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Falcons favored over the Raiders in Monday night matchup

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Falcons favored over the Raiders in Monday night matchup
Sport

Sport

Falcons favored over the Raiders in Monday night matchup

2024-12-15 07:07 Last Updated At:07:10

Atlanta (6-7) at Las Vegas (2-11)

Monday, 8:30 p.m. EST, ESPN

BetMGM NFL Odds: Falcons by 4

Series record: Falcons lead 8-7

Against the spread: Falcons 5-8, Raiders 5-8

Last meeting: Falcons beat Raiders 43-6 in Atlanta on Nov. 29, 2020.

Last week: Falcons lost to Vikings 42-21; Raiders lost to Buccaneers 28-13

Falcons offense: overall (8), rush (12), pass (2), scoring (19)

Falcons defense: overall (23), rush (17), pass (25), scoring (25)

Raiders offense: overall (25), rush (32), pass (16), scoring (31)

Raiders defense: overall (15), rush (14), pass (15), scoring (30)

Turnover differential: Falcons minus-9; Raiders minus-17

OLB Arnold Ebiketie has been a key to Atlanta's suddenly improved pass rush. Ebiketie has three sacks in the past two games, giving him four for the season. Overall, the Falcons have had nine sacks in the past two games. They almost doubled their NFL-low total of 10 through their first 11 games.

Whoever plays quarterback. Aidan O'Connell injured his left knee Sunday at Tampa Bay, and he is listed as questionable. O'Connell is not a mobile quarterback, so if he plays, he likely wouldn't be as limited as a more athletic player at that position. If Desmond Ridder gets the call, he'll face the team where he started 13 games last season.

Falcons QB Kirk Cousins vs. Raiders defense. Cousins has been intercepted the past four games, and he has been picked off six times combined the past two weeks. Las Vegas' best hope in forcing Cousins into even more mistakes is pressuring, and the Raiders have nine sacks over the past two weeks. They also had two interceptions against the Bucs.

Falcons: Rookie RB Jase McClellan was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury. The sixth-round pick earlier had missed time with a foot problem and had only 13 carries for 32 yards. RB Carlos Washington Jr. was signed to the active roster from the practice squad as depth behind Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier. ... ILB Troy Andersen (knee) and WR Casey Washington (concussion) did not practice on Thursday.

Raiders: DE Maxx Crosby (ankle) will not play and O'Connell (knee) is questionable. Also, Defensive tackle Adam Butler (concussion) is questionable and cornerback Sam Webb (back) is doubtful. RB Alexander Mattison (ankle) is back after missing the past three games. CB Nate Hobbs (ankle) also returns.

The Falcons have won the past five meetings. ... Their 37-point victory in the most recent matchup in 2020 was the most lopsided game in the series' history. ... That game also was the second highest-scoring game by the winning team, behind the then-Oakland Raiders' 50-19 victory in 1979.

Falcons WR Drake London needs only two catches to pass Calvin Ridley (217) for the most receptions in the first three seasons with Atlanta. ... London has 75 receptions for 866 yards and six touchdowns this season. ... Cousins has an unhealthy ratio of 17 touchdown passes to 15 interceptions. ... The Raiders' Brock Bowers has caught 87 passes to set an NFL rookie record tight ends record. Sam LaPorta had 86 last season for the Detroit Lions. Bowers also is 67 yards from becoming the third rookie tight end with 1,000 yards, joining Atlanta’s Kyle Pitts in 2021 and the Chicago Bears' Mike Ditka in 1961. ... LB Robert Spillane is one of seven players this season with at least 100 tackles, an interception and a sack. ... Las Vegas has committed 4.86 penalties per game since coach Antonio Pierce took over at midseason last season, best in the league. ... The Raiders have had at least one sack in 31 consecutive games, the third-longest active streak behind the Baltimore Ravens with 51 and Philadelphia Eagles with 41. Las Vegas has nine combined in the past two games, tied for best in the league with the Falcons.

Raiders RB Sincere McCormick has secured the starting job, and he has averaged at least 5.2 yards per carry in each of his past three games. His rushing total keeps increasing, with McCormick gaining 78 yards against the Bucs. Especially given the uncertainty at quarterback, expect the Raiders to rely on McCormick.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Adam Butler (69) celebrates with defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) after a sack on Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Adam Butler (69) celebrates with defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) after a sack on Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins walks off the field after throwing an interception during the second half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins walks off the field after throwing an interception during the second half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk A/S, maker of blockbuster weight loss drug Wegovy, said Friday its CEO was stepping down by “mutual agreement” with the company's board of directors, citing “recent market challenges” and a steep decline in the company's share price.

Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen's departure comes a week after the company downgraded its sales and profits forecast, and follows a more than 50% decline in the company's shares since mid-2024. Shares had skyrocketed after the introduction of Wegovy and diabetes medicine Ozempic, which are both based on the same basic ingredient, semaglutide.

At the peak, the company's market capitalization - or the combined price of all its shares - exceeded Denmark's annual gross domestic product and made it Europe's most valuable company, a title it has since lost to software maker SAP.

The company said May 7 that Wegovy sales in the U.S. had been undercut by cheaper replica drugs produced by so-called compounding pharmacies using active ingredients of patented drugs in case of shortage. The Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. drug regulator, has said however that the shortages have eased and the replicas will have to cease in the coming months.

The drugs are part of a wave of obesity medications known as GLP-1 receptor agonists that also includes another Novo weight loss drug, Saxenda. They have soared in popularity due to the amount of weight people lose while taking the injections.

On Sunday a study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine showing people lost more weight using competitor drug Zepbound, made by Eli Lilly of Indianapolis. The study, the first head-to-head comparison of the two, was funded by Lilly. Novo Nordisk's share price is down 54% from its peak in June 2024. Its U.S.-listed shares fell another 3% in morning trading Friday.

The company, headquartered in Bagsvaerd, Denmark, praised a “significant growth journey and transformation” led by Jorgensen during his eight years as CEO. He has been with the company since 1991.

“The changes are, however, made in light of the recent market challenges Novo Nordisk has been facing, and the development of the company’s share price since mid-2024,” the company said in a statement. The board and Jorgensen “have jointly concluded that initiating a CEO succession is in the best interest of the company and its shareholders.”

Jorgensen will continue as CEO “for a period” to support a smooth transition.

—-

AP Health Writer Tom Murphy contributed from Indianapolis.

Boxes for the medications Wegovy and Zepbound are arranged for a photograph in California on Thursday, May 8, 2025. (AP Photo/JoNel Aleccia)

Boxes for the medications Wegovy and Zepbound are arranged for a photograph in California on Thursday, May 8, 2025. (AP Photo/JoNel Aleccia)

FILE - Novo Nordisk headquarters in Bagsvaerd, Denmark, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025. (Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix via AP, File)

FILE - Novo Nordisk headquarters in Bagsvaerd, Denmark, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025. (Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix via AP, File)

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