When Jessie Bates intercepted a heave into the end zone on the final play in Week 15, the Atlanta Falcons were able to secure a 15-9 win over the lowly Las Vegas Raiders that ended a four-game losing streak and returned them to a .500 record at 7-7. But that win was more an escape than it was a triumph: The Falcons just managed to skate by a 2-11 Raiders team, and veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins struggled, yet again, throwing for just 112 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
With Cousins having thrown just one touchdown to nine interceptions in a five-game stretch, and with Atlanta's season hanging in the balance, the Falcons have taken action: This week, the team announced that they are benching Cousins and promoting rookie Michael Penix, the No. 8-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, to the starting quarterback role with three games left to play. The Maxwell Award winner and a First-Team All-American at Washington, Penix will now put all the lessons from sitting behind Cousins to practice as he is tasked with leading the Falcons to their first playoff appearance since 2017.
Fortunately for Penix, he receives a soft landing spot to make his first start as the Falcons play one of the worst teams in the NFL for the second week in a row. Atlanta hosts the 2-12 New York Giants, who are on the verge of the wrong sort of franchise history in their centennial season: If the Giants lose their 10th straight game on Sunday, they will set a new franchise record for the most consecutive losses in franchise history as they continue circling the drain towards the worst record in the NFL.
Where to watch Falcons vs. Giants
- When: Sunday, Dec. 22 at 1 p.m. ET
- Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium -- Atlanta
- TV: FOX
- Streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Follow: CBS Sports App
Falcons vs. Giants spread, odds
Atlanta is an 8.5-point favorite against New York, according to the latest NFL odds. The over/under is 40.5 points.
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Falcons vs. Giants recent series history
Atlanta has won all three games they've played against Big Blue over the last nine years. The Giants' last victory over the Falcons came in Week 5 of the 2014 season, when they won 30-20.
- Sept. 26, 2021 -- Atlanta 17, New York 14
- Oct. 22, 2018 -- Atlanta 23, New York 20
- Sept. 20, 2015 -- Atlanta 24, New York 20
