NFL Week 3 Report – Who Does the Public Favor?
By Anthony Rome
Who does the public like in Week 3 of the NFL? Let’s take a look at who bettors favor the most so you can either tail or fade them this Sunday.
For the second week in a row, the public took a bath in the NFL in Week 2. The Patriots -3 were the public’s top pick at 84%, but they lost outright to the Jets. A backdoor cover ruined the public’s second favorite team, the Eagles –6.5, who failed to cover the spread versus the Lions.
The Packers –12.5 covered for the 81% of the public, although the Saints –5.5 (79%) failed to cover on Monday night football as the public’s fourth top choice in Week 2. The only underdog the public favored, the Chiefs +3, managed to cover in Cleveland.
Let’s take a look at the public’s top choices for Week 3.
The Public’s Top 5:
1. Cincinnati Bengals –3 86%
2. Washington Redskins –4.5 86%
3. New England Patriots –14.5 82%
4. Baltimore Ravens –10.5 82%
5. Indianapolis Colts –5.5 82%
Analysis:
It’s not surprise that the public likes the Bengals –3 (according to oddsmakers from online sports book SBGGLOBAL.com) with a rookie quarterback starting today in Carolina. The Panthers may have home field advantage, but rookie Jimmy Clausen could struggle in his NFL debut, especially against a Bengal team coming off a strong defensive effort in a win over the Ravens last Sunday.
Even though the Redskins lost last week, they definitely jumped into the public eye with their push against the Texans. They nearly won the game, but couldn’t stave off Matt Schaub and the explosive Houston offense in the end. They hit the road for the first time this weekend and take on rookie quarterback Sam Bradford, who has thrown four interceptions in two games for the Rams so far.
The Patriots let the public down last week, but they can make amends by crushing the lowly Bills in Foxboro today. Laying double-digit points is always a risk in the NFL, but Bill Belichick probably won’t take his foot off the gas today in New England after suffering an embarrassing loss last weekend in New York.
The Ravens lost last week in Cincinnati as a 3-point favorite, but travel home for the first time all season. They’ll take on a Browns team that is severely lacking in offensive firepower, although their defense is better than advertised. Still, Joe Flacco and company shouldn’t have a hard time putting points on the board this afternoon.
The Colts are coming off a huge victory at home over the Giants, but now have to travel cross-country to play the Broncos, who will be without running back Knowshown Moreno (hamstring). That said, Denver is coming off a solid victory over the Seahawks and have found a new offensive weapon in rookie receiver Demaryius Thomas so the game could be closer than people expect today.