Bookmaker    o35½ -110

Posted at 8:00 AM ET. Odds are subject to change

Atlanta/Dallas Over 35½

AT&T Stadium – Arlington, TX

8:00 PM ET. The total opened at 36.5 and has dipped a point, but it’s not because of anything rooted in logic. The market sees third-string quarterbacks and auto-bets the under. It sees Easton Stick vs. Joe Milton and assumes it’s a punting contest. That’s lazy thinking.

This game may not be aesthetically pleasing, but it’s not lacking in opportunity — especially for hungry skill players trying to make a roster. Both coaches have made it clear they’re resting their starters, which means a full four quarters of auditions. That’s exactly what we want when chasing points in August: secondaries filled with future Uber drivers and receivers fighting to stay in the league.

Easton Stick has been called “unspectacular,” but he’s mobile, experienced, and more importantly — not afraid to take risks. Stick has thrown for two touchdowns this preseason and likely should have had more. Ben DiNucci will get snaps too, and while his NFL resume is grim, his preseason track record is one of YOLO throws and backyard football. That style turns into points more often than not against vanilla preseason defenses.

On the other side, Joe Milton is pure chaos. Big arm, erratic reads, but he’s being given the green light to let it fly. That’s music to our ears. Milton doesn’t dink and dunk. He wants to show off. And Will Grier, while the more conservative of the bunch, knows he’s not winning a roster spot by playing it safe. The leash is short, and the throws will be long.

Both teams have averaged 15–17 points per game in the preseason — right near this total — with limited conversions in the red zone. That regresses. We also get the benefit of domed conditions, no weather concerns, and a game script that calls for constant evaluation of fringe roster talent. Translation: no clock-bleeding drives just to “get some reps.” These are live-fire drills for coordinators and bottom-of-the-depth-chart guys looking to light a spark.

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