The Atlanta Falcons are the hottest team in the NFL right now. Since Michael Penix Jr.'s return, the Falcons have had the most-productive offense in the league and their short-handed defense is playing out of their minds.
That's translated into two convincing wins over supposedly-superior opponents, with the Falcons taking down the Green Bay Packers and the New Orleans Saints
by three touchdowns apiece.Nevertheless, some folks aren't buying it. You can count CBS Sports analyst Pete Prisco in that crowd. Even if Lamar Jackson doesn't play on Sunday night, he's taking the Ravens with Tyler Huntley starting. Here's his pick for the week.
"This could be a Ravens team without Lamar Jackson after he suffered an injured ankle last week. If he can't go,
Tyler Huntley will start. That means this will be a Derrick Henry game. The Falcons impressed Monday night, beating up the Saints, but this is a short week and a better opponent. The Ravens will rally if Jackson doesn't play and be thrilled if he does. Pick: Ravens 24, Falcons 17"
Yes, the Ravens are a dangerous team - and Tyler Huntley probably doesn't get enough respect for his mobility. That being said, he's nowhere near the passer, athlete or competitor that Lamar Jackson is - and his absence will allow the Falcons to hone in on stopping Derrick Henry with a defense that's miles better than any other against the run.
At the same time, Atlanta's pass rush game is vastly superior than anyone had a right to expect coming into the season. Even without Jalon Walker and James Pearce they've tallied the most pressures in the NFL this year.
On top of that, the Falcons have been unstoppable on offense since Penix's arrival. They rank second in the league in rushing and Penix would be on top of some QB metrics if he had enough snaps to qualify.
Moreover, it seems no matter who the opponent is it's unwise to bet against the Falcons in a prime-time game. Going back to last season they have won six of their last seven games under the lights, including victories over the Buffalo Bills and the Los Angeles Rams, who are both legitimate Super Bowl contenders.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: CBS Sports makes prediction for Falcons' SNF game vs. Ravens
