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ESPN Predictions Split on Dallas Cowboys vs. Atlanta Falcons

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Prediction:
Falcons: 31
Cowboys: 24

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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Atlanta, GA

Atlanta weather: Foggy Monday morning, warming trend ahead

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Atlanta weather: Foggy Monday morning, warming trend ahead


Winter’s roller-coaster temperatures are climbing back up the hill this week, with another drop expected next week.

Patchy fog could affect the start of the workweek across parts of north and central Georgia, followed by a rapid warmup that may push temperatures close to record levels before a sharp cooldown by the weekend, according to the FOX 5 Storm Team. 

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How warm will it get this week?

By the numbers:

Monday is expected to look similar to Sunday, with filtered sunshine and mild temperatures. “Tomorrow looks very similar to today’s, mostly sunny, a bit mild,” FOX 5 Storm Team meteorologist Greg Majewski said, with highs generally in the low to mid-60s.

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The warming trend strengthens as the week continues. Overnight lows will rise into the 40s and near 50, followed by daytime highs climbing into the upper 60s and low 70s by midweek. “The trend is going to be going upward here for the week,” Majewski said.

Several days in the 70s are possible, bringing temperatures close to record territory. “We’re hitting the 70s here three days in a row,” he said. “This is going to get awfully close to the record high.”

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Rain chances remain limited early in the week, though Majewski said a weak boundary could bring “a couple of isolated showers” late Tuesday. More meaningful rain is expected later in the week as a stronger system approaches.

By Friday night into Saturday, showers and thunderstorms could move through the area, followed by a dramatic cooldown. “Here comes the rain coming in on Friday, kind of late,” Majewski said, adding that colder air will move in behind the system.

How cold will it get this weekend?

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What’s next:

Temperatures are expected to fall sharply by Sunday. “Boom. 51, 37,” Majewski said. “Much colder Sunday.”

That cold snap could bring another return to winterlike mornings early next week. “That means that Monday morning we’ll probably see the twenties back in here yet again,” he said. “So the roller-coaster ride of our winter continues here across Georgia.”

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The Source: This article contains an original forecast by the FOX 5 Storm Team. The National Weather Service contributed to this report.

WeatherNewsGeorgia



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Atlanta, GA

Braves News: NBP pieces falling into place, slow market, more

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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.



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Atlanta, GA

Police investigating stabbing on Moreland Avenue in SE Atlanta

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Police investigating stabbing on Moreland Avenue in SE Atlanta


A man was stabbed Saturday in southeast Atlanta, according to police.

What we know:

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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.

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No word yet on charges.

The Source: Information provided by the Atlanta Police Department.

SE AtlantaCrime and Public Safety
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