Atlanta Falcons vs. Dallas Cowboys – NFL, September 20, 2020

The Mike McCarthy era didn’t get off on the right foot in week one, as the Dallas Cowboys fell to the Rams. It was the same sad story for the Atlanta Falcons, too, as their defense caved in a home loss to the Seahawks.

Something has to break in week two, as the Falcons and Cowboys both hope to sidestep an 0-2 start.

Dallas enters the week as the favorite at home, but are they the team to trust here? Gauge how to bet on this game with our week two Falcons vs. Cowboys betting pick and prediction.

Atlanta didn’t put up much of a fight in their week one loss to Seattle, as their defense got toasted by Russell Wilson.

The Dirty Birds are understandable underdogs here on the road, but five points does feel a little steep with this team clearly pressing for a win.

Dallas will be just as desperate after losing by three in a week one, and will also be at home. The matchup favors the Cowboys, but their moneyline isn’t very appealing, and winning by six may not come so easy.

The game total may be where our betting interest lies. Both of these offenses have serious firepower, and neither side can afford to drop to 0-2. It’s a high one at 52.5 at most NFL betting websites, but we need to consider the Over.

Everyone thought 2020 would be different for these two teams. Week one showed that the Cowboys may still have in-game decision issues, and Atlanta’s defense remains exploitable.

The latter greatly benefits the Cowboys, who should be a little more relaxed at home. They faced a better than advertised Rams defense last week, yet still moved the ball pretty well and had the opportunity to put more points on the board.

Against the Falcons, the Cowboys should be able to generate a considerable amount of offense. Atlanta has had major problems stopping running backs as receivers out of the backfield, while their secondary is also vulnerable to big plays.

The Falcons can attack Dallas, as well. The Cowboys only gave up 20 points in week one, but they couldn’t get the Rams off the field and gave up several big plays through the air.

I doubt that gets much better, either, with star inside linebacker Leighton Vander Esch on the shelf.

#Cowboys star LB Leighton Vander Esch suffered a fractured collarbone early in the game tonight, source said. He’ll land on Injured Reserve, a brutal blow. The nerve center of the defense and one of its top playmakers, Vander Esch’s loss stings. He’ll be back this season.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 14, 2020

Overall, this matchup still favors Dallas. They were exceptional against below .500 teams in 2019, they’re at home, and they still have a slightly better defense.

I like Dallas to win this week. They have crazy expectations and had Mike McCarthy just kicked a field goal late in their first game, it’s very possible they are off to a 1-0 start.

The problem is the pricing and the point spread. You aren’t betting on the Cowboys to win at -225, and I’m not overly comfortable picking them to win by six.

Ultimately, everything points me to the Over.

This is a very high total, but there is a lot of speed in this game, not that much defense, and the stink of desperation. I think both teams come to play, and we get a slew of long scoring plays on turf.

It’s a high one, but I think this game explodes and we get to the Over.