This game will be played in a dome—meaning no wind, higher pass volume, higher TD potential, and better passing efficiency.
Marcus Mariota has been among the most efficient quarterbacks in the NFL this year, averaging an impressive 8.31 yards-per-target while ranking in the 91st percentile.
The Atlanta Falcons have gone up against a stacked the box on 17.6% of their plays since the start of last season, 10th-most in football. Bringing an extra defender close to the line of scrimmage improves run-stopping at the cost of better passing efficiency.
The Atlanta Falcons have used some form of misdirection on 53.2% of their plays since the start of last season (7th-most in the NFL), which can keep the defense guessing and improve offensive efficiency.
Cons
THE BLITZ projects the Atlanta Falcons as the 7th-least pass-centric team among all teams this week with a 54.4% pass rate, based on their underlying tendencies and matchup dynamics.
THE BLITZ projects the Falcons to run the least plays on offense on the slate this week with 61.4 plays, accounting for their underlying tendencies and game dynamics.
The Atlanta Falcons have called the 2nd-least plays in the NFL since the start of last season, averaging just 55.1 plays per game.
THE BLITZ projects Marcus Mariota to attempt 30.6 passes this week, on average: the 3rd-least of all QBs.
The Atlanta Falcons O-line profiles as the 5th-worst in the NFL since the start of last season in protecting the passer, which has a negative effect on all passing game statistics across the board.