Despite 2 straight wins, Falcons still heavy underdogs against the Bucs

The Atlanta Falcons now find themselves with an even 2-2 record after recording wins against the Seahawks and the Browns. Despite the current winning streak, oddsmakers aren’t wavering in their distrust of the Falcons, marking them as 8.5-point underdogs against Tampa Bay, per DraftKings Sportsbook.

The over/under was set at 47.5 points.

The Bucs sport an identical record as the Falcons, having been mollywhopped at home by the Chiefs yesterday. Factoring into the open line is the fact that Tampa touts the NFL’s top scoring defense, and the Falcons — Marcus Mariota especially — have turned the ball over eight times through the first four weeks.

Should the Falcons’ turnover woes continue, the Bucs have shown they’re a defense that can capitalize on those opportunities.

On a positive note, the Falcons appear to have a legitimate rushing attack for the first time in a long time, and in spite of the passing game struggles, Atlanta has shown that it can secure wins when focusing on the run.

This will be the first meeting between the Falcons and Bucs this season. Atlanta was swept by Tampa in 2021, and they’d certainly like to avoid that same outcome in 2022.