Sean liked laying a field goal with Joe Burrow in an international game, so he took the Bengals in Bengals vs Falcons. He also said he could see the case for Atlanta, and Ryan took that side. By the end of the segment Ryan liked the Falcons more than he expected to. The game kicks off Sunday, November 8 at 9:30 AM ET in Madrid, Spain. The guys played Bengals -3 and Falcons +3, the number on the board when they taped on November 4. Hear the whole debate on the NFL Picks Week 9 episode.
Bengals vs Falcons Odds
As of the November 4 taping, the Bengals were 3-point favorites over the Falcons and the total sat at 52.5. Ryan read the Bengals money line at -165 on air. The game is played in Madrid, so neither team is at home.
Our Picks
- Ryan Kramer (@KramerCentric): Falcons +3
- Sean Green (@SeanTGreen): Bengals -3
The segment started with what went wrong for Atlanta in its previous game. Sean said the rain made throwing close to impossible, and the Buccaneers simply ran the ball, while Kevin Stefanski kept letting Penix throw with Bijan Robinson in the backfield. Sean noted Penix threw four interceptions. Ryan compared him to Daniel Jones, a quarterback who looks like he processes slowly once conditions turn messy. Sean added Bo Nix to that group: good in a simple one or two read offense, in trouble when things fall apart.
Ryan framed the game around one question. Can the Bengals bottle up the Atlanta run game the way the Buccaneers and the weather did? If they cannot, he said, the Falcons offense starts to look a lot better. Sean gave Atlanta’s defense its due, noting it ranks fifth in the league in pressures, but he still saw a Burrow sweet spot. He said Atlanta leans on single-high coverage, which Cincinnati’s passing game handles well. He also pointed to the NFC South going 8 and 14 against the spread outside its division, and said he likes a good favorite in these international games. After a Bengals team that looked like it was on cruise control against the Titans, he expects a more alert group in Madrid.
Ryan landed on the Falcons. A pass rusher back from suspension and a healthier secondary help, and he thinks Atlanta can have success running the ball to the edges. His bigger point was up front. The Bengals offensive line is still the problem with that team, he said, and the Falcons defensive front has gotten better. That was enough for him to take the points.
Hear the full breakdown on the NFL Picks Week 9 episode, or listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Watch every game on YouTube, and download the SGPN app at sg.pn/links. See all our NFL Picks.
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