Gridiron Gab Pick ‘EM Games: Week One

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*Game of the Week*

Philadelphia Eagles at Atlanta Falcons (10 Points)

Where: Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia

When: 8:20 EST on Sunday, September 18th on NBC.

Why:

The Eagles – thanks to now injured back-up QB Vince Young’s remarks – have been dubbed the NFL’s “Dream Team”, due to the insane amount of money spent on “impact” free agents this off-season.

Also as a result of the off-season additions by the Eagles, the so-called “experts” claim that the path to the Super Bowl in the NFC now runs through Philadelphia.

The Falcons had a solid off-season as well and have lofty expectations for this year’s First-Round Draft Pick, Julio Jones (WR). Jones, along with Roddy White, give the Falcons a dynamic duo at wide receiver. Matt Ryan is easily one of the top ten QBs in the league, and will look to lead the Falcons to back-to-back playoff appearances.

Now starting for the Eagles, QB Michael Vick, will return to Atlanta to take on his former team for the first time since he left the team to go to prison.

With Vick’s return, and high expectations for both teams, there will no doubt be a playoff atmosphere in Atlanta for this game. The could also be a preview of this year’s NFC Championship Game.

Team Stats

– Eagles lead all-time series, 17-12-1, over the Falcons.

– Eagles are 8-6 all-time against the Falcons in Atlanta.

– Over the last five years, the Falcons are 26-15 at home. (Including Playoffs)

– Over the last five years, the Eagles are 26-18-1 on the road. (Including Playoffs)

– In games against the Eagles, the Falcons have won by an average score of 22.8 – 14.9 over Philly.

– In games against the Falcons, the Eagles have won by an average score of 25.8 – 13.05 over the Atl.

– In the 14 games played in Atlanta between the two teams, the final score has been 20.9 – 16.2 in favor of the Eagles.

– Last game: October 17, 2010 Philadelphia Eagles 31 – Atlanta Falcons 17 (@Philadelphia)

Team Totals & Averages for Games Played in Atlanta

Atlanta Falcons
Passing – 15.9 completions on 29.2 attempts for 205.6 yards, 1.0 TDs and 1.5 INTs
Rushing – 24.0 rush attempts for 92.2 yards, 0.57 TDs
Team Stats – First Downs: 18.7; Sacks: 3.8; Net Passing Yards: 182.85; Total Yards: 275.07; Fumbles/Lost: 1.5/1.07; Turnovers: 4.9; Penalties: 7.6; Penalty Yards: 61.21

Totals: 262 First Downs; 337/1291 8 TDs Rushing. 223/409/2879 14 TDs, 22 INTs Passing. 54 sacks, 2560 net passing yards, 3851 totals yards, Fumbles/Lost: 21-15, 31 turnovers, 107 penalties for 857 yards.

Philadelphia Eagles
Passing – 17.6 completions on 31.7 attempts for 232.5 yards, 1.2 TDs and 0.2 INTs
Rushing – 25.5 rush attempts for 109.5 yards, 0.92 TDs
Team Stats – First Downs: 17.0; Sacks: 3.14; Net Passing Yards: 210.4; Total Yards: 312.7; Fumbles/Lost: 2/1.07; Turnovers: 1.2; Penalties: 7.57; Penalty Yards: 63.5

Totals: 238 First Downs; 357/1533 13 TDs Rushing. 246/445/3255 18 TDs, 3 INTs Passing. 44 sacks, 2946 net passing yards, 4379 total yards, Fumbles/Lost: 28-15, 18 Turnovers, 106 penalties for 889 yards.

The Rest of the Games…

Cleveland Browns at Indianapolis Colts (5 Points)
Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1:00 PM EST

Series Info
– The Browns lead the all-time series over the Colts, 15-14.
– The Colts are 5-8 against the Browns all-time at home.
– Since 2000, the Colts are 4-0 vs. the Browns.
– Last game: November 30, 2008 Indianapolis Colts 10 – Cleveland Browns 6 (@Cleveland)

Real Quick: It’s unclear if Peyton Manning will be quarterbacking the Colts to start the year or not. Whether or not he plays will go a long way in determining the outcome of this game.

San Diego Chargers at New England Patriots (5 Points)
Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Massachusetts, 4:15 PM EST

Series Info
– New England leads the series with an all-time record of 22-16 over San Diego.
– The Chargers are 9-11 against the Patriots on the road.
– Since 2000, the Patriots hold a 5-3 record against the Chargers.
– Last game: October 24, 2010 New England Patriots 23 – San Diego Chargers 20 (@San Diego)

Real Quick: The Patriots made a lot of additions to their roster this off-season, including WR Chad Ochocinco. This game could come down to San Diego’s ability to stop the Pats offense.

Oakland Raiders at Buffalo Bills (5 Points)
Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York, 1:00 PM EST

Series Info
– The Raiders hold a slight lead in the all-time series over the Bills, by a slim margin of 19-18.
– On the road, the Raiders are 7-13 against Buffalo.
– Since 2000, the Raiders have claimed a 3-1 record over Buffalo.
– Last game: September 21, 2008 Buffalo Bills 24 – Oakland Raiders 23 (@Buffalo)

Real Quick: This should be a fairly entertaining game between the Raiders and Bills. The game is really a toss-up, but the Raiders are probably more likely to have a better season. Whoever commits the least turnovers should dominate this game.

Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco ’49ers (5 Points)
Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California, 4:05 EST

Series Info
– The Cowboys trail the ’49ers, 15-17, in series history.
– At home against the Cowboys, the ’49ers are 7-9 all-time.
– Since 2000, the Cowboys hold a 3-2 lead over the ’49ers.
– Last Game: November 23, 2008 Dallas Cowboys 35 – San Francisco ’49ers 22 (@Dallas)

Real Quick: The Cowboys get another chance to prove they’re still “America’s Team”, while the ’49ers are hoping to return to the glory days under first-year Head Coach Jim Harbaugh. With a healthy Romo, Dallas should cruise to victory against the inexperienced ’49ers.