Atlanta @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 21, 2015 ) Atlanta 22, N.Y. Jets 30

The Atlanta Falcons will look to snap a three-game slide when they visit the New York Jets on Sunday. The Falcons were routed by the New England Patriots 23-7 last week in a rematch of last year's Super Bowl participants.



The preseason NFC favorite Falcons have struggled on offense in their transition from offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan to the former college coordinator Steve Sarkisian. Atlanta, which went 6-2 in the second half of 2016, will look to run the ball more in the second half of the season, according to head coach Dan Quinn. The Jets blew a 14-point, fourth-quarter lead in a disheartening loss at Miami last week. Josh McCown's ill-advised pass in the game's final minute led to the Dolphins' game-winning field goal.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Falcons -5. O/U: 46.

ABOUT THE FALCONS (3-3): Quinn wants to see his stellar tailback duo of Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman, which combined for season-low rushing attempts over the last two games, increase dramatically. Freeman scored five touchdowns in the first four games of the season but has been held out of the end zone the past two weeks and leads the team with 425 yards on 91 carries. Julio Jones caught his first touchdown pass of the season in the game's final minutes last week and finished with season highs of 13 targets and nine receptions.
ABOUT THE JETS (3-4): Any shocking playoff hopes the Jets might have had probably went up in smoke after back-to-back losses in which they held two-touchdown leads. Coach Todd Bowles defended last-week's gaffe by McCown which cost the team a chance to go to overtime. "(McCown) didn't see the guy. He made a mistake. He'll learn from it. ... I don't feel any regrets about the play."


EXTRA POINTS
1. Bilal Powell leads the Jets' running back-by-committee backfield with 283 yards on 60 carries while Matt Forte and Elijah McGuire are also averaging more than 4.0 yards a carry.
2. Atlanta QB Matt Ryan hasn't gone over 300 yards passing since the first game of the season.
3. The Falcons are 0-3 against AFC East teams this season.

PREDICTION: Falcons 30, Jets 17