'Monday Night Football' prediction, odds, spread, time: Rams vs. Falcons picks from expert on 28-10 run

The Los Angeles Rams look to stay in the race for the NFC West championship when they battle the Atlanta Falcons in a key NFC matchup on 'Monday Night Football.' Los Angeles is coming off a 38-37 overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 16, while Atlanta downed Arizona 26-19. The Rams (11-4), who are 6-4 within the conference, are 5-3 on the road this season. The Falcons (6-9), who are third in the NFC South, are 5-5 in the conference and 2-4 on their home field in 2025.

Kickoff from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta is set for 8:15 p.m. ET. Los Angeles is a 7.5-point favorite in the latest Rams vs. Falcons odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 49.5 at DraftKings Sportsbook. Before locking in any Falcons vs. Rams picks, make sure to check out the 'Monday Night Football' predictions from SportsLine NFL expert Larry Hartstein.

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A former lead writer for Covers and The Linemakers, Hartstein combines a vast network of Vegas sources with an analytical approach he honed while working for Pro Football Focus. He enters this matchup on 39-29 run on NFL AFS picks, and in addition, Hartstein has gone 28-10 on his last 38 picks involving the Rams, returning $1,701. Anyone who has followed him could be way up. 

Now, Hartstein has set his sights on Rams vs. Falcons and just locked in his picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several NFL odds and NFL betting lines for Rams vs. Falcons: 

Why the Rams can win

Quarterback Matthew Stafford is having an MVP-type season. In 15 games, he has completed 65.7% of his passes for 4,179 yards and 40 touchdowns with five interceptions and a 112.1 rating. In the loss at Seattle, he completed 29 of 49 passes for 457 yards and three touchdowns. He was 24 of 38 passing for 368 yards and two touchdowns with one interception in a 41-34 win over the Detroit Lions on Dec. 14.

His top target is third-year wide receiver Puka Nacua. In 14 games, he has 114 receptions for 1,592 yards and eight touchdowns. He has 27 explosive plays of 20 yards or more, including a long of 58, including 611 yards after the catch with 73 first-down conversions. In the loss to the Seahawks, he caught 12 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns. He had nine receptions for 181 yards against Detroit. See which team to back at SportsLine. 

Bet Matthew Stafford to go Over 269.5 passing yards at DraftKings:

Why the Falcons can win

Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins powers the Atlanta offense. In eight games this season, he has completed 62.2% of his passes for 1,415 yards and eight touchdowns with four interceptions and an 85.7 rating. He has also rushed for one score. In a 29-28 win at Tampa Bay on Dec. 11, he completed 30 of 44 passes for 373 yards and three touchdowns. He was 21 of 35 for 197 yards and two touchdowns with one interception in the win over the Cardinals.

Also helping lead the offense is running back Bijan Robinson. In 15 games, he has carried 250 times for 1,250 yards and six touchdowns. He also has 71 receptions for 776 yards and three touchdowns. In the win over the Cardinals, he carried 16 times for 76 yards, and caught seven passes for 92 yards and one touchdown. See which team to back at SportsLine.

Bet Bijan Robinson to go Over 76.5 for total rushing yards at DraftKings:

How to make Rams vs. Falcons picks

Hartstein has analyzed Rams vs. Falcons from every angle and he's leaning Over on the point total. He has also discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. He's only sharing what it is, and which side to back, at SportsLine.

Who wins Rams vs. Falcons, and what critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Rams vs. Falcons spread you need to jump on, all from the expert that is 28-10 on his last 38 Los Angeles Rams picks, and find out.