Atlanta vs Washington (WSH -4.5, 47.5)
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Atlanta vs. Washington | Sunday, December 29, 2024
The Kirk Cousins era in Atlanta is over before it even really began, with Michael Penix Junior kicking off his own reign with an easy 34-7 victory over the dismal New York Giants. This weekend, the rookie will get his first taste of prime-time action, facing off against fellow rookie Jayden Daniels and his Washington Commanders on Sunday Night Football. The pressure is on for Atlanta, who have regained control in the NFC South, and can confirm their status as division titles by winning each of their last two games. It’s a hell of a test for the rookie quarterback, but also an incredible opportunity.
Penix was tidy on his debut, completing 18 of his 27th pass attempts for 202 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception, although it is unfair to criticize him too much for the interception, given he delivered it straight into the hands of his tight end, only for Kyle Pitts to gift it straight to the defensive back. The rookie quarterback only has to be average to let this offense Cook, with Bijan Robinson standing out as one of the most dynamic running backs in the NFL. He collected 94 yards and two touchdowns on the ground last week against New York, and will now turn his attention to a Washington defense that is giving up the fourth most rushing yards per game, with 137.4.
The Commanders are much stiffer against the pass, ranking fourth in the NFL, with 185.5 yards conceded per game, which suggests this will be another Bijan-heavy game script. And, why wouldn’t you ride the sophomore running back when he’s on this form? When Penix does drop back to pass, he at least has a very enticing target in the form of Drake London, who is just 22 yards short of the first 1,000-yard season of his career. Darnell Mooney has been the surprise of the season though, also nearing 1,000 yards, with 955 of them. When you factor in Pitts, Penix certainly won’t be short of options, even though this does flag up as a tricky matchup for him.
Things don’t look as daunting for Jayden Daniels, although, at this point, I’d be surprised if anything shook the front-runner for Offensive Rookie of the Year. He just sliced and diced Philadelphia’s league-leading defense for 258 yards and five touchdowns through the year, to go along with 81 yards on the ground. This included a stunning last-minute touchdown drive to secure the win, confirming his status as a superstar already. Daniels already has a fantastic connection with wide receiver Terry McLaurin, who went over 1,000 yards last week, and they will be eyeing up this Atlanta secondary that is giving up the second-highest completion percentage this year, of 69.8%.
With the division now in their hands, Atlanta desperately needs a win here, but getting one over on the red-hot Jaden Daniels is no easy task.
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Commanders -4