Week 3 NFL Picks: Latest Betting Odds, Vegas Spreads and Projections

The first couple weeks of NFL action have produced some surprises. The Buffalo Bills are all alone atop the AFC East while the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts are already starting to feel the pressure at 0-2.

That said, a majority of teams are 1-1. So it's going to take a couple more weeks to get a better feel of how the season is going to play out. The margin for error is thin in what amounts to a short regular season, which places a high level of emphasis on each and every contest.

Week 3 is the last full slate before the first bye weeks kick in. While that leaves no shortage of options on the board, the lack of certainty means picking against the spread remains tricky. Let's check out all of the spread information, followed by the top available selections.

NFL Week 3 Odds and Picks

Date	Road	Home	Line	Pick
Sept. 18	Buccaneers	Falcons	ATL -6.5	TB
Sept. 21	Chargers	Bills	BUF -1.5	SD
Sept. 21	Cowboys	Rams	DAL -1.5	DAL
Sept. 21	Redskins	Eagles	TBA	n/a
Sept. 21	Texans	Giants	HOU -2	HOU
Sept. 21	Vikings	Saints	NO -9.5	MIN
Sept. 21	Titans	Bengals	CIN -6.5	CIN
Sept. 21	Ravens	Browns	Pick	BAL
Sept. 21	Packers	Lions	DET -1.5	GB
Sept. 21	Colts	Jaguars	IND -7	IND
Sept. 21	Raiders	Patriots	NE -15	OAK
Sept. 21	49ers	Cardinals	SF -2	SF
Sept. 21	Broncos	Seahawks	SEA -4.5	SEA
Sept. 21	Chiefs	Dolphins	MIA -4.5	KC
Sept. 21	Steelers	Panthers	CAR -3	CAR
Sept. 22	Bears	Jets	NYJ -1.5	CHI

Top Selections

Indianapolis Colts (-7)

The Colts made a habit of winning close games in the first two seasons with Andrew Luck. The same hasn't held true early in his third campaign as they couldn't complete a comeback against the Denver Broncos before watching the Philadelphia Eagles score 10 points in the final four minutes to win.

Suddenly, it's desperation time for Indianapolis. The fact it has two losses by a combined 10 points doesn't spell doom, but the fact of the matter is the hole is already getting deep. The NFL on ESPN passed along the numbers:

Facing the Jacksonville Jaguars, even on the road, is a golden opportunity to get back on track. They have looked completely overmatched across the last six quarters. The Eagles and Washington Redskins outscored them 75-10 over that stretch.

So far, the Colts have looked very good in stretches but haven't played a complete game. Expect that to change this week while playing with the knowledge each early loss further hurts those playoff odds. They should pull away in the second half for a comfortable win and cover.

Seattle Seahawks (-4.5)

This is simply a bad matchup for the Denver Broncos. The Seahawks play a defense that revolves around tight coverage and physical play, which takes away the short routes that Peyton Manning can usually carve up a defense with.

It's also important to point out Denver hasn't been in top form through two weeks. It has just 10 points in the second half and the defense, which was a key talking point coming into the season after several high-profile additions, has looked vulnerable against the pass.

Seattle also gets the advantage of playing at home. It held the dynamic Green Bay Packers' offense to just 16 points in front of a raucous crowd in Week 1. The atmosphere helps an already outstanding defense and Russell Wilson's quarterback rating is 20 points higher at home throughout his career.

Ultimately, don't expect a blowout on the same level as the Super Bowl. Yet, all signs point to a Seahawks victory, even coming off a loss to the San Diego Chargers. They should make enough key plays on defense to win by at least a touchdown.

Chicago Bears (+1.5)

In their Week 1 loss to the Bills, the Bears gained nearly 70 more yards, almost doubled Buffalo's first-down output and committed five fewer penalties. They should have won the game, but they gave the ball away three times and lost in overtime.

Chicago protected the ball better (no turnovers) against the San Francisco 49ers and used a fourth-quarter rally to pick up an impressive road win. Afterward, Jon Greenberg of ESPN Chicago passed along comments from Marc Trestman about Jay Cutler:

"

I think Jay has had an excellent start to the season, minus one play. He led the way this whole week. He did it with his demeanor right after the game; he did it throughout the week in our building. The way he carried himself, the way he supported his teammates, the way he prepared for this game.

We all looked to him this week to see how he'd handle the adversity of last week, and he stood tall through the week.

"

Meanwhile, the New York Jets have returned to a game plan more common for a Rex Ryan team. They rank first in rushing yards and rush defense. Alas, the Packers showed that a team that can move the ball through the air can still have success, as Aaron Rodgers threw for 346 yards and three touchdowns.

The Bears have no shortage of weapons in the passing game, of course. So while the Jets will probably be able to control the pace on the ground, Chicago will counteract that with big plays through the air. The result should be a road win for the underdogs.