Atlanta Falcons Host Houston Texans

The Atlanta Falcons host the Houston Texans this afternoon at 1 PM ET at the Georgia Dome. The game will air on CBS. Can Atlanta move to 4-0 with a win over Houston?

Atlanta enters Week 4 at 3-0 and will face a 1-2 Houston Texans team. The Atlanta Falcons have won three straight come from behind victories in the fourth quarter to start 2015. Houston got into the win column in Week 3 with a victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Falcons enter today’s game as a 6.5 point favorite over Houston. Though Atlanta enters a navigable part of the schedule, it is imperative for the Atlanta Falcons to execute HC Dan Quinn’s ‘Championship Sunday’ philosophy.

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Houston has many great players on both sides of the football. The Texans have All-Pro DE J.J. Watt leading their strong front seven. Expect Watt to factor in this game in almost every way imaginable. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that Watt could force a turnover that results in a touchdown and line up at tight end in the red zone and get another six points there.

The Atlanta Falcons have the number one rated offensive line in terms of pass protection entering Week 4. The zone blocking scheme of OC Kyle Shanahan is transforming a once porous offensive line in a matter of weeks. The play from the Falcons OTs Jake Matthews and Ryan Schraeder is almost second to no one so far in 2015.

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For Atlanta to win this game, the Falcons must do these three things: 1. Slow down JJ Watt. 2. Force the Texans into 3rd and long obvious passing situations. 3. Not get complacent as the home favorite.

Shutting down Watt will be incredibly difficult, so the Atlanta Falcons need to counter with great defense from their front seven to force QB Ryan Mallett into critical passing downs. Mallett has a tendency to sling the pigskin more than he should. Maybe SS William Moore can corral an errant pass from Mallet between the hash marks in this game?

I think the whole week, Dan Quinn has told his team to play with poise and treat this home game with Houston just like the three other games Atlanta has already played this season. Though I do expect the Atlanta Falcons to play their best football in the second half, I think that the team doesn’t come out flat and ultimately takes control of this game in the second quarter.

Prediction: Atlanta 34, Houston 17.

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