Monday Night Football Week 15: Analysis of Falcons vs Raiders Odds, Picks, and Player Props

• The Falcons are 3.5-point road favorites over the Raiders on Monday Night Football in Week 15
• Desmond Ridder is expected to make his first start of the season for Las Vegas
• Check out the Falcons vs Raiders odds, picks and Player Props for MNF

The NFL has given us two games to sweat on Monday night, with the second coming from Las Vegas. The Raiders (2-11, 1-4 home), losers of nine straight, will host a Falcons (6-7, 3-3 away) squad looking to snap a four-game losing streak. Despite the skid, Atlanta is still very much in the playoff conversation. They’re a game back of the Buccaneers for the NFC South lead, but own the pivotal tiebreaker. Online sportsbooks are leaning the Falcons way in the latest football betting lines, pegging them as the chalk on MNF.

Atlanta Falcons vs Las Vegas Raiders Odds

Atlanta is currently favored by 3.5 points, in a contest with a total of 44.5. This game opened Falcons -4.5, but the early action drove the number down. As it stands, 55% of the spread wagers are on Atlanta, along with 49% of the handle. 

 Odds as of December 13 at BetMGM. Be sure to check out the best BetMGM promo code before placing a bet on Monday Night Football.

Total-wise, the action is lopsided to the over according to the NFL public betting percentages. 75% of the over/under tickets are on over 44.5, as is 67% of the total handle.

Kickoff for this primetime clash is set for 8:30 pm ET from Allegiant Stadium, in Las Vegas, NV, with ESPN providing the broadcast coverage.

Revenge Game for Ridder

The Raiders have already clinched the under on their projection in the NFL win totals. The prospect for more victories is bleak, especially with their QB situation. First Gardner Minshew and now Aidan O’Connell are on the shelf. That means it’s up to Desmond Ridder, who’ll face the team that drafted him in 2022 draft.

“God works in mysterious ways.”

Raiders QB Desmond Ridder speaks on potentially starting his first game as a Raider against his former team, the Atlanta Falcons, on Monday Night Football.

🎥: By @Sean_Zittel, Vegas Sports Today#RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/gD5vOj9ZbR

— Vegas Sports Today (@VegasSportsTD) December 11, 2024

Ridder was 8-9 over two seasons with the Falcons, but that record isn’t a true reflection of how poorly he played. Last season as Atlanta’s starter, Ridder graded out 60th among NFL quarterbacks per Pro Football Focus. He had twice as many turnover worthy plays (26) as big time throws (13), and a worse EPA + completion percentage over expectation than names like Sam Howell, Justin Fields and Will Levis.

Ridder committed 19 turnovers last season, and has had ball security issues already this season in limited action. He’s fumbled three times on 59 snaps, and has already absorbed seven sacks.

Cousins’ Stock at an All-Time Low

The outlook isn’t much better for the Falcons passing game. Kirk Cousins is in the worst slump of his career, throwing 8 interceptions and no touchdowns over the last four games. Atlanta’s offense is averaging less than 15 points per outing over that stretch, while Cousins is now PFF’s 27th graded passer.

Kirk Cousins has remained in the pocket on 99.4% of his dropbacks. It’s the highest rate this season and the second highest among all quarterbacks since 2018, per Next Gen Stats. #Falcons

— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) December 13, 2024

Las Vegas’ defense has been terrible for the bulk of the season, but has started to show life lately. They forced three turnovers in Tampa last week, and held the Chiefs to 19 points on Black Friday. They can still rush with the passer effectively with Max Crosby and Co., and there is no one more statuesque in the pocket right now than Cousins.

Falcons vs Raiders Picks

With the Falcons pass game in shambles, expect them to lean run heavy. Atlanta can dominate time of possession by feeding Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, bleeding the clock dry in the process. That type of strategy will help contribute to an under, as will the recent form of these two teams. Over the past three games, the Falcons and Raiders rank 30th and 28th in points per game respectively, and we can expect even more offensive struggles for Las Vegas with Ridder under center.

ATL vs LV Player Props

At this point, the Falcons know they can’t rely on Cousins’ arm to get them to the playoffs. He’s been wildly inefficient during Atlanta’s losing streak, and this matchup sets up perfectly for their RB’s.

The Falcons are one of only two teams who boast two running backs who’ve exceeded 70 rushing yards over expectation on designed runs. The Raiders meanwhile, have allowed the second most yards on designed runs, and are a bottom-5 tackling team per PFF.

In Week 15 of Monday Night Football, the Atlanta Falcons will face off against the Las Vegas Raiders in what promises to be an exciting matchup. Both teams are coming off of wins in Week 14 and will be looking to continue their momentum as they push towards the playoffs.

The odds for this game currently favor the Raiders, with most sportsbooks listing them as 3.5-point favorites. This is likely due to the Raiders’ strong performance in recent weeks, including a dominant win over the New York Jets in Week 13. However, the Falcons have shown that they are a capable team as well, with a solid victory over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 14.

When it comes to picks for this game, it’s a tough call. The Raiders have been playing well, but the Falcons have shown that they can compete with some of the best teams in the league. Ultimately, it may come down to which team can make the most plays on both sides of the ball.

In terms of player props, there are a few key players to keep an eye on in this matchup. For the Falcons, quarterback Matt Ryan will be looking to continue his strong play and lead his team to victory. Wide receiver Julio Jones is always a threat to make big plays down the field, and running back Todd Gurley will be looking to find success against a tough Raiders defense.

On the Raiders side, quarterback Derek Carr has been playing at a high level this season and will be looking to continue his strong play against the Falcons. Tight end Darren Waller has emerged as one of the top pass-catching threats in the league and will be a key player to watch in this game. Running back Josh Jacobs will also be looking to have a big game against a Falcons defense that has struggled at times this season.

Overall, Monday Night Football Week 15 promises to be an exciting matchup between two teams fighting for playoff positioning. With the odds favoring the Raiders, it will be interesting to see if the Falcons can pull off the upset and come away with a crucial win. Keep an eye on key players like Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, Derek Carr, and Darren Waller as they look to make an impact in this important game.