Following ugly losses in Week 2, will the Cowboys and Lions rebound today against tough opponents? Will the Saints and Eagles turn their matchup in New Orleans into a shootout? Check out our NFL Week 3 Best Bets.
NFL Week 3 Best Bets: Eagles/Saints OVER 49.5
This has shootout written all over it in New Orleans. The Eagles rank 27th in points allowed (25.5) through the first two weeks of the season. They’re allowing nearly 400 yards of total offense and they looked gassed in the fourth quarter against the Falcons on Monday night. Now they have to travel on a short week to face the Saints, who own the No. 3 offense in the NFL. Through two weeks, Derek Carr and Co. have averaged 405.5 yards per game and 7.0 yards per play.
Granted, the Saints have played well defensively. They rank seventh in yards allowed (273.0) and fifth in yards per play (4.8). That said, they benefited from facing the now-benched Bryce Young and the lowly Panthers in Week 1. The Cowboys were also forced to become one-dimensional last week against the Saints, so the Eagles should be New Orleans’ first real test.
NFL Week 3 Best Bets: Dallas Cowboys +1
The Cowboys defense was a mess last week against the Saints. Mike Zimmer’s head was spinning with what Klint Kubiak was doing offensively, but I don’t believe that will be the case today.
It feels as though the Ravens believed they could sign Derrick Henry in the offseason and he’d automatically turn into the missing piece of their offense. What has happened instead is that Henry doesn’t look like a fit. He’s a downhill runner that needs volume to be most effective. Is he a load to bring down at the goal line? Absolutely, but his ultimately value is leaning on tired defenses in the fourth quarter. That’s what should have happened a week ago when the Ravens held a 10-point lead on the Raiders in the fourth. Instead, the Ravens got cute, allowed the Raiders to get back into the game and eventually, stun the crowd at M&T Bank Stadium with a game-winning field goal.
There’s never been more reason to put Lamar Jackson under center and let him terrorize teams with play-action. Instead, the Ravens keep Jackson in shotgun most of the game, which actually limits Henry’s effectiveness. How does all this apply to today? The Cowboys defense is excellent when an opponent plays them straight up, which I believe the Ravens will do today. As long as Dak Prescott and the offense doesn’t implode in the first quarter, I like the Cowboys to rebound and to hand Baltimore its third consecutive defeat to start the season.
NFL Week 3 Best Bets: Detroit Lions -3
Much like the Cowboys, I like the Lions to rebound. Ben Johnson had to feel sick knowing he asked Jared Goff to put the ball in the air as much as he did in last week’s loss to the Bucs. That’s not who the Lions are offensively. They have two capable backs in David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. When they run the ball effectively, that’s when Goff can pick defenses apart through play-action. I expect Johnson to get back on track today with the running game.
As for the Cardinals, Kyler Murray and Co. are 1-1 but you would think they’re 7-0 with the way everyone is talking about them. If the Lions can force Murray to sit in the pocket and play quarterback, they’ll be fine. Murray excels when teams rush up field and allow running lanes for him to escape. If the defense holds the edges and forces pressure from the interior, that’s when Murray struggles. And that’s the game plan I expect Detroit to execute today.
