Weekend Predictions: Falcons defeat Saints, Alabama triumphs over Georgia
Weekend Predictions has produced mediocre results after one month. Picking games against the spread is hard. If only I were facing the Mets instead of the market. Then I could just be so-so and wait for my opponent to collapse.
Georgia Tech is off this weekend. Coach Brent Key says he’ll come up with a plan to fix his team’s short-yardage offense after Tech failed to convert four times in those situations at Louisville. Perhaps the time off will give Key a fresh perspective on his belief that Tech should be able to run the ball no matter how many defenders are crowding the line of scrimmage.
Saints (+1 ½) at Falcons
The Falcons may finally have a good defense. Someone alert coach Raheem Morris. The Falcons trailed by five points when they failed to convert a fourth-and-5 at Kansas City’s 6-yard line with four minutes to play. Morris said one reason he went for it then was because he didn’t want to “allow Patrick Mahomes to work his magic.” The Falcons had handled Mahomes all game and did so again after that, but the offense let them down once again in defeat.
Morris likely won’t show as much deference to Saints quarterback Derek Carr. Carr’s run of spectacular play ended during the Week 3 loss to the Eagles. The Saints have a good defense that’s been a bit vulnerable against the run. The Falcons should be able to take advantage and I’m banking on Morris making more optimal decisions this time. Falcons are the pick.
No. 2 Georgia (+2) at No. 4 Alabama
Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe took a shot at the Bulldogs after beating them for last year’s SEC championship. “I’m big on body language and looking into the opponents’ eyes,” Milroe told WJOX-FM. “They looked defeated and they didn’t want any more.” Thankfully, that storyline hasn’t gained any traction this week. We don’t need to pretend the Bulldogs need extra motivation for this game.
Alabama is the only team to beat Georgia since the start of the 2021 season. Nick Saban retired, but the Crimson Tide machine is still humming with coach Kalen DeBoer. This is DeBoer’s first big game as Bama’s coach, which is not to say it’s his first big game. He came from Washington to Tuscaloosa with victories against teams coached by Steve Sarkisian, Dan Lanning and Lincoln Riley. I say DeBoer gets another big win this weekend against Kirby Smart. Bama is the pick.
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