ATLANTA (3-2) at NEW ENGLAND (4-2) Sunday, 8:30 p.m. EDT, NBC OPENING LINE — Patriots by 4 1/2 RECORD VS. SPREAD — Atlanta 2-3, New England 2-4 SERIES RECORD — Patriots lead 8-6 LAST MEETING — Patriots beat Falcons 34-28,
ATLANTA (3-2) at NEW ENGLAND (4-2)
Sunday, 8:30 p.m. EDT, NBC
OPENING LINE — Patriots by 4 1/2
RECORD VS. SPREAD — Atlanta 2-3, New England 2-4
SERIES RECORD — Patriots lead 8-6
LAST MEETING — Patriots beat Falcons 34-28, OT, Feb. 5 in Super Bowl
LAST WEEK — Falcons lost to Dolphins 20-17; Patriots beat Jets 24-17
AP PRO32 RANKING — Falcons No. 9, Patriots No. 3
FALCONS OFFENSE — OVERALL (5), RUSH (11), PASS (6).
FALCONS DEFENSE — OVERALL (10), RUSH (13), PASS (12).
PATRIOTS OFFENSE — OVERALL (1), RUSH (19), PASS (1).
PATRIOTS DEFENSE — OVERALL (32), RUSH (20), PASS (32).
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — Teams meeting for first time since Patriots erased 25-point second-half deficit on way to 34-28 overtime victory in last February’s Super Bowl. It marked largest Super Bowl comeback in history, earning Patriots their fifth championship. It was first Super Bowl that went to OT. … James White had three TDs in win, including winner, and Tom Brady amassed Super Bowl-record 466 passing yards and was MVP for fourth time. … Patriots have won four straight regular-season meetings between teams, including most recent in 2013. New England also won last meeting at Gillette Stadium, 26-10 on Sept. 27, 2009. … Falcons QB Matt Ryan has thrown TD pass in 24 consecutive games, longest active streak. … Ryan also has 200 or more passing yards in 60 consecutive games, longest streak in NFL history. … RB Devonta Freeman leads NFC with five rushing TDs. … WR Julio Jones has 53 catches for 822 yards and three TDs in past eight games vs. AFC. … LB Deion Jones has 43 tackles, sack and two INTs in five career games vs. AFC. … Brady leads NFL with 1,959 passing yards. Brady’s 15 completed passes of 20 or more yards rank first in NFL. … White leads team and ranks second among NFL RBs with 33 catches. … RB Mike Gillislee has seven rushing TDs in 10 career games vs. NFC. … TE Rob Gronkowski had two TD catches last week. He has 15 career games with two or more TD catches. … WR Chris Hogan has five TD catches this season. … LB Kyle Van Noy had two sacks in Week 6 and has 3 1/2 sacks in past three games. … Fantasy Tip: Ryan has struggled this season, but could be due for big night against defense that gives up league-high 440.7 yards per game and allows league-high 324.8 passing yards per game.
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