NFL Betting – Week 3 Roundup
Defenses finally struck back in Week 3, as some fast-starting offenses finally hit the skids a little bit. The big story, though: the Lions and Bills doing the unthinkable and remaining undefeated.
49ers 13, Bengals 8
Gross score, but totally to be expected. The grubby affair also taught us that the Bengals defense isn’t as bad as we thought and reminded us that, despite his big Week 2, quarterback Andy Dalton is still a rookie. Is there a worse 2-1 team in football than the 49ers?
Panthers 16, Jaguars 10
Ironically, the Panthers got their first “W” after Cam Newton gave his first ordinary performance. I’ll give him a “monsoon mulligan,” as bad weather wreaked havoc on both teams’ offenses. That’s, uh, Blaine Gabbert’s excuse too, right?
Lions 26, Vikings 23
Wow. The Vikings blew a 17-0 lead in Week 2 and bettered it by blowing a 20-0 halftime lead in Week 3. The Lions are the real deal. Matthew Stafford did the right thing and chucked the ball to Calvin Johnson over and over. Megatron became the first player in NFL history to score two touchdowns in three straight games to start a season.
Titans 17, Broncos 14
Could the Kenny Britt injury be the beginning of the end for Tennessee’s season? We’ll find out in a hurry if Matt Hasselbeck is really back or if the amazingly talented Britt was just making him look good.
Browns 17, Dolphins 16
The Browns join the Titans and 49ers among the ugliest 2-1 teams, though I like Cleveland’s chances of staying competitive better than the other two teams’. The Dolphins look pretty hopeless. At least they did the right thing by nudging the ineffective Reggie Bush aside and making rookie Daniel Thomas their bellcow back.
Giants 29, Eagles 16
I just can’t figure Eli Manning out. He plays horribly all preseason, he plays horribly to start 2011, he faces an Eagles team on the road in a place where he usually plays horribly…and he throws four touchdown passes. Go figure. Meanwhile, the Eagles need to win – and improve their protection for Michael Vick – in a hurry to avoid having the city turn on them.
Saints 40, Texans 33
This was a wild one indeed. Both these teams should have plenty of 30 and 40-point efforts all season but I expect better defense from both teams going forward – especially from Wade Phillips’ improved Texans unit.
Bills 34, Patriots 31
The Bills! Ryan Fitzpatrick just isn’t going away. His sample size is now a full season as a starter: 16 games, 3,841 yards, 31 touchdowns, 18 interceptions. Those are Tony Romo-like numbers. Buffalo’s offense may not slow down much. As for the Patriots, their defense is a concern but Tom Brady’s four-interception effort isn’t. Three of his picks were tipped.
Ravens 37, Rams 7
After another vicious beatdown, the Rams get a break against Washington this week before visiting Green Bay, visiting Dallas and hosting New Orleans. What did they do to deserve this devastating schedule? Hey, NFL, the Rams didn’t win the Super Bowl last year. They didn’t even make the playoffs. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Raiders 34, Jets 24
After another signature performance (19 carries, 171 yards, two touchdowns), this time against a stout Jets defense, Darren McFadden inspired multiple players and coaches around the NFL to call him the game’s best back. If you’ve watched him play this year, you’ll know that it’s a fair argument. Run DMC is out of control.
Chargers 20, Chiefs 27
This game frustrated bettors, no doubt. How did the Chargers struggle to beat a horrible K.C. team at home? They didn’t come anywhere close to covering the 14-point spread. It reminds us of just how unpredictable divisional games can be.
Packers 27, Bears 17
The Bears kept Green Bay’s wideouts in check but the defending champs beat Chicago’s Cover 2 with Jermichael Finley. A man among boys, he caught three touchdown passes. The Pack look unstoppable as ever. Two of their first three wins came against New Orleans and Chicago; now, they get a break with Denver at home. The matchup almost feels too good to be true.
Seahawks 13, Cardinals 10
Yeah, the Seahawks won, but they shouldn’t celebrate after mustering 13 points at home to a terrible defense. As for the Cardinals, they have to know by now that Kevin Kolb isn’t very good. Did you see his touchdown throw to Larry Fitzgerald? It’s like he covered his eyes and tried to recreate Doug Flutie’s Boston College throw.
Buccaneers 16, Falcons 13
Something about Atlanta/Tampa produces the same constant grub-fest that Washington/Dallas does. Matt Ryan is doing the best he can but he’s taking too many hits. Bettors and fantasy players should still buy low on the Falcons, as their schedule eases up dramatically in the second half.
Steelers 23, Colts 20
Does this count as a victory for Pittsburgh? The Steelers got their clocks cleaned by Baltimore in Week 1 and struggled to beat an Arena League-caliber Indy team in Week 3. I wonder if it’s time to worry.
Cowboys 18, Redskins 16
Time to stand up and clap for Tony Romo. The guy deserves a much better rap. He overcame broken ribs, ton of heavy hits, and some horrific play from his center and wide receivers to gut out a victory.The 2011 NFL Season is finally here.
Welcome to the CappersPicks.com NFL football weekly predictions pages! We KNOW you will find our FREE weekly NFL football picks, tips, betting advice, strategies, NFL gambling articles and more to help you become the best NFL football bettor on your block!!
