Atlanta Falcons vs Indianapolis Colts Picks and Prediction for Saturday August 22, 2026

The Atlanta Falcons travel to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, to face the Indianapolis Colts in NFL preseason Week 2 on Saturday, August 22, 2026. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET. Atlanta enters at 0-1 after losing 27-7 to Denver, while Indianapolis is 0-0-1 after playing New England to a 13-13 tie. Be ready for the entire season with our free NFL picks.

The current market has Indianapolis favored by approximately 3 points, with Atlanta +3, while the total is 36.5 points. The quarterback rotation is particularly important in this matchup, as Indianapolis has already indicated Riley Leonard will start and play the first half before Anthony Richardson Sr. takes over for the second half. We'll use Indianapolis -3 and Under 36.5 as the selections.

Falcons Need More Offensive Production

Atlanta's preseason opener was a difficult one, with the Falcons falling 27-7 to the Denver Broncos. The Falcons were outgained 359-192 and trailed 17-0 before a long second-quarter possession provided one of their better offensive sequences. That possession ultimately ended badly, however, when an interception was returned 97 yards for a touchdown. Atlanta also committed nine penalties for 78 yards and possessed the football for only 23:40.

Tua Tagovailoa handled Atlanta's first two offensive series. Four of his five throws were directed toward Kyle Pitts, producing 22 yards. Cooper Rush then received significant work with the second unit. Atlanta put together a 14-play possession that reached Denver's 7-yard line before Rush's interception was returned for a touchdown. Chris Blair led Atlanta's receivers with 37 yards, while the Falcons struggled to consistently generate explosive offense.

The positive for Atlanta is that Week 2 provides another opportunity to evaluate the depth chart after a game in which the Falcons never established much offensive consistency. The problem from a betting perspective is that Indianapolis showed considerably more efficiency at quarterback in its opener. Atlanta managed only seven points against Denver, and laying points with Indianapolis becomes attractive if the Colts receive another competent performance from their reserve quarterbacks.

Colts Quarterback Rotation Provides an Edge

Indianapolis opened its preseason with a 13-13 tie against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. The Colts rested nearly all of their starters, making the performance of the reserve units particularly relevant for Week 2 handicapping. Indianapolis overcame three turnovers and ultimately tied the game when Spencer Shrader connected on a 61-yard field goal with 1:16 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Anthony Richardson Sr. completed 11 of 14 passes for 145 yards and rushed six times for 53 yards with a touchdown. He did throw an interception and lose a fumble, but he completed 78.5% of his passes and averaged 8.8 yards per attempt. Riley Leonard took over in the second half and completed 10 of 21 passes for 89 yards with an interception. Will Mallory contributed six receptions for 80 yards, while rookie defensive ends George Gumbs Jr. and Caden Curry each recorded a sack.

The most important Week 2 development is Indianapolis' planned quarterback rotation. Leonard is scheduled to start and handle the first half, with Richardson taking the second half after the order was reversed against New England. Richardson's mobility and passing efficiency were among the Colts' biggest positives in Week 1. If Indianapolis gets that level of quarterback play during the second half against Atlanta's reserves, the Colts should have an advantage when preseason games are often decided.

Atlanta Falcons vs Indianapolis Colts Picks and Prediction

Pick: Indianapolis Colts -3

The pick is Indianapolis -3. Atlanta was outgained by 167 yards in its opener and generated only seven points, while Indianapolis produced enough offense to remain competitive despite resting almost its entire starting lineup. Richardson's 198 combined passing and rushing yards were particularly encouraging, and having him scheduled for the second half could give Indianapolis a meaningful late-game quarterback advantage. At a field goal or better, Indianapolis -3 is the preferred side.

Pick: Under 36.5

The total pick is Under 36.5. Atlanta managed seven points and only 192 total yards against Denver, while Indianapolis scored 13 against New England. Both teams also committed multiple turnovers, which illustrates the offensive inconsistency typical of preseason football. Indianapolis has the stronger quarterback setup, but Atlanta's Week 1 struggles make it difficult to project enough combined scoring to comfortably clear this number. Under 36.5 is the preferred total.

Prediction: Indianapolis Colts 20, Atlanta Falcons 13