DENVER (1 - 0) at ATLANTA (1 - 0) - 9/17/2012, 8:30 PM
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Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.
DENVER vs. ATLANTA
Denver is 2-4-1 ATS in its last 7 games
Denver is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Atlanta's last 8 games when playing Denver
Atlanta is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing Denver
Denver at Atlanta
Denver: 6-1 ATS as a road underdog of 7 points or less
Atlanta: 6-18 ATS at home off a win by 14+ points
Denver at Atlanta: Den is: 1)3-1 L4 in series. 2)12-22-2 L36 vs. non-conf. teams. 3)6-1 ATS as a road dog of 7 points or less. Atl is: 1)32-22-2 L56 as a home fave. 2)19-12 as a non-div. home fave. 3)14-6 L20 vs. non-conf. teams. 4)6-18 ATS at home off a win by 14+ points.
Key injuries: Den: DT Ty Warren (tricep) was placed on the IR. OG Chris Kuper (forearm) is out 4-6 weeks. LB D.J. Williams (susp) is out first 6 regular season games. Atl: CB Brent Grimes (Achiles) was placed on the IR.
NFL Week 2
Broncos (1-0) @ Falcons (1-0) — Manning looked lot like old self last week, as Denver averaged 8.6 yards/pass attempt and had three TD drives of 80+ yards. Since 2007, Falcons are 19-7-1 vs spread as a home favorite; since '05, they've covered 19 of 28 games vs AFC opponents. Since '06, Manning is 7-2 as road underdog. Denver won seven of last eight series meetings, with average total in last nine 63.6- they’ve won last four visits here, but Fox lost last three visits here with Carolina, by 17-8-21 points-- he also lost five of last seven road openers. Denver is 3-5 in its last eight road openers, with under 7-2-1 in its last ten. Manning won nine of his last 11 road openers, with LY obviously not counting, since he didn’t play. Atlanta won/covered eight of last nine home openers, winning last three by combined score of 72-16. Under is 9-1-1 in Falcons’ last 11 home openers.
Armadillosports.com
Monday Night Football: Broncos at Falcons
By Covers.com
Denver Broncos at Atlanta Falcons (-3, 51)
While Peyton Manning showed he still bears mention among the NFL's elite quarterbacks, Matt Ryan performed at quite the high level himself in last week's season opener. Ryan, who threw for three touchdowns and ran for another in Atlanta's 40-24 triumph over Kansas City, will look to keep the Falcons flying high in Monday's tilt versus Manning and the Denver Broncos. Ryan is blessed with plenty of weapons - including second-year stud wideout Julio Jones, who reeled in six catches for 108 yards and two scores.
Manning didn't look the worse for wear after his 20-month absence, tossing a pair of scores in Denver's 31-19 victory over Pittsburgh last week. The future Hall of Famer took the reins of the no-huddle offense and sliced the Steelers' defense - highlighted by a 71-yard scoring strike to Demaryius Thomas for his 400th career touchdown. Manning will face a Falcons defense that struggled versus Kansas City and lost top cover cornerback Brent Grimes to a season-ending Achilles tendon tear in the process.
LINE: Falcons -3, O/U 51.
ABOUT THE BRONCOS (1-0): Veteran cornerbacks Champ Bailey and Tracy Porter will be put to the test as they shadow Jones and Roddy White all over the field on Monday. Porter showed he was up to the challenge in the season opener with eight tackles and a 43-yard interception return for a touchdown. Linebacker Von Miller, the No. 2 overall pick in 2011, tied a career high with two sacks as Denver's defense limited Ben Roethlisberger and Pittsburgh to just 284 total yards last week.
ABOUT THE FALCONS (1-0): While Atlanta's high-octane passing game drew headlines, running back Michael Turner had trouble getting untracked in the opener. Turner, who rushed for an NFC-best 1,340 yards last season, mustered just 32 on 11 carries versus the Chiefs. Veteran tight end Tony Gonzalez, who found the end zone against his former team, has scored in three straight games versus Denver. Ryan has dominated at home, winning 26 of 30 career regular-season games in the Peach State.
TRENDS:
* Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
* Falcons are 1-5 ATS in their last six Monday games.
* Over is 5-1 in Falcons’ last six games overall.
* Over is 4-0 in Broncos last four games as an underdog.
* Falcons are 4-0 ATS in their last four games as a favorite.
EXTRA POINTS:
1. The Falcons have fared well at home during Mike Smith's tenure, posting a 26-6 mark since 2008.
2. Denver has won eight of the 12 regular-season meetings - including six of the last seven contests. The Broncos also defeated the Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII, marking Hall of Famer John Elway's final game.
3. Atlanta will shuffle Dunta Robinson back to right cornerback in place of Grimes. Reserve Christopher Owens, who returned from a hamstring injury, will see additional time at nickel back.
MNF - Broncos at Falcons
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com
The Broncos and Falcons each picked up victories in Week 1, as the two interconference foes hook at the Georgia Dome on Monday night. One of the biggest stories from opening week was the return of Peyton Manning to the field after missing last season due to neck surgery, as the former MVP sliced up the Steelers in a 31-19 triumph as short home favorites. Now, Denver makes the trip to Atlanta looking for the franchise's first 2-0 start since 2009, when the Broncos began 6-0.
Manning rallied the Broncos from a 19-14 fourth quarter deficit to grab the 12-point victory in his Denver debut last Sunday, while picking up his first opening week cover since 2007. The Broncos didn't have the ball for long against the Steelers (24:55 time of possession), but Manning made it count with a 71-yard touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas to give Denver a one-point halftime edge. Following a one-yard touchdown dart to old teammate Jacob Tamme, Manning watched new Bronco Tracy Porter intercept Ben Roethlisberger and take it back for a touchdown to give Denver a win in its home opener for the 10th time in 11 seasons.
The Falcons struggled to shrug off a feisty Chiefs' squad at Arrowhead Stadium, as Atlanta led Kansas City, 20-17 at the half. However, Matt Ryan orchestrated a brilliant game for the Falcons, passing for 299 yards and three touchdowns, including one to former Chiefs' standout Tony Gonzalez that gave Atlanta a 34-17 advantage after three quarters. Matt Bryant kicked four field goals, as the Falcons managed eight scores in the game to cash as 2½-point favorites, while finally winning a road opener after falling at Pittsburgh and Chicago the previous two seasons.
Under Mike Smith, the Falcons have been a productive team at the Georgia Dome for bettors, putting up a 21-11-1 ATS record since 2008. In the role of a favorite, Atlanta improves to 14-6-1 ATS since 2009, while the Falcons have won each of their four home openers in his tenure. The Falcons have performed well at home following a road victory by winning eight of the last 11 in situation, but two of the losses came last season against Green Bay and New Orleans.
John Fox has been regarded as a solid road underdog dating back to his days in Carolina, as the Broncos cashed in six of eight games in this role last season. Of course, this was during the incredible Tim Tebow run of fourth quarter rallies, as the Broncos won outright in four consecutive road contests when receiving points. Tying this back to Manning, the Colts lost both games as an away 'dog in 2010 to the Eagles and Patriots, but Indianapolis managed to cover each time in defeats of less than three points.
This is only the fourth game that Manning is playing since 2002 as a road underdog on Monday night, as the Colts went 1-2 SU/ATS in this stretch. The lone victory felt like a defeat for 3½ quarters as Indianapolis rallied past Tampa Bay, 38-35 as 4½-point 'dogs back in 2003, coming back from a 21-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
The Falcons are riding an 0-5 SU/ATS run in the last five games under the Monday night lights, which have all coincidentally come against the rival Saints. In the Smith/Ryan era, this is only the second Monday night contest at the Georgia Dome, with the first game coming in December 2010, a 17-14 setback to New Orleans as short favorites.
The Broncos have compiled a 1-6 SU and 2-5 ATS record the last seven away games against NFC opponents, but Denver did grab a victory at the Georgia Dome in 2006 in a 24-20 triumph as 6½-point underdogs. That loss by the Falcons was the only setback in Smith's tenure against AFC opponents at home, as Atlanta owns a 7-1 SU/ATS mark in interconference action at the Georgia Dome.
The Falcons opened up as four-point favorites, but Broncos' money has dropped this number down to three. The total is set at a hefty 52, with several 51½'s floating around heading into Monday. The game can be seen nationally on ESPN starting at 8:30 PM EST.