Tweet
39-25-1 (61%) YTD on posted plays
NEW YORK JETS @ ATLANTA FALCONS -7.5 * *Laying the Points
NY. Jets (2-4) at Atlanta (4-2) at 9:00 PM. EST. ABC Network
After a long struggle, The Atlanta Falcons are finally getting this Monday Night thing down. The franchise, which sports an NFL-worst 7-18 record in Monday night games, will try to move to 2-0 in primetime in their Week 8 matchup against the visiting New York Jets. The Falcons were 14-10 Monday night winners over the Eagles in Week 1, and will have another chance to give the fans at the Georgia Dome something about which to cheer.
In addition to trying to put on a good show for a national television audience, Atlanta will be attempting to keep pace in the very strong NFC South. Tampa Bay (5-1) and Carolina (4-2) have both been among the elite teams in the NFC through six games, and the Falcons have a chance to move ahead of the Panthers and get within a half-game of the Bucs with a victory on Monday night.
The Jets, meanwhile, will be trying turn around a 2005 season that has been disappointing thus far. Herman Edwards and company have begun the season with a 2-4 record amid a well-publicized struggle at the quarterback position. Chad Pennington and Jay Fiedler are both out indefinitely with shoulder injuries, and 41-year-old Vinny Testaverde will be making his third start of the 2005 season Sunday. Testaverde is 1-1 since taking over starting duties, including a 27-17 loss at Buffalo last week.
SERIES HISTORY
The all-time series between the Jets and Falcons is tied, 4-4, and the teams will be meeting for the last time since a 28-3 New York triumph at the Meadowlands during the 1998 season. Atlanta has won the last two home meetings with the Jets, including a 13-3 victory in the last such matchup, in 1995. The Jets last won it Atlanta during the 1986 campaign.
The Jets' Edwards and Falcons' Jim Mora will be meeting one another, as well as their respective opponents, for the first time as head coaches.
OVERALL ANALYSIS
The Falcons have some kinks to work out before they can be considered among the league's top Super Bowl contenders, but should have little trouble finding their way to the win column on Monday night. The Jets offense is too depleted at this stage to be effective, and Atlanta should be able to apply constant pressure to the sitting duck Testaverde. Offensively, the Falcons will ride Vick and Dunn to another strong ground showing, and Mora and company will move to 2-0 on Monday nights this season.
INJURY * NOTE:
Jets lost starting center Kevin Mawae for the season with a torn left triceps. Mawae's consecutive games streak will end at 177 games, which had been third among active players.
The loss of Mawae further shuffles an offensive line already in disarray for New York. Jason Fabini and Adrian Jones have flipped tackle spots to help Fabini recover from a knee injury, and left guard Pete Kendall will take Mawae's spot at center. Kendall, making his first start at center since 2003, is now charged with making all the line calls and providing smooth snaps for Testaverde.
''I don't think it will be difficult. That's probably the kiss of death right there,'' Kendall said Wednesday. ''What quarterbacks are looking for is a consistent snap, wherever that may be. As long as I consistently get it there, we should be OK.''
NEW YORK JETS @ ATLANTA FALCONS -7.5 * *Laying the Points
NY. Jets (2-4) at Atlanta (4-2) at 9:00 PM. EST. ABC Network
After a long struggle, The Atlanta Falcons are finally getting this Monday Night thing down. The franchise, which sports an NFL-worst 7-18 record in Monday night games, will try to move to 2-0 in primetime in their Week 8 matchup against the visiting New York Jets. The Falcons were 14-10 Monday night winners over the Eagles in Week 1, and will have another chance to give the fans at the Georgia Dome something about which to cheer.
In addition to trying to put on a good show for a national television audience, Atlanta will be attempting to keep pace in the very strong NFC South. Tampa Bay (5-1) and Carolina (4-2) have both been among the elite teams in the NFC through six games, and the Falcons have a chance to move ahead of the Panthers and get within a half-game of the Bucs with a victory on Monday night.
The Jets, meanwhile, will be trying turn around a 2005 season that has been disappointing thus far. Herman Edwards and company have begun the season with a 2-4 record amid a well-publicized struggle at the quarterback position. Chad Pennington and Jay Fiedler are both out indefinitely with shoulder injuries, and 41-year-old Vinny Testaverde will be making his third start of the 2005 season Sunday. Testaverde is 1-1 since taking over starting duties, including a 27-17 loss at Buffalo last week.
SERIES HISTORY
The all-time series between the Jets and Falcons is tied, 4-4, and the teams will be meeting for the last time since a 28-3 New York triumph at the Meadowlands during the 1998 season. Atlanta has won the last two home meetings with the Jets, including a 13-3 victory in the last such matchup, in 1995. The Jets last won it Atlanta during the 1986 campaign.
The Jets' Edwards and Falcons' Jim Mora will be meeting one another, as well as their respective opponents, for the first time as head coaches.
OVERALL ANALYSIS
The Falcons have some kinks to work out before they can be considered among the league's top Super Bowl contenders, but should have little trouble finding their way to the win column on Monday night. The Jets offense is too depleted at this stage to be effective, and Atlanta should be able to apply constant pressure to the sitting duck Testaverde. Offensively, the Falcons will ride Vick and Dunn to another strong ground showing, and Mora and company will move to 2-0 on Monday nights this season.
INJURY * NOTE:
Jets lost starting center Kevin Mawae for the season with a torn left triceps. Mawae's consecutive games streak will end at 177 games, which had been third among active players.
The loss of Mawae further shuffles an offensive line already in disarray for New York. Jason Fabini and Adrian Jones have flipped tackle spots to help Fabini recover from a knee injury, and left guard Pete Kendall will take Mawae's spot at center. Kendall, making his first start at center since 2003, is now charged with making all the line calls and providing smooth snaps for Testaverde.
''I don't think it will be difficult. That's probably the kiss of death right there,'' Kendall said Wednesday. ''What quarterbacks are looking for is a consistent snap, wherever that may be. As long as I consistently get it there, we should be OK.''