Tampa Bay at Atlanta 2016 Week 1 NFL Free Picks

It will be all about revenge when the Atlanta takes on the Buccaneers in Week 1, the same Tampa Bay team that swept the Falcons in their two meetings last season. Will the Falcons get their season off to a winning start against the pesky Buccaneers, or will Tampa Bay record its third straight victory over Atlanta? Read on as we preview and predict the NFL betting lines winner of this NFC South divisional fixture.

Buccaneers at Falcons 2016 Week 1 NFL Free Picks

Where: Georgia Dome, Atlanta When:  Sunday, September 11, 1:00 PM ET TV: FOX NFL Lines: Tampa Bay (+3), Atlanta (-3), OVER/UNDER 47.5    

Why Bet on Tampa Bay

With a season’s worth experience under his belt, second year QB Jameis Winston is expected to play better than he did as a rookie, especially now that the team added more weapons around him, along with a couple of veterans to protect him. Given Atlanta has some of the best talents in the offense, Winston will need all the support he can get and, thankfully, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had a top-5 rushing offense in 2015. This should bode well for the team, considering the Falcons weren’t the best of teams in defending the run last year and there weren’t enough investments done in the offseason to fill those rushing defense holes. Defensively, the Bucs are a work in progress, but we should see a better pass rush system, thanks to the addition of players like DE Robert Ayers and DE Noah Spence, along with the CB trio of Brent Grimes, Josh Robinson and Vernon Hargreaves.

Why Bet on Atlanta

Turnovers and a leaky defense were two of the biggest reasons the Falcons were swept by the Bucs last season. To have a winning chance this year, Atlanta must therefore find a way of protecting the ball better and playing more efficiently in the defense. Offensively, there isn’t much to worry about, as the lethal combination of QB Matt Ryan, star receiver Julio Jones and stud RB Devonta Freeman should come into this game well-prepared and ready to light up the Georgia Dome with at least three touchdowns.

Expert NFL Predictions and Picks

While it’s hard to trust Atlanta’s defense to be all good here, I believe that the versatility of the Falcons in the offense will help them to get away with the win. Of course, the Bucs are very well capable of pulling an upset here, but with lessons learnt from last season’s losses to TB, I doubt if the Falcons will allow themselves to get beaten again, especially at home.

Final Game Score Prediction: Atlanta 30, Tampa Bay 24

Best Pick: Atlanta (-3)