NFL Week 3 Picks Against The Spread
NY Jets -1.5 over Miami- Reggie Bush has to be sensational and the Dolphins can’t afford to turn the ball over if they want to win. There are just too many variables working against Miami in this one.
St. Louis +7 over Chicago- Things could change if Steven Jackson doesn’t play, but the Rams defense will likely keep this game close. Their corners are physical (some would say dirty, especially in DC) and their front seven could give Jay Cutler more fits.
Tampa Bay +8 over Dallas- The tough-nosed Bucs could keep this game close if they stick to what they did in the first half last week against the Giants. Doug Martin could have a big game this week. The Cowboys need to air it out against this Tampa secondary.
San Francisco -6.5 over Minnesota- This is a nightmarish matchup for the Vikings. Adrian Peterson will be neutralized and Christian Ponder will be under constant pressure. The evolving offense will continue to thrive for the NFL’s top team.
Detroit -3.5 over Tennessee- Will the flailing Titans finally try to establish the run? Jason McCourty will have his hands full against Calvin Johnson, but the key for Tennessee on defense will be getting to the struggling Matthew Stafford. Both teams need this bad. The Lions get it.
Cincinnati +3 over Washington- Wouldn’t it be nice if Robert Griffin III had more help in his home debut? Pierre Garcon will be out and the Redskins will have trouble against A.J. Green. The Bengals defense is an underrated group that should have success today.
New Orleans -9 over Kansas City- If the Saints offense doesn’t break out against an awful Chiefs defense, we can surely call Sean Payton a genius. The New Orleans defense has to find a way to keep opposing offenses at bay, but Drew Brees and company should get them a win today.
Cleveland +3 over Buffalo- It’ll be about a battle between two top-five picks, Trent Richardson and CJ Spiller, and the Browns should continue to run the ball well. A defense that picked Michael Vick off four times could have the same impact against Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Indianapolis -3 over Jacksonville- Andrew Luck will continue to build trust in his receivers and himself at the pro level, while Maurice Jones-Drew has to take the pressure off Blaine Gabbert with a strong performance this afternoon.
Arizona +3.5 over Philadelphia- Philadelphia will have to rely on DeSean Jackson with Jeremy Maclin out, and the Cardinals are underratedly stingy on defense. It will come down to the turnover battle, and I expect the home team to come up with the upset.
Atlanta +3 over San Diego- After seeing Matt Ryan outduel Peyton Manning last week, he’ll be able to do the same against Phillip Rivers with help from his evolving defense. Michael Turner will be motivated against his former team and will outperform the returning Ryan Matthews.
Houston -2 over Denver- The Texans may have the best defense in the league, and they need to continue winning on running the ball and defending well to keep Manning off the field and the Broncos defense on it in high altitude. Expect a low-scoring thriller at Mile High.
Pittsburgh -3.5 over Oakland- Carson Palmer is 4-8 lifetime against the Steelers with a below average completion percentage and QB rating, and Darren McFadden won’t do enough to help him. The Pittsburgh will do too much in the passing game for the Raiders to keep up.
New England +2.5 over Baltimore- This could end up being a shootout if the Patriots offensive line cooperates. Expect to see a whole lot more of Wes Welker in this evening’s game, and the emergence of Stevan Ridley will continue in a revenge win for New England.
Current Week- 0-1
Season Record ATS- 12-17-4
