Line, total drop on Falcons-Eagles ‘MNF’ game after star WR ruled out
A star player ruled out before “Monday Night Football” has caused the line on the game to drop for the second straight week.
The 49ers dropped from 4-point favorites to 3-point favorites over the Jets last week shortly before kickoff after running back Christian McCaffrey was ruled out with a calf injury. San Francisco won 32-19.
The Eagles dropped from 6½-point favorites to 5½-point favorites over the Falcons on Sunday after wide receiver A.J. Brown was ruled out Sunday with a hamstring injury. The total also has dropped from 47 to 46.
The line is still 6 at South Point, which always deals a flat line (-110 on both sides). The Westgate SuperBook offers the Eagles -5½ (-108) and the Falcons +5½ (-108) as part of a season-long reduced juice promotion on football games.
“The game’s definitely come down with the injury to A.J. Brown and him being out right now,” Red Rock Resort sportsbook director Chuck Esposito said.
The Eagles account for 70 percent of the tickets against the spread at Station Sports, though the money is almost even.
“Right now, we’ll be Falcons fans at kickoff,” Esposito said Sunday night. “It doesn’t look like a big decision.”
Caesars Sportsbook vice president of trading Craig Mucklow also said Sunday that his book needs the Falcons plus the points.
Atlanta, which lost its season opener 18-10 at home to the Steelers, is +200 on the money line. The Eagles, who beat the Packers 34-29 in their Sept. 6 season opener in Brazil, are -240 to win their home opener.
The Falcons are on a 2-8 skid against the spread on the road, while Philadelphia went 1-6 ATS to end last season before covering its opener against Green Bay. The Eagles were 7-1 to the over at home last season.
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on X.
