Falcons host Ravens in Thursday Night special

Ready for some Thursday night NFL? It’s back this week starting with Baltimore meeting Atlanta at 5:20 p.m. PT on the NFL Channel.
The host Falcons are minus one at the NFL betting window with the ‘over/under’ at 43.
Could this actually be a Super Bowl preview? Both teams are 6-2. Atlanta is leading the NFC South Division while the Ravens are tied with the Steelers atop the AFC North.
Baltimore is for real. The Ravens proved that last season upsetting New England on the road in the playoffs. Baltimore is 18-6-2 ATS when getting between one and three points.
The Ravens aren’t flashy, but they don’t have any real weakness. They are physical – although less intimidating on the road – can rush the passer with Terrell Suggs and are balanced offensively with the running/receiving of Ray Rice and quarterback Joe Flacco.
This matchup really is a true test to see how real Atlanta is. The Falcons failed to beat another tough AFC North team on the road opening week, losing to Pittsburgh in overtime when the Steelers were forced to start Dennis Dixon at QB.
The Falcons have since won six of seven going 4-3 ATS. They have been extremely tough in the Georgia Dome winning 17 of 20 times there under Mike Smith. Matt Ryan is 17-1 at home as Atlanta’s starting quarterback.
This is Baltimore’s first dome game this season. The Ravens, though, are battle-tested having played road games against the New York Jets, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and New England. They won and covered against the Jets and Steelers, but lost to the Bengals in Week 2 and fell to the Patriots, 23-20, getting a push on the spread.
The Ravens are off an impressive 26-10 home victory against Miami, covering as five-point favorites. The combined 36 points went ‘under’ the 40 ½-point total.
Flacco had one of his stronger games completing 20-of-27 passes for 266 yards and two touchdowns against Miami’s youthful secondary. The Georgia Dome will be a tough road venue for Flacco, who has been much better at home. He has thrown eight touchdown passes and no interceptions at home this season compared to a 4/6 touchdown-to-interception ratio on the road.
Rice and Willis McGee provide Flacco with two decent all-purpose backs. Rice has a combined 842 rushing and receiving yards, but has only two touchdowns. Anquan Boldin heads a veteran receiving corps that includes Derrick Mason, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and recently-returned Donte Stallworth.
Atlanta nearly blew a 14-point lead this past Sunday in beating Tampa Bay, 27-21, as 10-point home favorites. The combined 48 points went ‘over’ the 44 ½-point total. The Falcons needed a late goal line stand to hold off the upstart Buccaneers.
The Falcons had problems on special teams containing Michael Spurlock, who had four returns for 209 yards, including an 89-yard kickoff return.
Ryan was 24-for-36 for 235 yards and a touchdown against Tampa Bay. Roddy White, who entered the game leading the league in receptions, caught a season-low four passes for 49 yards. He missed some of the game with a mild knee injury, but said he would definitely play against the Ravens.
Star running back Michael Turner is coming on for Atlanta scoring four of his five touchdowns during the past two games.
The Falcons have scored 66 points in their last two games, but in their previous three games averaged 17.6 points.
“Our offense still is a work in progress,” Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez said. “We’re not where we want to be.”
Atlanta has covered eight of its last 10 times following a non-spread cover. The Falcons are 7-3 ATS as a home favorite.
The ‘under’ is 9-1-1 in Baltimore’s last 11 road contests.
The teams last met in 2006 with Baltimore winning 24-10 at home.