NFL Picks Week 3: Vegas Lines and Game Predictions for Entire Slate

Although Week 3 started on a low note, as the Atlanta Falcons blew out the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a game with virtually no drama, the rest of the contests should be more compelling. A quick glance at the schedule shows plenty of close matchups.

Only two games have lines of more than one score. The New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints are both predicted to cruise against the Oakland Raiders and Minnesota Vikings, respectively. Otherwise, the oddsmakers are expecting a hard-fought group of games.

A wild Sunday would more than make up for a lackluster Thursday Night Football game. With that in mind, let's check out a complete list of lines and predictions for Week 3. It's followed by a look at some of the trickiest calls to make.

Week 3 Lines and Picks

Date	Road	Home	Line	Pick
Sept. 21	Chargers	Bills	BUF -2.5	SD
Sept. 21	Cowboys	Rams	DAL -1.5	DAL
Sept. 21	Redskins	Eagles	PHI -6	PHI
Sept. 21	Texans	Giants	Even	HOU
Sept. 21	Vikings	Saints	NO -10.5	MIN
Sept. 21	Titans	Bengals	CIN -7	CIN
Sept. 21	Ravens	Browns	BAL -2	BAL
Sept. 21	Packers	Lions	DET -2.5	GB
Sept. 21	Colts	Jaguars	IND -7	IND
Sept. 21	Raiders	Patriots	NE -14.5	OAK
Sept. 21	49ers	Cardinals	SF -3	SF
Sept. 21	Broncos	Seahawks	SEA -5	SEA
Sept. 21	Chiefs	Dolphins	MIA -4	KC
Sept. 21	Steelers	Panthers	CAR -3	CAR
Sept. 22	Bears	Jets	NYJ -2.5	CHI

Toughest Calls

San Diego Chargers (+2.5)

The San Diego Chargers put up 30 points in an impressive victory over the reigning champion Seattle Seahawks last week. It was exactly the type of performance they needed to get their confidence back after letting one slip away against the Arizona Cardinals to open the season.

As terrific as they played to beat Seattle, however, this week provides a different kind of challenge. The Chargers must travel across the country to face off with a Buffalo Bills squad that's come from off the radar to score wins over the Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins.

The long trip paired with an early kickoff is always a challenge for teams from the West Coast. Avoiding a sluggish start will be key against a Buffalo side seemingly building self-belief with each passing quarter. Philip Rivers doesn't think it will be an issue, though, as noted by Matthew Fairburn of Syracuse.com.

"I really think we handle it here," he said. "In our building it's a non-issue. It's not brought up, there's nothing to talk about. We practice every day in the 10 o'clock hour every day of the week. We're in here at 7 o'clock as far as team stuff. We have a lot of guys that are in here before then. It really is a non-issue. We have to go there, get ready to play and kick it off."

San Diego's offense should be the difference here. The unit should be able to move the ball through the air against the Bills' 28th-ranked pass defense. In turn, the Chargers will force EJ Manuel to make more big throws to keep pace, and that's when Buffalo is going to get in trouble.

Carolina Panthers (-3)

In Week 1, the Pittsburgh Steelers put up 30 points and over 500 yards in a win over the Cleveland Browns. They followed it up by scoring just six points and gaining barely over 300 yards in a loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The question is which version of the offense will show up this week.

Another factor that makes this such a tricky pick is Cam Newton. After missing the opener, he played well to lead the Panthers past the Detroit Lions last week, but there were times when he was hobbling around due to a lingering ankle injury.

When healthy, there's no question he's one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the game. But his effectiveness is limited when he can't escape the pocket to make plays. Bleacher Report's Dave Siebert thinks he should be fine as long as they contain the swelling on game day:

The Carolina defense, which ranks fifth in yards per game through two weeks, is good enough to at least slow down the Steelers offense. As long as Newton is healthy enough to use his mobility to make a couple of key plays, the Panthers should cover.

Green Bay Packers (+2.5)

Recent games between the Packers and Lions have been tough to predict, because both passing games are so explosive. It comes down to which defense defends the pass better, something both sides have excelled at in the early going this season.

So with both passing games dangerous and each pass defense playing reasonably well, this game could ultimately come down to the running games. Neither team has been particularly impressive so far, with both ranking in the bottom six overall.

It comes as a surprise, because the Packers have Eddie Lacy, while the Lions feature the duo of Joique Bell and Reggie Bush. Expect to see a bigger commitment from the run from both teams as they attempt to control the pace of the game.

All told, this game fits the bill as a toss-up. Detroit is the slight favorite because it's at home, but it could truly go either way. And when picking those types of games against the spread, it's usually best to take the points, because it could easily be a one- or two-point contest even if Green Bay doesn't win.