It’s already Week 3 of the 2014 NFL season. Week 2 saw the San Diego Chargers hand the Seattle Seahawks an early loss, while the Bears scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to power a come-from-behind win against the San Francisco 49ers.
Which team will give us the next big upset? Find out with our complete NFL Week 3 picks below, and don’t miss our list of five high-value fantasy football pickups for the week while you’re at it.
[sc:Football ]
Complete NFL Week 3 Picks
Thursday, Sept. 18
Tampa Bay Bucanneers vs. Atlanta Falcons (8:25 PM ET)
[sc:NFL240banner ] After making Derek Anderson look way too good in Week 1, the Bucs couldn’t even stop St. Louis’ unheralded second-year quarterback Austin Davis last Sunday. The Falcons’ Matt Ryan is a different animal and will be furious after throwing three picks against Cincinnati. Expect Ryan to lay down a performance closer to the 448 yards and three touchdowns day he had against the New Orleans Saints in Week 1.
How well do these teams match up? Find out in our complete preview and prediction for Thursday Night Football here.
The Bills are atop AFC East today, not the New England Patriots. Carried by a strong running game (153 yards per game, sixth in the league), the Bills will be especially difficult to stop at home. Meanwhile, the Chargers have shown a vulnerability to the run having allowed the Cardinals to rush for eight yards per carry in Week 1.
Second-year player Austin Davis played well in his first career NFL start, as he completed 75.9 percent of his passes to lead the Rams to a road win in Tampa Bay. Expect Davis to challenge the Cowboy’s defense which has allowed 426 passing yards over their first two games.
The Philadelphia Eagles have now recorded back-to-back come-from-behind wins. Darren Sproles was stellar against the Colts with seven catches for 152 yards, including a 51-yard reception that set up the Eagles’ tying touchdown in the dying minutes of the game. Sproles, along with Nick Foles and LeSean McCoy will be too much for the Redskins to handle. The Eagles swept the Redskins 2-0 SU/ATS last season.
The Texans beat Oakland in style, outplaying the Raiders en route to a 30-14 win. Expect J.J. Watt, who moonlighted as a tight end to score a touchdown in Week 2, to once again suit up as the Texans’ leading pass rusher as he takes on the Giants’ QB Eli Manning. The Giants quarterback has already been sacked four times in his last two games while throwing four picks. It’s going to be another rough night for Manning and co.
Minnesota Vikings vs. New Orleans Saints (1:00 PM ET)
It’s the league’s worst passing offense against the league’s worst passing defense. While the Saints have an offense they can boast as one of the best (570 passing yards with four TDs and 313 rushing yards with four scores), their defense has failed them thus far, allowing 323.5 passing yards per game in back-to-back losses.
Still, the Saints, who play so well at home, should be able to manhandle the Vikings even if Adrian Peterson does return to the line up.
Tennessee Titans vs. Cincinnati Bengals (1:00 PM ET)
Andy Dalton and the Bengals could pull away in a tight division with a win at home against the Titans. However, the Titans should keep this close with their defense which currently ranks first in the league in passing yards allowed per game (163.0).
Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns (1:00 PM ET)
The Browns have recorded back-to-back ATS wins after strong performances, and sit at 1-1 SU after beating the mighty Saints. Expect them to go toe-to-toe with the Baltimore Ravens and win behind another strong performance by Terrance West. You can read a more comprehensive preview of this game here.
While the Packers are 0-2 ATS this season, the Detroit Lions should be easy pickings for them in Week 3. The Lions are 1-4 ATS in their last five regular season games. The Packers’ weak run defense shouldn’t hamper them much against Detroit’s 73 yards per game on the ground.
Indianapolis Colts vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (1:00 PM ET)
Despite throwing three touchdown passes, Andrew Luck failed to stage a fourth-quarter comeback he’s been known for as the Colts fell to a late rally by the Philadelphia Eagles. However, the Colts face a much easier matchup when they go against the Jaguars who have been demolished in back-to-back games.
Oakland Raiders vs. New England Patriots (1:00 PM ET)
The Oakland Raiders were completely shut down by the Houston Texans for the first three quarters on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Patriots handily defeated the Minnesota Vikings 30-7 with a balanced attack of 142 passing yards and 150 yards on the ground. Anything other than a convincing Pats rout at home would be a shock.
San Francisco 49ers vs. Arizona Cardinals (4:05 PM ET)
The last time Colin Kaepernick went head-to-head against the Arizona Cardinals on the road, he impressed with 310 yards and two touchdowns. With the 49ers suffering a come-from-behind loss at the hands of the Chicago Bears in Week 2, expect San Francisco to go all-in in this pivotal NFC West match.
The Denver Broncos invested heavily in their defense in the offseason after their nightmare of a 43-8 Super Bowl defeat against the Seattle Seahawks. The Broncos’offense remains as dangerous as ever especially with Peyton Manning throwing 21-for-26 for 277 yards and three TDs against Kansas City on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Seahawks looked vulnerable against San Diego’s passing attack in a 30-21 loss.
For more detail on this Super Bowl rematch click here.
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Miami Dolphins (4:25 PM ET)
The Kansas City Chiefs gave the Denver Broncos quite a scare, outgaining their opponents in terms of total yards 380-325. Against the Miami Dolphins, who were dismantled by Buffalo 29-10, expect the Chiefs to get their first win of the season.
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Carolina Panthers (8:30 PM ET)
The Pittsburgh Steelers played poorly against their rivals, the Baltimore Ravens, losing 26-6 in their first road test of the season. With the Panthers Cam Newton back up to speed (passing 22-for-34 for 281 yards and a score), expect the Panthers to hand the Steelers a loss. For more on this game, check out our complete game preview.
The New York Jets gave the Green Bay Packers all they could handle, leading by as much 18 at the start the second quarter before eventually losing 31-24. Still, they managed to get a total of four sacks against a strong NFC Championship contender. Expect the Jets’ defense to hold the Chicago Bears for much of their game.
Catch a full preview this Monday Night Football action here.
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