NFL analyst shares pick for Falcons-Bengals matchup in Madrid

The Atlanta Falcons hit rock bottom in last week’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Now they need a bounce-back game to get their season back on track. The trouble is they’ll be playing against one of the NFL’s best teams as they face the Cincinnati Bengals in an early game in Madrid, Spain on Sunday morning.

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is as hot as anyone in the league right now, and it’ll be a tall order for the Falcons to keep up on the scoreboard. Last week, Atlanta failed to keep pace with a Buccaneers offense that failed to complete a single pass.

Overall, the 5-2 Bengals are better on paper and there’s a reason they are favored. There’s always a chance at an upset, but Pete Prisco at CBS Sports doesn’t see it happening. Here’s his pick for Sunday’s game.

“The Bengals have been flying high on offense with Joe Burrow throwing it around. The Falcons have struggled on offense in recent weeks, which is never a good thing when trying to keep up with Burrow. Look for a lot more big plays from the Bengals as they win this one in Spain.”

Advertisement

Defensively, Atlanta will be challenged by more than just Burrow – the Bengals have multiple blue chip weapons at wide receiver which will put the Falcons’ short-handed cornerback room to the test.

At the line of scrimmage it’s the same dynamic – trading for superstar defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence has dramatically improved this defense overall, but it’s free agent pickup Boye Mafe who leads the Bengals in sacks. Lawrence also has Jonathan Allen lining up next to him.

While the chances of a Falcons win are slim, if they can stay close and get a bounce-back game from Michael Penix Jr., it should be considered a minor victory.

This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: NFL analyst shares pick for Falcons-Bengals matchup in Madrid