NFL Picks Week 3: 3 Underdogs Sure To Cover the Spread

Week 3 of the 2011 NFL regular season has some very competitive matchups, as only two games have been slapped with a double-digit point spread.

Casual bettors are starting to buy into the hype of some of the league's biggest stories, which provides us with our selections this week.

Let's take a closer look at three underdogs that are incredibly undervalued in the betting market due to public perception.

Jacksonville at Carolina (-3.5)

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio is the real key in making this selection, as he's one of the better underdog coaches in the National Football League.

Let's also point out the incredible line value this game offers, as Carolina rookie quarterback Cam Newton will go under center for the first time as a favorite in his career as a professional.

Last year's Heisman Trophy winner is second in the league in passing yards but has also been a seven- and 10.5-point underdog the first two weeks.

Some will say the oddsmakers underestimated his talent.

Not this week.

Playing in September as an underdog of a touchdown or less is right in Del Rio's wheelhouse, covering nine of his last 10 opportunities.

Carolina first-year head coach Ron Rivera will feel the pressure of being the expected winner in Las Vegas.

You know what to do.

Pick: Jacksonville Jaguars (+3.5)

Detroit (-4) at Minnesota

One of my first duties as a professional handicapper this week was to find out when the Detroit Lions were last favored on the road in this rivalry.

The answer is astonishing.

Detroit has laid the number just a single time in its last 34 visits to the Twin Cities.

Casual bettors need to remember that oddsmakers sent out the Minnesota Vikings as three-point home favorites last week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where the line remained for quite a while.

Of course, the spread didn't matter, as the Vikings were outscored by a 24-3 margin in the final 30 minutes, dropping a 24-20 contest in the process.

I was impressed with the quarterback-running back combination of Donovan McNabb and Adrian Peterson in Week 2, throwing for 228 passing yards and gaining 120 rushing yards respectively.

Public perception has never been so high on the Lions, coming in as the only NFL team to cover all six games this year, which includes four preseason tilts.

This game also falls under one of the oldest tricks in the book: Detroit beat Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay defeated Minnesota—Detroit knocks off Minnesota.

Nope.

Pick: Minnesota Vikings (+4)

Green Bay (-4) at Chicago

The Chicago Bears' entire 2011 regular season rides on the outcome of this week's game.

Simple as that.

We all know about quarterback Jay Cutler's early exit in last year's 21-14 loss to the Green Bay Packers as 3.5-point home underdogs in the NFC Championship Game.

The former Vanderbilt star is no longer running around with ABC's Dancing with the Stars contestant Kristin Cavallari, which should have him completely focused under center.

Why else would you call off a beautiful summer wedding?

Green Bay Packers signal caller Aaron Rodgers threw for 789 yards and two touchdowns, while being picked off four times, in the three meetings last year.

Definitely not his normal numbers against the rest of the league, which will give Cutler the opportunity to improve upon his 8-5 ATS mark as a home underdog.

The Bears sack the Pack in the Windy City.

Pick: Chicago Bears (+4)