The early part of the NFL season has delivered some expectations, with the AFC West getting off to a strong start as three of the teams have started 2-0. On the AFC side, only four undefeated teams remain (including the 1-0 Tampa Bay Buccaneers) as it appears to be another dogfight for playoff positioning looming. With the balance of power now in the NFL, it can be hard to pick the winners, so turning to the sportsbooks in Las Vegas can give you a good idea of what to expect in Week 3, and we’ll look at the full slate.
Los Angeles (N) (-2.5) @ San Francisco (Thursday)
Week 3 action kicks off with NFC West rivals as the Rams head north to face the 49ers. LA got started with two home games, splitting against the spread at 1-1, while the 49ers have been underdogs twice already, and have also split against the spread. Los Angeles is a 2.5 point favorite with a 39.5 point over/under, which they should be able to cover, while the under usually hits on Thursday nights, especially between two teams familiar with each other and with mediocre offenses.
Baltimore (-3.5) vs. Jacksonville (London)
Jacksonville takes their annual trip across the pond to London where they’ll use a home game against the Ravens. Baltimore has already covered two spreads by a whopping margin, and they have a much easier task against the Jaguars.
Jacksonville looked good in the opening week but cooled off against Tennessee, which is a trend you can expect to continue, and the teams should be under the 39.5 point total.
Denver (-3) @ Buffalo
After an incredible showing against Dallas, the Broncos now have to leave home for the first time, heading all the way to Buffalo to face the Bills.
Despite the travel, Denver’s still a three-point favorite, which usually causes people to stay away from a game like this. Buffalo’s defense has looked strong, but so has Denver’s. It’s hard to say what the result will be, but going under the 40 point total should be safe, with Denver edging out the spread.
Pittsburgh (-7.5) @ Chicago
The road favorites continue as the 2-0 Steelers head to Chicago to face the 0-2 Bears. Pittsburgh looked a bit shaky against the Browns but rebounded for a big win against the Vikings in Week 2. The Bears did the opposite with a close loss against Atlanta and a blowout loss against the Buccaneers. 7.5 points is a big spread for a road team, meaning a backdoor cover for the Bears and under the 44 point total is likely.
New Orleans @ Carolina (-5.5)
It’s always tough to predict what division rivals in the NFC South are going to do when they face off head-to-head, especially with the Saints and Panthers. The Saints are 0-2 overall, as well as 0-2 against the spread. The Panthers have pulled out two wins of their own and were only one point away from being 2-0 against the spread.
With their defense holding teams to just six points so far this season, look for Carolina to continue their hot streak, as the teams should be under the 46.5 point total.
Cleveland (-1) @ Indianapolis
With Andrew Luck still on the shelf for the Colts, the 0-2 Browns enter Indianapolis as road favorites, which is something we didn’t think we’d see in a long time. The Browns have lost by three and 14 points to two division rivals and should have an easier task with the Colts. However, Jacoby Brissett should be more comfortable now in the Indianapolis offense in what might end up being a high-scoring game. The Colts should be the pick here, going over the 40.5 point total.
Miami (-6) @ New York (A)
The Dolphins were postponed in Week 1, then went all the way across the country to pull out a narrow victory over the Chargers, but didn’t look good doing it. The Jets are also returning from a California trip, bringing their record to 0-2, and they haven’t covered either spread. The familiar foes have had some low scoring battles in the past, and that should continue here. The Jets should keep it close enough to startle Miami, staying under 42 points total.
Houston @ New England (-13.5)
Every time New England gets written off, they always rebound for a big win. That’s what happened after a tough opening game against the Chiefs, as they rebounded to beat the Saints by 16 on the road.
Now back at home, the Patriots get to face a Texans team that has Deshaun Watson starting just his second game at quarterback. While it’s enticing to take the team that had a long week to prepare, Bill Belichick has eaten rookie quarterbacks alive, and the trend should continue here while both teams combined for more than 44 points.
Atlanta (-3) @ Detroit
The Lions still can’t get any respect after starting 2-0, both of which were games where they were underdogs. Now back at home against the Falcons, Detroit is an underdog once again at +3, which is something they’re simply familiar with now. Sportsbooks expect this game to be a shootout with an over/under of 50.5 points and should be a lot of fun to watch as the offense goes to work, scoring over the high mark.
As for who wins, the Lions will continue their quest for respect as they look to take down the defending NFC Champions.
New York (N) @ Philadelphia (-6)
The line for this game opened at just three points, but the Giants looked putrid on defense in their first two games, losing both (also against the spread) and going under the total. Now Philadelphia is a six-point favorite with an expected total of just 43. The longtime NFC East rivals should stick under that total as both defenses are strong, while the Eagles win by a touchdown to narrowly squeak by the spread that’s growing by the day.
Seattle @ Tennessee (-2.5)
It’s strange to think that the Seahawks are an underdog, but they usually don’t perform well away from home and have failed to cover both spreads this season, putting up just a total of 21 points.
However, their defense is strong enough that the 42.5 total should fall in the ‘under’ category, and pull off the victory. Tennessee looked strong against the Jaguars, but the Seahawks present a much bigger challenge, even if the game’s at home for the Titans.
Kansas City (-3) @ Los Angeles (A)
Many are calling the Chiefs the best team in football right now, as they’ve won on the road in New England and held on to beat Philadelphia in a game that wasn’t as close as the score indicated. Being on the road doesn’t present much of a hurdle for the Chiefs as the Chargers should be taken over by Chiefs fans in their small stadium. Taking away that advantage, the tough-luck Chargers will come up short yet again as the Chiefs walk away with this one, but under the 47.5 point total.
Cincinnati @ Green Bay (-9)
The Bengals were the favorites in their first two games but looked putrid on offense with no touchdowns and just three field goals combined. Going to Green Bay, a team that always plays well after a loss should present even more hardship. Green Bay is lethal at home, and they’ll look to beat up on the Bengals. Nine is a big number, but the Packers should be able to win by two touchdowns or more, going over the 44.5 point total almost by themselves.
Oakland (-3) @ Washington
Normally you would hate a team traveling all the way from the west coast to the east coast, but this isn’t an early afternoon game. Instead, the Raiders and Redskins will be squaring off on primetime, and the Redskins also had a trip back from Los Angeles after defeating the Rams.
This game has the biggest point total of the week at 54 points, which is likely to hit. In the end, the Raiders should be able to win by a touchdown as the Redskins don’t seem to have the firepower to keep up in a shootout, especially if Jordan Reed can't play.
Dallas (-3) @ Arizona (Monday)
Arizona narrowly avoided a 2-0 start on the road against the Colts last week, while the Cowboys were thrown off kilter against Denver. The young Dallas team isn’t used to being dragged through the mud so early in the season, and it could throw them off. Dallas should still have the edge, though, as the Cardinals don’t seem to have any offense, and the stadium will be filled with Dallas fans. Staying under the 47 point total, the Cowboys should get back on track with a big win.
Note: Tampa Bay @ Minnesota is off the board due to uncertainty of Sam Bradford’s status
