Week 3 NFL Picks Against the Spread: Underdogs That Will Cover Your Bet

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Sam Bradford and the St. Louis Rams won't get blown out by Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears. This team is set to cover the 7.5-point spread oddsmakers are currently giving, and it's not the only team set to do so in Week 3. 

We all learned the hard way that big spreads can be dangerous after the Arizona Cardinals defeated the New England Patriots on the road in Week 2. 

Here are Week 3's underdogs who will at least cover the spread, if not pull off the upset altogether. 

 

Note: All betting info taken from FootballLocks.com.

Note: All betting info taken from FootballLocks.com.

Rams at Bears -7.5

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The St. Louis Rams have intercepted four passes thus far in two games—tied for fourth in the NFL—and Jay Cutler has thrown five interceptions in the same amount of time. 

This isn't going to go well for Cutler and the Chicago Bears. 

Furthermore, the Rams have fared well against two offensive-minded teams already, losing to the Detroit Lions by four and beating the Washington Redskins by three.

At the worst, the Rams will stay competitive and lose, but not by more than a touchdown. At best, I expect the Rams to come away with a big-time road win against a Bears squad that is dealing with a mess inside the locker room (h/t Chicago Tribune's Vaughn McClure) thanks to Cutler's ill-advised interaction with J'Marcus Webb. 

Buccaneers at Cowboys -7.5

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers shocked a lot of people in Week 1 with their victory over the Carolina Panthers, and they almost did it again in New York against the Giants. 

If not for Eli Manning's clutch play in the fourth quarter, this unheralded team would be 2-0. For some reason, oddsmakers still aren't convinced that the Bucs are worth betting on. I beg to differ. 

The emergence of Doug Martin as a capable bell-cow running back has made the Bucs more reliable on offense, and the balance he brings allows guys like Vincent Jackson more space to operate. Josh Freeman has started to look a bit more comfortable with the new offense, and through two games he has been solid. 

The Dallas Cowboys, on the other hand, beat up on the unprepared Giants in Week 1 and were then soundly smashed by the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2. The team has major issues on the offensive line—something the young Bucs like Gerald McCoy will exploit to no end. 

I see this game staying close, and I won't be shocked if the Bucs win. 

Chiefs at Saints -9

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One thing we know for sure about the New Orleans Saints through two weeks of the 2012 NFL season is that this team can't stop anyone on offense. The Saints let the Washington Redskins and then the Carolina Panthers walk all over them, and the Kansas City Chiefs will do the same. 

Matt Cassel and Drew Brees have both been running hot and cold at times this year, and neither team has been good about maintaining possession while on offense. There will likely be a handful of turnovers in this game, but I don't see either team running away with the contest. 

The Saints will likely win at home, but they won't blow out the Chiefs. 

Eagles -4 at Cardinals

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I don't understand the logic here.

The Philadelphia Eagles shouldn't be favored in this game. The Arizona Cardinals just defeated the New England Patriots on the road, and now they come home to find themselves underdogs to a team that should have lost to the Cleveland Browns?

Crazy.

Aside from the 49ers, the Cardinals and the rest of the NFC West don't get the proper respect they deserve.

The Cards have one of the toughest rosters in the NFL. Their defense is playing lights out, and I expect this team to force Michael Vick into a bunch of turnovers in this upcoming game, leading to a win. 

 

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