The Falcons and Giants both badly need a win going into their Week 7 “Thursday Night Football” matchup.
Neither the New York Giants or Atlanta Falcons thought they’d be where they’re at, six games into the season. But Atlanta, sitting at 2-4, will play host to the New York Giants, sitting at 1-5, for the featured Monday Night Football matchup, beginning at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN (live streaming via WatchESPN).
Of the two, it’s a much bigger surprise that the Falcons have been so bad this season. Defensively, they’ve not been able to get anything done and their issues in the red zone continue to thwart their progress. They have wins over the rival Panthers and Buccaneers, which will help them down the line, but have also lost to the Saints. They’re coming off a win though and have a bit of momentum.
The Giants, though, have only beaten the Texans, and that was a close game. They’ve lost their last three games, and looked particularly pitiful in their last outing, a 34-13 loss at the hands of the Eagles. Eli Manning has been very average so far, with 1,662 yards, 6 touchdowns and 4 interceptions.
Below is all you need to watch the action on Monday.
Time, TV, and streaming info
- Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
- Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Ga.
- TV: ESPN
- Streaming:WatchESPN
- Odds: The Giants opened as 3-point underdogs, but the line has moved even further in favor of the Falcons throughout the week.
Giants vs. Falcons news
- A huge blow for the Falcons: running back Devonta Freeman is headed to injured reserve.
- That’s bad news, but the team is at least used to life without Freeman at this point.
- Julio Jones is one the best receivers in the league, but he has zero receiving touchdowns this season.
- The Falcons are struggling at linebacker, big time. They recently signed Jermaine Grace to help bolster the group.
- The Giants have been lacking on offense, but the return of tight ends Evan Engram and Rhett Ellison should help things.
- Fifth-round pick R.J. McIntosh is practicing, and hopes to make his debut just as soon as he earns the trust of his coaches.
Giants vs. Falcons prediction
In the latest SB Nation expert NFL picks, six of the seven experts think the Falcons will win, leaving just one picking the Giants. The OddsShark computer is picking the Falcons, while the coin flip landed on the Giants.