Two NFL playoff teams from a year ago will open up the preseason against one another as the Cincinnati Bengals will travel to face the Atlanta Falcons in a pro football exhibition week one game scheduled for Thursday night.
Kick off time from Atlanta is scheduled for 8PM Eastern Time with national television coverage provided by ESPN TV.
The NFL preseason odds from this week one affair have the home side Atlanta Falcons favored by -2 ½ points with an over under line set at 37 points. Money line odds on the Atlanta Falcons is set at -140 odds with the return on the road underdog Cincinnati Bengals at +120 odds to pull off the straight up win with no need for taking points on their side.
In the first game of the exhibition season head coaches like to get film on most of their roster competing for backup work in the NFL. That means starters will play between one and two series. It is important to look deep into the rosters at key positions. Falcons starting quarterback Matt Ryan will see very little action. The backups are very young in first year player Dominque Davis out of East Caroline and rookies Seth Doege out of Texas Tech and Sean Renfree from Duke.
Free agent acquisition Steven Jackson and second year man Jacquizz Rodgers should see limited action. Those competing for carries this season will be running backs Jason Snelling, Josh Vaughan, Antoine Smith and rookies Ronnie Wingo from Arkansas and Donald Russell from Georgia State. The Atlanta defense failed the Falcons in the playoffs so the team drafted three defensive players with their first three picks in the draft and six of their first seven were on defense. The team allowed 248 yards passing per game last year.
Quarterback Andy Dalton will begin his third year with the Bengals and see limited work on Thursday. His backups have NFL experience in Josh Johnson a five year man and four year veteran John Skelton a former starter with Arizona. BenJarvus Green Ellis is their most experienced running back and he will compete for carries with Ohio St Product Daniel Herron along with rookies Rex Burkhead and Giovani Bernard. Their first two draft picks came on offense as they look to improve their west coast offensive system. The Bengals were an outstanding defense a season ago as they allowed 20 points and 326 yards per game. Cincinnati has done a very good job the past few seasons with their draft picks especially on the defensive end of the field.
