against the sports betting odds which accurately reflects their sports handicapping stigma as an extremely difficult team for sports betting players to get a handle on.

In 2004 Atlanta won their first three games straight up but beat the sports betting odds in just one of those games. In fact, Atlanta beat the sportsbooks and online sports betting websites in just two of their first five games against the sports betting odds in 2004. After a devastating 56-10 blowout loss at Kansas City which left the Falcons standing at 5-2 straight up and 2-5 against the sports betting odds many members of the general sports betting public wrote off the Falcons as a fraud, overreacting to that one blowout loss without fully considering the bigger overall sports handicapping picture.

Atlanta became a good sports betting value after that loss at KC and went on to win and cover the three next games that followed that slaughter. Then, with the sports betting public becoming interested in using them again for their football picks, Atlanta proceeded to drop four of their next five against the sports betting odds. The Falcons then covered their final regular season game in a straight up loss at Seattle as 5.5-point dogs before heading home to host St. Louis in the playoffs.

Atlanta had a bizarre record of 11-5 straight up and only 7-9 against the sports betting odds. Even more bizarre was the fact that Atlanta LOST five of their straight up wins against the sports betting odds, demonstrating that they were often winning ugly and without dominance. In the playoffs, however, Atlanta was quite “normal” winning and covering at home against the Rams before losing at Philadelphia both straight up and against the sports betting odds.