Betsided

NFL Best Bets for Week 3 (Ravens Among Four Favorites to Back, Lions Predicted to Cover vs. Vikings)

By Peter Dewey, Ben Heisler, Donnavan Smoot, Iain MacMillan, Joe Summers

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
facebooktwitterreddit

Another week, another 3-1 performance from the BetSided team in our best bets!

This week, we have five picks to share, with one underdog and four favorites to consider backing in Week 3. 

Do the Cincinnati Bengals bounce back? Can the Las Vegas Raiders finally pick up a win? Here are the best bets for those games and more:  

NFL Best Bets for Week 3

  • Detroit Lions +6 at Minnesota Vikings
  • Las Vegas Raiders -1.5 vs. Tennessee Titans
  • Cincinnati Bengals -4.5 at New York Jets
  • Baltimore Ravens -2.5 at New England Patriots
  • Kansas City Chiefs -5.5 vs. Indianapolis Colts

Detroit Lions +6 at Minnesota Vikings

This is not the same Lions team we’ve seen over the last several years. They’ve put up 35 and 36 points, respectively, this season and have covered in each game. With Amon-Ra St. Brown taking the next step into becoming a true No. 1 receiver and D’Andre Swift being a great dual-threat back, the Lions have started this season as one of the best offenses in the NFL.

Minnesota, on the other hand, looked terrible on Monday night against the Eagles. While I expect the Vikings to play better, this isn’t the matchup I would dial up for them in order to get back on track. The Vikings have struggled against the Lions recently, and I don’t see how they cover in this game. 

The last three games in this matchup have been decided by two points. I expect this game to follow suit. The Lions are top six in the league in yards per play and I expect their offense to show up.  – Donnavan Smoot

 

Las Vegas Raiders -1.5 vs. Tennessee Titans

The Tennessee Titans proved on Monday night against the Buffalo Bills, that they’re significantly worse than they were last year. Derrick Henry is averaging a measly 3.1 yards per carry through the first two weeks, and they’re allowing the second most yards per play at 6.6. Not good.

Meanwhile, the Raiders may also be 0-2, but they’ve arguably outplayed their two opponents in the first two weeks. Interceptions cost them in Week 1 against the Chargers, and then a wild come-from-behind victory by the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2 caused them to drop to 0-2.

I have faith in this Raiders team, and I think their offense, which ranks 12th in yards per play, will have its way with this Tennessee defense. – Iain MacMillan

Cincinnati Bengals -4.5 at New York Jets

The Cincinnati Bengals have looked atrocious in their first two losses of the season, yet could also easily be 2-0 heading into their Week 3 game.

Meanwhile, the New York Jets, if not for a modern-day NFL miracle, should absolutely be 0-2, but the Cleveland Browns let them back in it; giving up a 13-point lead in the last 82 seconds.

The Bengals have issues on the offensive line, and Joe Burrow doesn’t look comfortable. He’s holding onto the football for far too long and is on pace to be sacked more than 110 times. Luckily for him, the Jets’ don’t have much of a pass rush with just three sacks this season; allowing Burrow to feel more comfortable in the pocket and hit his dynamic receivers in stride.

I already took Cincinnati as my Week 3 Survivor team this week, and now that the line is creeping back up again in their direction, I feel even more confident that the Bengals can right the ship in the Meadowlands. – Ben Heisler

Baltimore Ravens -2.5 at New England Patriots

This line is downright disrespectful. I don’t care if Lamar Jackson is playing with one arm, no arms, or blindfolded. The Baltimore Ravens are going to obliterate the New England Patriots and this line should be closer to -4.5 or -5. 

Sure, the Ravens’ secondary is terrible. But do you know what’s also terrible? The Patriots offense! Mac Jones looks awful under Matt Patricia’s new scheme, and I’m not sure New England could even score on a secondary of BetSided’s finest in a YMCA pick-up game. 

Baltimore leads the NFL with an average of seven yards per play, while the Patriots have just 24 points total through two weeks. 

New England has three total TDs: one on a 3rd-and-15 play when Miami forgot to cover Ty Montgomery, one after a muffed punt, and one on a ridiculous play from Nelson Agholor that should have been an interception. The Ravens scored three in less than 15 minutes last week. 

Expect another dominant outing from the NFL’s most disrespected quarterback as Mac Jones flails miserably trying to keep up with Lamar and the Ravens. – Joe Summers

Kansas City Chiefs -5.5 vs. Indianapolis Colts

So, about Matt Ryan being an upgrade for the Colts at quarterback?

Indy was as high as a 6.5-point dog early in the Week, but money on the Colts has moved this line down to 5.5. 

After Carson Wentz torched the Jaguars in Week 1, Ryan struggled mightily against them, throwing for just 195 yards and three interceptions in the team’s shutout loss.

Yikes. I won’t say that Matty Ice is washed, but he certainly doesn’t look good right now. To make matters worse, the Colts played themselves away from using Jonathan Taylor, despite the fact that he had nine carries for 54 yards. 

Unless Indy goes back to feeding him at volume, it appears that this offense could be stuck in mud under Ryan. Kansas City has also been solid against the run this season, allowing just 3.9 yards per carry. They’ve faced decent running backs too in James Conner and Austin Ekeler through the first two weeks. 

The fact that Trevor Lawrence was able to dice up the Colts is seriously concerning for them against Mahomes, who has been fantastic to start the 2022 season. Plus, Mahomes is elite in September in his career, going 13-2 straight up. 

I love the Chiefs as a moneyline parlay piece, but I’ll also back them to cover against this questionable Colts team. – Peter Dewey

Home/NFL Picks