Who will win the first London Game of the season?
London Calling or in this case better Tottenham Calling is the name of the game in the NFL on Sunday. The league will once again be heading to the European metropolis that has hosted the most games outside the USA to date.
This Sunday, the Atlanta Falcons will meet the New York Jets. Not the strongest teams on paper for the European fans to admire, but still an extremely exciting matchup with many story lines.
So rookie quarterback Zach Wilson will make his first appearance outside the USA and that after his first ever NFL win of all things. His upcoming opponent Matt Ryan, on the other hand, already has 119 career wins, a gaping difference.
This experience also plays a role in our betting recommendation, as Ryan has been through just about every situation For Wilson, this new environment will again be a big adjustment. Therefore, for Falcons vs Jets, our prediction is also for Atlanta to succeed
The first London Game of the season kicks off at Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium on Sunday at 15.30 and the match will be broadcast live on ProSieben.
United States Atlanta Falcons – Statistics & current form
Being a fan of the Atlanta Falcons is really not an easy thing to do in recent years. While they managed to lose a game several times last year, in which their win probability was over 99%, they are seamlessly continuing this year.
While the Falcons weren’t quite as far ahead against Washington on Sunday as they often were last year, they still couldn’t lose this game – especially against an inexperienced quarterback who makes hara-kiri throws.
Falcons nerves not up to snuff
This certainly doesn’t suggest they have a better handle on their nerves this season than they did in 2020, and quarterback Matt Ryan continues to play at a high level. He scored four touchdowns against Washington and did not throw a single interception.
That simply has to be enough for a win. But even this season, the Atlanta defence is a shadow of its former self. With 32.0 points conceded per game, they even rank last in the entire NFL
Offense inconstant – Defence mau
Now, of course, we have to face the question of why we still consider them the favourites on Sunday. We can explain that. For one thing, their quarterback Matt Ryan simply has much more experience (also with London Games, see 2014).
Secondly, the opponents are the New York Jets. Even though they won their first game of the season against the Titans last Sunday, they are still not really structured offensively and the Falcons are clearly in a better position.
Atlanta should therefore be able to live up to their status as favourites and so a bet on Atlanta HC-3 in Falcons vs Jets is a bet we would clearly recommend. Under points are also an option, as London Games traditionally see fewer points scored due to the stress of travel.
Key Players:
– QB: Matt Ryan
– RB: Mike Davis
– WR: Calvin Ridley
– TE: Kyle Pitts
– K: Younghoe Koo
United States New York Jets – Statistics & Current form
London is considered the New York of Europe, so the Jets should feel right at home there. They promptly won their only appearance in England in 2015, although no one from that team is still wearing a Jets jersey.
Especially not quarterback Zach Wilson, who has just four NFL games under his belt. For him, the trip to London should be a very special adventure, as he had only just got used to NFL stadiums.
Wilson with teething problems
While the rookie’s entry into the league was tougher than most previous top 3 picks in NFL history. Eight interceptions after four days of play and a passer rating of just 62.8 speak volumes against Wilson
That also puts him a full 30.7 points behind Matt Ryan, who he now faces on Sunday. Even though the Falcons defence has been anything but convincing so far, we see little chance for Wilson to win this duel.
Jets-Defense advances to the hopefuls
With this, the Jets defence will have to pull the coal out of the fire. Very strange to write such a sentence after they allowed 28.6 points per game last year. But it has taken a big step forward and stands at only 23.5 points conceded per game in 2021.
This gives the Jets a clear advantage over the Falcons defensively. But since London Games traditionally have fewer points scored and defenses are of great importance (even the Falcons’), this advantage could vanish into thin air.
In our opinion, the Falcons’ offence is the deciding factor, as it is simply more experienced and well-rehearsed than that of the Jets. For Atlanta against New York, the odds on the Falcons are therefore still clearly to be favoured even with a low handicap of up to -3.
Key Players:
QB: Zach Wilson
– RB: Michael Carter
– WR: Jamison Crowder
– TE: Tyler Kroft
– K: Matt Amendola
Atlanta Falcons – New York Jets Head-to-head comparison / H2H record
Falcons vs Jets is another one of those duels that rarely happens in the NFL. Only four duels this millennium doesn’t really allow for a meaningful comparison. Especially since this Jets team has already turned completely inside out since their last meeting in 2017 .
Both teams are currently 1-3 and in crisis mode, the Falcons a bit more so than the Jets, as Atlanta simply has the significantly higher standards. They can’t afford a loss against New York under any circumstances.
Therefore, we think they will be a bit more motivated – especially the defence, which has a lot to make up for. Therefore, a bet on the Falcons in Atlanta vs. New York seems to be the only alternative for us.
United States Atlanta Falcons – New York Jets United States Tip
The London Game facts in a nutshell: Atlanta still has the better quality team, especially on offense. They also have more experience at almost every position. That should also be able to outweigh their disadvantage on defence.
So for Falcons vs Jets, betting on Atlanta HC-3 is our top recommendation, followed by betting on under points. In the last 12 games in London, the scheduled 46 total points have been surpassed a full two times
In addition to the promising under-point bets, betting on low Jets points is also an option They have failed to crack the 15-point mark in three of their four games so far. The 21-point mark should thus be a long way off.
