Atlanta, GA
ESPN Predictions Split on Dallas Cowboys vs. Atlanta Falcons
The last time the Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons met, the (6-2) Cowboys were coming off an embarrassing home defeat to a hapless Denver Broncos team in 2021.
The Cowboys blew out the Falcons 43-3 and would go on to finish 12-5 while the Falcons finished 7-10 in Arthur Smith’s first season.
Things are a little different this season. The Falcons are 5-3 and leading the NFC South, and the 3-4 Cowboys are coming off back-to-back losses to NFC superpowers in the Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers.
ESPN considers the Falcons a 3.5-point favorite heading into the 1:00 p.m. kickoff in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, but their trio of weekly writers is split on how the game will turn out.
NFL reporter Kalyn Kahler, fantasy analyst Eric Moody, and analytics writer Seth Walder came to a 2-1 split decision in favor of the Falcons when picking Sunday’s game.
Kahler’s pick: Falcons 28, Cowboys 20
Moody’s pick: Falcons 31, Cowboys, 27
Walder’s pick: Cowboys 27, Falcons 23
FPI prediction: ATL, 56.7% (by an average of 2.6 points)
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After a rough 1-3 start, Walder has correctly picked the outcome of three-straight Falcons games to be 4-3 on the season. Kahler has missed the last two and is 3-4, and Moody has gotten four of the last five to be 4-3 on the season as well.
The trio didn’t have predictions for Atlanta’s Week 5 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The prediction piece is released every Friday morning, and the Falcons beat the Buccaneers 36-30 that week on Thursday Night Football.
Walder also includes a bold prediction every week, and this is the week he thinks Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts cools off.
“Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts will record under 25 receiving yards,” wrote Walder. “I’m not expecting a breakout from him, not with a 33 open score anyway. That’s the worst among all qualifying tight ends and wide receivers.”
A reasonable point to think a receiver who doesn’t get open will have trouble getting yards. However, despite the low open score, Pitts has at least 65 yards in each of his last four games.
Last week the Cowboys gave up 6 catches for 128 yards and a touchdown to the 49ers’ George Kittle. Sam LaPorta only needed one catch to get 54 yards for the Lions in their 47-9 blowout of the Cowboys in Dallas.
If Walder is setting the O/U on Kyle Pitts at 25 yards against the Cowboys’ No. 20 passing defense, I’ll take the over. To be fair, a “bold prediction” is something that isn’t likely to happen.
The Cowboys and the Falcons have both struggled on defense this year. The Falcons’ inability to affect the passer has been well documented. If Dak Prescott has the patience, and is afforded the time to throw, he’ll methodically pick the Falcons’ defense apart.
The Cowboys don’t run the ball very well, employing the NFL’s worst rushing attack. Expect Prescott to use the short-passing game as an extension of the running game to the tune of 35/50 for 300 yards.
Atlanta will need to get the Cowboys off the field. That’s something they have struggled with this season with the NFL’s No. 30 third-down defense. Teams are converting third-down on the Falcons 49% of the time.
If Atlanta can get the Cowboys off the field and hand the ball over to Kirk Cousins and the Falcons offense with regularity, Atlanta wins this game.
If they can’t, it will be a frustrating afternoon watching Prescott and the Cowboys dink and dunk the Falcons to death while Atlanta’s explosive offense watches from the sidelines.
Prediction:
Falcons: 31
Cowboys: 24
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Atlanta, GA
Braves News: NBP pieces falling into place, slow market, more
Well the NBP posted players all seem to be settled now, with Imai and Okamoto having signed with an MLB club and Takahashi returning to the NBP. Those players do not seem to have sparked movement in the overall market, either in free agency or in trades, at least so far, as this offseason continues to be glacial. Hopefully things pick up a bit as we get more separation from the holidays. The Braves still seem to be motivated to make a big addition, but this front office has shown that the right deal has to be there for them to pull the trigger.
Atlanta, GA
Police investigating stabbing on Moreland Avenue in SE Atlanta
ATLANTA – A man was stabbed Saturday in southeast Atlanta, according to police.
What we know:
According to Atlanta police, officers responded to the 400 block of Moreland Avenue SE to reports of a male who had been stabbed. Investigators believe a female and male were involved in a dispute that resulted in the stabbing.
What we don’t know:
Police did not identify the male or female.
No word yet on charges.
The Source: Information provided by the Atlanta Police Department.
Atlanta, GA
Business damaged as 500 teens swarm Atlantic Station
A large police presence responded to Atlantic Station on Saturday
ATLANTA – Atlanta police say nearly 500 teenagers caused a massive disturbance at Atlantic Station Saturday night, launching fireworks into crowds and eventually drawing real gunfire outside the district.
Atlantic Station chaos
The backstory:
Atlanta police originally responded to the shopping center after 7 p.m. following reports of shots fired. While investigators quickly determined the sounds were actually fireworks being ignited by a large crowd of “unruly” juveniles, the situation turned more dangerous as the crowd was dispersed.
“It can escalate from firecrackers to now its guns to life being taken. That’s something we don’t want,” said John Williams, who was visiting the area.
As officers cleared the mall, a group of teenagers allegedly began firing actual guns near Spring Street NW and 17th Street.
Shooting outside Atlantic Station
What they’re saying:
The gunfire sent patrons at Nan Thai Fine Dining ducking for cover.
“Definitely about 30 shots,” said Jedi Niyomkul, the restaurant’s general manager. “I’m making sure everyone is on the ground because we do have a lot of glass.”
Niyomkul said the restaurant was hit by at least one bullet. He expressed frustration that the crowd was pushed out of the mall but not adequately monitored once they crossed into the surrounding city streets.
“Once they got them across the bridge, there was no patrol over on this side to make sure that they dispersed,” Niyomkul said. “Literally at 17th and Spring, right there, 100 to 150 kids just sitting all around the corner, doing absolutely nothing, just looking for trouble.”
Atlantic Station curfew
Dig deeper:
The disturbance occurred despite Atlantic Station’s strict codes of conduct. The district enforces a 3 p.m. curfew for anyone under 18, requiring them to be with a parent or guardian. Additionally, no one under 21 is allowed on the property after 9 p.m.
Atlanta City Council member Michael Julian Bond said the city must find a more consistent way to manage large groups of youth.
“We again manage this population policy-wise, more than any other segment than our society, so we all got to step up year-round in how we manage that population,” Bond said.
The Source: Information in this article came from Atlanta police and FOX 5’s Annie Mapp speaking with Jedi Niyomkul and Michael Julian Bond.
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