The Atlanta Falcons open their season at home against the Philadelphia Eagles this Sunday afternoon. Sunday will mark the 37th matchup, regular season and playoffs, between these two familiar foes. The Eagles own the all-time series 20-15-1 but the Falcons walked away with the 24-20 victory the last time these two faced off in week two of the 2019 season. The Falcons are coming in 3.5 point favorites to win this weekend.
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There are a striking number of parallels between these teams. They finished in the bottom two spots in the NFC last season. Both hired new first time head coaches – Arthur Smith and Nick Sirianni. Of course, both teams used their first-round picks in this year's draft to pick up electric young offensive talents in Kyle Pitts and DeVonta Smith.
Each team hosts one of the league's top defensive tackles in Grady Jarrett and Fletcher Cox. Both looking to feast on largely unproven offensive lines – The Eagles gave up 65 sacks, the most in the league, in 2020.
With all that to digest we look to who the experts have picked to win on Sunday:
*Picks made as of Sept. 9
| Author | Outlet | Pick | 2021 Record |
|---|---|---|
| Jarrett Bell | USA Today | Eagles | 0-0 |
| Matt Bowen | ESPN | Falcons | 0-0 |
| Gregg Rosenthal | NFL.com | Eagles | 0-0 |
| Gary Davenport | Bleacher Report | Falcons | 0-0 |
| Brad Gagnon | Bleacher Report | Eagles | 0-0 |
| Vinnie Iyer | Sporting News | Falcons | 0-0 |
| Rob Ninkovich | ESPN | Falcons | 0-0 |
| Jason La Confora | CBS Sports | Eagles | 0-0 |
| Pete Prisco | CBS Sports | Falcons | 0-0 |
| Lorenzo Reyes | USA Today | Falcons | 0-0 |
For more complete picks, visit: ESPN, CBS Sports, USA Today, Bleacher Report, and NFL.com
Celebrate the return of Falcons football with a FREE kickoff party featuring special appearances by Jeezy, Pastor Troy, and Falcons Legend Michael Vick. Join current Falcons players and special guests as we kick off the 2021 season!
This event will be emceed by announcer Ryan Cameron and Falcons Legend Harry Douglas and will feature:
- Appearances by Calvin Ridley, Younghoe Koo, Mike Davis, Coach Smith and Terry Fontenot
- Special appearances by Jeezy, Pastor Troy, and Falcons Legend Michael Vick
- Performances by Falcons Cheerleaders and Freddie Falcon
- Giveaways and more!
Plus, gear up for gameday and shop our new Dirty Birds collection in-person at the Atlantic Station Team Store, located just across from the Atlantic Green.
Date: Friday, September 10 // Time: 7:00 pm – 9:00pm
Location: Outdoors in the Atlantic Green at Atlantic Station, near HOBNOB (245 18th St NW, Atlanta, GA 30363)
