The Atlanta Falcons open the season at 1 p.m. on Sunday hosting the Philadelphia Eagles in a matchup of two teams that won just four games in 2020.
Both teams find themselves debuting new head coaches and both fanbases seem to be unsure of just what to expect this season.
While the general consensus may be that the Falcons will win this game, as of Friday morning they were still 3-point betting favorites, this one is still going to come down to a few key aspects.
The Falcons have offensive playmakers that the Eagles lack and a shootout could heavily favor Atlanta:
• The Eagles haven't had a 1,000-yard receiver since Jeremy Maclin in 2014 and they are desperate that DeVonta Smith is that guy.
• Falcons WR Calvin Ridley had eight games with 100+ receiving yards last season, most in the NFL.
• Fourth overall pick Kyle Pitts will make his debut for the Falcons and hopes to fill the hole left by the departure of Julio Jones
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The Falcons have a major advantage in experience under center:
Falcons QB Matt Ryan is entering his 14th season while Eagles QB Jalen Hurts will be starting just his fifth career game and looking for his second career win.
The Falcons have a more-proven coaching staff:
• Bringing in a play-caller like Arthur Smith, who in turn brought in Dean Pees, gives the Falcons some legitimacy as they attempt to rebound from the Dan Quinn era.
• Nick Siriani, who was the offensive coordinator for the Colts, did not call plays in Indianapolis as HC Frank Reich kept that role.
For complete coverage leading up to the season opener, stay tuned all through the weekend right up until kick at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
