Experts take interesting stance on Giants vs Falcons following Michael Penix Jr. news
The New York Giants were expected to face quarterback Kirk Cousins when they took on the Atlanta Falcons this weekend but on Tuesday night, it was reported the veteran is being benched for first-round rookie Michael Penix. The news isn't exactly surprising considering Cousins' struggles, but it sure will raise fan interest levels across the NFL […]
The New York Giants were expected to face quarterback Kirk Cousins when they took on the Atlanta Falcons this weekend but on Tuesday night, it was reported the veteran is being benched for first-round rookie Michael Penix.
The news isn't exactly surprising considering Cousins' struggles, but it sure will raise fan interest levels across the NFL when it comes to the upcoming Giants' matchup. Naturally, you can expect many fans around the league to tune in to watch how Penix does.
Back in April, the Falcons nabbing Penix shortly after signing Cousins to a humongous quarterback contract was one of the major twists of the offseason. Now, it'll be nothing but the prologue to the rookie's career. As for New York, what does it mean leading up to Week 16?
Oddsmakers believe Giants have a better chance of beating Falcons with Penix at QB
Oddly enough, though the Falcons are making the move with their eyes set in making the playoffs, the betting world believes they have a lesser chance of beating the Giants this Sunday after making the change at quarterback.
Before Tuesday night, the betting spread made the Giants 10-point underdogs. Following the news, the spread dropped to 8.5 points. While it's true a 1.5-point change might not seem like a lot, it's fairly significant in the world of NFL betting.
There are many ways to interpret the shift but I'd mostly attribute it to the simple uncertainty that a rookie making his first career start represents. Even if it's against the Giants, you just never know with rookie quarterbacks in this league. It could be a legit upgrade or it could be a disaster for the Falcons.
With that being said, it's a good thing New York fans are no strangers to the underdog role this season as leading into Sunday, they're once again expected to lose by more than a touchdown per the betting markets. Now granted, their spreads aren't designed to "predict" outcomes but it's still a sign of how bad things have been for the Giants.
With Tommy DeVito ruled out for a concussion, signs point to Tim Boyle getting the start for New York, who made some risky throws on Sunday but earned the attention of Giants fans wanting to see more aggression on offense.
Giants emerge as heavy favorites to get exactly what they want for the future
Could lock it up in the coming weeks.
