Week 2 was riddled with injuries, including QB's Tony Romo, Drew Brees and Jay Cutler. I went (9-7) last week's against the spread. Here are my picks for Week 3.
Washington Redskins @ NY Giants (-4.5) - Thursday Night Football
Summary: The Washington Redskins could have been 2-0 to start the season, if it were not for a Jarvis Landry punt return in Week 1. Last week Kirk Cousins and new RB Matt Jones looked terrific against a Rams team that just didn't show up. They've played in two very close games and have showed signs of life. On the other hand the NY Giants are 0-2 and also could have been 2-0 had it not been for some terrible clock management by Eli Manning. Last week was tough as Manning fumbled in the red zone with the team up by 7 in the 4th quarter. However, Odell Beckham Jr. got back on track with a big game last week with 146 yards receiving yards.
Pick: I'll take the home team on the short week. Giants win 28-21
Atlanta Falcons @ Dallas Cowboys (PICKEM) - 1pm FOX
Summary: The Atlanta Falcons are off to a surprising 2-0 start. With wins at home against Philadelphia and a road game against the Giants, QB Matt Ryan and company are taking on their 3rd straight NFC East opponent this week. A large part of the success has to go to wide out Julio Jones. Jones is averaging 138 yards a game and one touchdown per game which would amount to over 2,000 yards if he can maintain this over 16 games. The Dallas Cowboys are also 2-0, however they are without their two best players. In week 1 it was star WR Dez Bryant going down with an injury, and in week 2 it was QB Tony Romo. The Cowboys might struggle on offense for the foreseeable future, but their defense ranks among the top in the NFL after two weeks.
Pick: The Cowboys put up a fight but the Falcons take it 20-14.
Philadelphia Eagles @ NY Jets (-2.5) - 1pm FOX
Summary: It's actually quite amazing what's going on in Philadelphia... and not in a good way. There was a very long debate as to what Head Coach Chip Kelly did in the off-season was a smart move or a dumb one. I for one believed that he gave up too much good talent and was micromanaging a team which never works. So far they're 0-2 and have played absolutely awful. While the NY Jets have to be the surprised team in the NFL as of now. Under new Head Coach Todd Bowles and Darrelle Revis (who had a career day last week against Indy) the Jets defense are mauling their opponents. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick is not turning the ball over and has some great targets in Brandon Marshall and Erik Decker on the outside.
Pick: Jets stay undefeated and win by a score of 21-10.
San Diego Chargers @ Minnesota Vikings (-2.5) - 1pm CBS
Summary: Phillip Rivers came out of the gates in week 1 with a stellar performance but could not keep the momentum going, as he was limited by the Bengals defense last week. This week they are on the road again facing another tough defense in the Minnesota Vikings. Adrian Peterson got back on track with a strong outing last week against the Lions and QB Teddy Bridgewater looks to get more comfortable each week.
Pick: Adrian Peterson continues to run the ball well and helps the team narrowly win 20-17.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Houston Texans (-6.5) - 1pm FOX
Summary: The fact that the Texans are favourite is let alone a shock but 6.5 points, you've got to be joking. The Buccaneers played very well on the road in a tough environment in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and came out of it with a win. Meanwhile the Texans have problems at QB and now their top WR DeAndre Hopkins has suffered a concussion.
Pick: Close game but Buccaneers with the points, I'll take them to win 20-14.
New Orleans Saints @ Carolina Panthers (-3.5) - 1pm FOX
Summary: The New Orleans Saints come into this game with an 0-2 record and without their star QB Drew Brees. Add in a defense that has been questionable at best and it's clear that the Saints are struggling. While the Panthers may have lost big WR Kelvin Benjamin in the pre-season, QB Cam Newton has a safety blanket in TE Greg Olsen who is off to another strong year. Their defense is without star LB Luke Kuechly, but has shown that it still has a lot of grit.
Pick: Carolina covers the spread easily with a 21-10 win.
Pittsburgh Steelers (-1.5) @ St. Louis Rams - 1pm CBS
Summary: The Pittsburgh Steelers have to be feeling good about themselves after dismantling the 49ers at home last week. Ben Roethlisberger looked fantastic, and Antonio Brown is already on pace for more then 120 catches this season. Now you add in the return of RB Le'Veon Bell, and next week it's WR Martavis Bryant back from suspension, the Steelers are a team to watch out for. The St.Louis Rams had so much promise after their week 1 over Seattle. But in the NFL it's a week-to-week basis and last week, they looked awful on the road against the Washington Redskins. QB Nick Foles looked adequate at best. They will need more out of him.
Pick: Steelers win on the road 27-17.
Indianpolis Colts (-3.5) @ Tennessee Titans - 1pm CBS
Summary: Andrew Luck and the Colts came into the season as the AFC favourite, but after 2 weeks they will be lucky if they can make the playoffs. Yes it's early, but the Colts have looked horrible with two lacklustre performances to open the season. Last week was unwatchable as the Jets defense stymied Luck, forcing him into 5 turnovers. The secondary is also pretty beat up, so it will be interesting to see how the Colts can manage with those injuries. The Titans have shown a lot of promise in two weeks, and one thing is clear QB Marcus Mariota will be a fine player in this league one day.
Pick: Colts win 31-27.
Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (-2.5) - 1pm CBS
Summary: The Bengals are off to a quick 2-0 start with wins against two AFC West teams in Oakland and San Diego, but now the real test comes, with their first shot against an AFC North opponent. Andy Dalton has played very strong over the first two weeks, especially in last week's win over the San Diego Chargers. Defense has never been the issue with the Bengals as they are holding teams to 16 points per game to start the season. The Ravens on the other hand suffered a tough loss in week 1, losing LB Terrell Suggs for the season. It was clear the defense was going to struggle but last week they gave up 37 points to Oakland. Steve Smith Sr. seems like the only target for QB Joe Flacco as the Ravens are on the brink of going 0-3 for a first time in franchise history.
Pick: Bengals win 28-24 in a very hard fought game.
Oakland Raiders @ Cleveland Browns (-3.5) - 1pm CBS
Summary: A few years ago this game would be considered a channel-changer. Now you have some bright young talent coming out of Oakland in the trio of QB Derek Carr, WR Amari Cooper and LB Khalil Mack. New Head Coach Jack Del Rio has got his team playing very hard and to the whistle, which has got them to a 1-1 start to the season. For the Browns, the surprising news out of the week was that QB Johnny Manziel will NOT be playing this week as they go back to Josh McCown. I don't like this move one bit. In my mind if you win, you stay in and Manziel played well enough to do so last week.
Pick: Oakland wins 23-20.
Jacksonville Jaguars @ New England Patriots (-13.5) - 1pm CBS
Summary: The Jaguars surprised everyone last week by knocking off the Miami Dolphins 23-20. A lot of people were expecting very little from the Jags this year, but not me. I knew they weren't as bad as their record may have shown last year and Head Coach Gus Bradley makes sure his players are always giving a full effort, no matter the score. QB Tom Brady has been lights out since the start of the season, and you can tell that he's a man on a mission. Brady has yet to throw an interception, and will more then likely pass for his 400th career touchdown this week.
Pick: Patriots in a land slide 45-17.
San Francisco 49ers @ Arizona Cardinals (-6.5) - 405pm FOX
Summary: The 49ers are a team with no identity. In week 1, they looked like the 49ers of old, with stout defense and a great running game. That recipe did not carry over into week 2 as they started the game behind the 8-ball and were never able to catch up. Now they head into one of the most hostile places in the league, in search of win number 2. Head Coach Bruce Arians has the Cardinals rolling. Two easy wins to start the season, has the Cardinals on top of the NFC West, and with their defense playing the way it is and Larry Fitzgerald still being able to produce, this could be the most feared team in the NFC.
Pick: Cardinals have no problem covering the spread 35-10.
Buffalo Bills @ Miami Dolphins (-2.5) - 425pm CBS
Summary: This is a matchup of two very good defences, the question remains which offense is better? In Buffalo it's all about the Tryrod Taylor show. After a great performance in week 1, Taylor struggled in the first half against the Patriots, but seemed to find a groove as the game went on. The Bills did show a lot of character by making it a close game at the end. Maybe even a tougher loss was the Dolphins falling to the Jaguars. After two shaky performances, people are already questioning QB Ryan Tannehill who was supposed to take another lead forward this year. Prized off-season signing Ndamukong Suh has done nothing but cause problems, which seems to be his M.O. in this league.
Pick: Rex and the Bills win on the road 27-21.
Chicago Bears @ Seattle Seahawks (-14.5) - 430pm CBS
Summary: The Bears really have no point in showing up to this game. Seattle is pissed, they are playing in Seattle and both QB Jay Cutler and WR Alshon Jeffrey are not playing due to injuries. The Seahawks at home are always a lock, and the points don't scare me. I'm taking Seattle all the time at home.
Pick: Seattle shuts out the Bears 24-0.
Denver Broncos (-3.5) @ Detroit Lions -830pm NBC
Summary: You can argue that the Broncos should have lost both their games, but you cannot argue the fact that they didn't lose those games and now sit at 2-0. Peyton Manning has struggled to say the least in his first few games, and it's Wade Phillips defense that has been the star in the first two weeks. Von Millar and DeMarcus Ware continue to cause havoc for opposing QB's. The Lions are in desperate search for a win, after blowing a big lead in week 1, and getting blown out by a division opponent in week 2. Look for WR Calvin Johnson to have a big night.
Pick: Detroit covers the spread but loses on a late FG, 24-21.
Kansas City Chiefs @ Green Bay Packers (-6.5) - Monday Night Football
Summary: The Chiefs haven't played since last Thursday, a game they had no business losing. However, they did lose that game at home, and now travel to a place where no opponent wins games. Jamaal Charles and Travis Kelce lead an offense that still hasn't caught a touchdown pass from a WR since week 14 of 2013! Meanwhile in Green Bay that's all they do. Aaron Rodgers (last year's MVP) is off to another MVP caliber season throwing 5 touchdowns passes to 0 interceptions. The guy is a machine, making play-after-play with relative ease. Even the best of defences can't cover him (like Seattle last week). Clay Matthews leads a defense that seems to always be playing with a lead.
Pick: Packers never lose at home. Win 35-24.
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