THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS AT ATLANTA FALCONS

BY ADAM GREENE

Well, whoever came up with this one must have a real sense of humor. Thursday Night Football games are historically bad, but perhaps nothing can prepare any of us for the garbage gyre that we could witness when the New England Patriots travel to Mercedes-Benz Stadium to take on the Atlanta Falcons.

This game is, of course, a rematch of Super Bowl LI where the Falcons blew a 28-3 lead to lose 34-28 in overtime. In what seemed like a shocking meltdown at the time, it soon became par for the course for Atlanta, who has taken snatching defeat from the jaws of victory to new heights in the years since.

This will be the 16^th match up all time between the two teams with New England leading 9-6 thanks to six consecutive victories (including that Super Bowl) dating all the way back to Nov. 4, 2001. Yes, not only did the Falcons suffer an historic defeat at the hands of the Pats in the Super Bowl, they have literally not beaten them even once in this entire millennium.

The Falcons last victory, 41-10, over the Patriots came on Nov. 8, 1998 with Chris Chandler outdueling Drew Bledsoe. Chandler threw for 240 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Jamal Anderson rushed 32 times for 104 yards and two scores. Terance Mathis caught eight passes for 117 yards. Bledsoe was good for 229 yards, a TD and a pick. Ironically, that was the year the Falcons would go on to lose to the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXIII 34-19.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS AT ATLANTA FALCONS (+7.5, O/U: 47.5)

Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Ga.

Broadcast: FOX/NFL Network

Kickoff: Nov. 14, 8:20 p.m.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (6-4)

I hope you are sitting down because the Pats are riding a four game win streak and two of those victories are over good teams, the Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Chargers. And they’re doing it with a rookie quarterback in Mac Jones. Last week New England obliterated the Browns 45-7, with Jones throwing for 198 yards and three touchdowns. Rhomondre Stevenson rushed 20 times for 100 yards and two scores. Kendrick Bourne caught four passes for 98 yards and a TD. The Pats defense sacked Baker Mayfield and Case Keenum five times and picked off Mayfield once.

ATLANTA FALCONS (4-5)

After coming back in the final minutes to knock off the New Orleans Saints the week before, the Falcons fell right back into form, losing 43-3 to the Dallas Cowboys. Matt Ryan completed just nine passes out of 21 attempts for 117 yards and two interceptions before getting the hook. Wayne Gallman rushed 15 times for 55 yards. Kyle Pitts caught four passes for 60 yards. Atlanta’s offense gained just 11 first downs and 214 total yards in the game.

THE PICK

It’s difficult to know which Atlanta team is going to show up Thursday. Will it be the team that keeps it close only to lose a heartbreaker in the end or the squad that gets blown out from the opening whistle? Either way, I like New England, but don’t think they’ll cover because it’s Thursday and that’s just the safest bet. Patriots 20, Falcons 16

Last week

Straight up: 6-7-1

Against the spread: 6-8

Season

Straight up: 89-60-1

Against the spread: 74-76

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan

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