Aug 9, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) drops back to pass against the Miami Dolphins in the second quarter during preseason at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
- The Atlanta Falcons visit the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday night in NFL Preseason Week 2 action.
- Both of these teams enter the 2024 campaign with high hopes and some new faces in key places.
- Check out the section below for our favorite picks for Saturdays’s showdown.
The Falcons visit the Ravens to kick off Saturday’s NFL preseason action. Both teams lost their preseason debuts last week, with Atlanta falling to Miami 20-13 and Baltimore losing at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles, 16-13. How much will we see each team’s star players this weekend? Who will score their first preseason victory? This game will be broadcast on NFL+ at noon ET on Saturday, so tune in then to find out!
Atlanta Falcons vs Baltimore Ravens Picks
- Atlanta Falcons over 17.5 points (-110)
- Michael Penix Jr. over passing yards (TBD)
There aren’t any player props out for this game yet, but I’m confident in the Falcons’ first-round QB anyway. As long as his passing yards line is around 100 yards or so, I’ll take the over. He threw for 104 yards while completing 9 of 16 passes last week and I expect him to get a similar workload, or even slightly more work, this week.
He needs to be ready to go in Week 1 in case new starter Kirk Cousins isn’t fully recovered from last year’s Achilles injury. As long as this line stays below 119.5 passing yards, I’ll take the over. I think he’s in for a big week against a Ravens defense that lost coordinator Mike Macdonald to the Seattle Seahawks and will likely be resting most of its key starters.
That plays into my other pick — Falcons over 17.5 points. You can get -110 odds for that over at bet365. If Penix is working and slinging the ball all over the place like he did in college, the Falcons should score early and often before the backups take over.
I like the -110 odds here and expect 18+ points from Atlanta this week, even if Drake London, Bijan Robinson and other top offensive threats don’t suit up.
Atlanta Falcons vs Baltimore Ravens Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons | +1.0 (-110) | +100 | O 35.5 (-110) |
| Baltimore Ravens | -1.0 (-110) | -120 | U 35.5 (-110) |
Odds via bet365 as of Wednesday, August 14. Use Sports Betting Dime’s bet365 promo code SBDXLM when you sign up for an account now and you’ll be given a choice between two outstanding welcome bonuses — a first-bet safety net of up to $1,000 or $150 in bonus bets when you place your wager of at least $5.
Sportsbooks expect this to be a pretty even game. The Falcons have +100 moneyline odds at bet365, with the Ravens slightly favored at -120. The Ravens are -1.0 on the spread, with -110 odds on that and for Atlanta +1.0. The over/under is set at 35.5 points, with equal -110 odds on the over and the under. All in all, it’s expected to be a pretty basic, pretty even matchup between these 2 squads.
Atlanta Falcons vs Baltimore Ravens In and Out
We haven’t learned much about the Falcons’ plans for Saturday just yet, but it’s probably safe to say that QB Kirk Cousins won’t see the field as he continues to recover from last year’s Achilles injury. Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts also didn’t play last week. If they do play this week, it’s likely to just be for brief cameos.
Be sure to check in with Falcons beat reporters on social media ahead of Saturday’s game. One thing we do know? Lamar Jackson won’t suit up for the Ravens. That’s not a surprise, as he hasn’t played in the preseason in several years now:
Lamar Jackson won’t play in Saturday’s preseason game, along with many other starters.
“It’ll be the same direction as last week,” Ravens coach Harbaugh said.
Last week, Baltimore sat 17 starters in the preseason opener. Jackson hasn’t played in the preseason since 2021. pic.twitter.com/RBv5S40UFB
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) August 14, 2024
On the Ravens’ offense, Derrick Henry, Zay Flowers and other key players didn’t take the field last week, and based on John Harbaugh’s comments above, it’s unlikely we’ll see them this week, either. TE Mark Andrews didn’t play last week, and was involved in a car crash this week on his way to practice. He seems to be fine, but don’t expect him to suit up against the Falcons:
Ravens tight end Mark Andrews was involved in a car accident this morning. A statement from the team: pic.twitter.com/JbXGgB6kiI
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 14, 2024
Expect plenty of backups to get work in on Saturday afternoon in Baltimore. That’s not a bad thing, though, as the Falcons and Ravens both have plenty of key roster spots to fill! Check out NFL+ on Saturday at noon ET to watch this battle of the birds.
Adam is an avid college sports fan, covering both football and basketball. During the summer months, he’s all-in on MLB action, favoring pitcher strikeout parlays.