Atlanta Falcons fans might be rubbing their necks after suffering whiplash from the sudden turnaround. Left for dead after an 0-2 start with journeyman quarterback Cooper Rush at the helm, the Falcons are now the talk of the town after bullying the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints in consecutive weeks on national television.
They’ll get a third straight week in front of a big audience when they take on the Baltimore Ravens on NBC’s Sunday Night Football at 8:20 p.m. EST.
The Ravens are missing several key players, including quarterback Lamar Jackson, edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, and newly acquired Pro Bowl center Cam Jurgens. The Falcons find themselves in unfamiliar territory: heavy favorites.
While Jackson has been doubtful most of the week, it should be noted that all of these predictions were made before he was officially ruled out on Friday afternoon by the Ravens.
NFL Network has all five of its analysts picking the Falcons, with Brooke Cersosimo saying this about Atlanta: “Is anyone better in prime time than Bijan Robinson? Not in my book, though Derrick Henry might have something to say about that. But God bless the schedule-makers for giving us Bijan thrice in night games over the first five weeks.”
ESPN analytics writer Seth Walder is a long-time Falcons detractor, and he’s not ready to get on the bandwagon, but he’s the lone holdout of his co-workers. Pamela Maldonado and Eric Moody both pick Atlanta.
With Jackson out and Tyler Huntley under center, the Ravens will lean heavily on running back Derrick Henry. Earlier this week, Henry said Bijan Robinson was the best in the game right now, but defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich knows Henry can carry a team.
UUlbrich’s unit is No. 1 in the NFL against the run after the season’s first month.
“This is a great challenge,” Ulbrich said this week. “We’ve had some success. Not saying it’s been perfect by any means, but we’ve had some success versus the run so far this season. You want to be the best. You want to play the best. Derrick Henry is one of the best maybe ever in that way. Just the physicality, the toughness, and then the speed that you’re not ready for as he runs by you and the stiff arm, etcetera.
“But like the commitment by the offense, the organization, the offensive line to run the ball and play that that style of football. I’m excited about that.”
Falcons fans have been burned more than once when the spotlight is on their team, but they’re flying high right now on both sides of the ball. They’re coming home to Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and they’re eager to prove in front of a national audience that this team has turned a corner and can thrive as frontrunners.
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