NFL Sunday Night Football Picks & Player Props: Falcons vs. Commanders (Week 17)
Tonight’s Sunday Night Football game will feature the Atlanta Falcons and Washington Commanders. With a win tonight, the Commanders can clinch a playoff spot. Meanwhile, as long as the Buccaneers lose, the Falcons can also clinch with a win.
With major implications, I’ve added a best bet and my favorite player prop for tonight’s Sunday Night Football game. Let’s finish off the weekend strong.
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Best NFL Week 17 Sunday Night Football Picks & Player Prop Bets
NFL odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook | All wagers are for 1 unit
Atlanta Falcons vs. Washington Commanders (Game Pick)
The Atlanta Falcons decided to roll with Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback last week against the Giants. The rookie quarterback willed the Falcons to a 34-7 win but wasn’t phenomenal. He made some good throws but finished with 202 yards passing, zero touchdowns and one interception.
The Falcons’ offense totaled 5.1 yards per play, but the defense stepped up in that game, allowing just 234 total yards of offense. They held the Giants to 189 yards in the air. The defense also forced three turnovers, including two interceptions and a fumble.
It’s rare for teams to make quarterback decisions this late in the season when the team is playing for the playoffs. Beyond that, there is a lot of pressure on the rookie quarterback to keep the Falcons in the playoff conversation. Washington doesn’t have the most electric defense. However, the team’s best attributes are its pass rush. If Washington can get to Penix, who rushed for only three yards last week, Penix could make a couple of big mistakes in this game.
On the other hand, Atlanta has been outstanding in its secondary but has missed a super-high rate of tackles this season. Jayden Daniels is much more mobile and can make plays out of nowhere. He’s led Washington to three consecutive wins, scoring at least 36 points in two of the last three. The latest was a 36-33 comeback win against a really good Eagles defense.
Therefore, I’ll ride with Daniels and take the more experienced rookie in this one.
Pick: Commanders -3.5 (-105)
Atlanta Falcons vs. Washington Commanders (Player Prop)
Jayden Daniels has added at least 66 rushing yards in three of his last four games. He’s hit this rushing prop line of 48.5 in five of his last 10 and seven of his previous 15.
With that in mind, he’s taking on an Atlanta defense that has allowed the 26th-most rushing yards to quarterbacks this season. In addition, quarterbacks have rushed nearly six times per game against the Falcons, ranking 27th in the NFL.
Atlanta is susceptible to big runs. The Falcons have allowed a long rush average of 12.42 yards, which also ranks 25th in the NFL. Look for Daniels to break out for some big gains with his legs in tonight’s ball game.
Pick: Jayden Daniels Over 48.5 Rushing Yards (-113)
Make sure to check out our other best bets for Sunday: