Sunday | 1:00 ET
Falcons-Lions will be an enjoyable watch. The Falcons come in with a surprising 2-0 record, coming off of a hard-fought win at home against the Packers. They have exciting players on offense, headlined by first round rookie running back Bijan Robinson, who has looked phenomenal in his first two NFL games. Atlanta will have a tough task in Week 3, however, as they will head into a raucous Ford Field. Lions fever has never been stronger in Detroit. An overtime loss in Week 2 against a good Seahawks team won’t be enough to rattle their spirit quite yet. The Falcons will have to deal with a hostile environment, in addition to the efficient offensive attack that the Lions boast.
The Falcon offense revolves around its rushing attack. Atlanta drafted Bijan 8th overall, and he has lived up to the hype. Just last week, he accounted for 170+ scrimmage yards and a touchdown. Fellow RB Tyler Allgeier is still heavily involved as well. After racking up 1035 rushing yards in 2022, he has received at least 15 carries in both games this season. In a very small sample size, the Lions are 13th in PFF run defense grade. They finished 24th in 2022. In order to stop the Falcons, Detroit has to stop (or at least slow down) the running backs. QB Desmond Ridder doesn’t seem to have gained much of head coach Arthur Smith’s trust. If Atlanta is productive through the air on Sunday, they’ll have a good chance to win. However, I don’t for-see this, and expect the Falcons to heavily lean on the run game.
Detroit’s offense is off to a great start in 2023. They are ranked 2nd in PFF overall offensive grade two weeks in. The unit is firing on all cylinders, though RB David Montgomery’s possible absence could hamper them this week. Still, the way to attack the Falcons is through the air. CB AJ Terrell is one of the best in the league, but the rest of the secondary could be better. In fact, the Falcons ranked 26th in PFF coverage grade last season. As long the Lions keep the turnovers to a minimum, they should be able to put up some points on Sunday. Atlanta’s run defense is stout. Even if Montgomery is good to go, expect the Lions to rely on QB Jared Goff’s arm.
Ultimately, I think that even though Atlanta’s defense is solid, Ben Johnson and the Lions’ offensive attack will be able to put up a few touchdowns. On the other side of the ball, the Falcons’ running game will only be able to take them so far.