Week 3 NFL Picks: Predictions for Every Game Against the Spread

NFL fans are ready for the Thursday Night Football matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Atlanta Falcons, and the focus has also shifted to the Week 3 schedule and the picks for every game against the spread.

Betting on football has become a huge part of the allure for fans, and finding the games that are locks and the matchups that could feature upsets is usually the difference between making money and losing it all.

Here are the picks for every Week 3 game against the spread and a breakdown of Thursday’s game.

Thursday, Sept. 18	Time (ET)	Watch	Spread	Pick Against Spread
Sunday, Sept. 21	TIME (ET)	TV	Spread	Pick Against Spread
Monday, Sept. 22	TIME (ET)	TV	Spread	Pick Against Spread
Tampa Bay at Atlanta	8:25 p.m.	CBS/NFL	ATL (-6.5)	Atlanta
San Diego at Buffalo	1 p.m.	CBS	BUF (-1)	Chargers
Dallas at St. Louis	1 p.m.	Fox	EVEN	Cowboys
Washington at Philadelphia	1 p.m.	Fox	PHI (-7)	Eagles
Houston at NY Giants	1 p.m.	CBS	HOU (-1)	Texans
Minnesota at New Orleans	1 p.m.	Fox	NO (-11.5)	Saints
Tennessee at Cincinnati	1 p.m.	CBS	CIN (-7)	Bengals
Baltimore at Cleveland	1 p.m.	CBS	EVEN	Ravens
Green Bay at Detroit	1 p.m.	Fox	DET (-2.5)	Packers
Indianapolis at Jacksonville	1 p.m.	CBS	IND (-7)	Colts
Oakland at New England	1 p.m.	CBS	NE (-15.5)	Raiders
San Francisco at Arizona	4:05 p.m.	Fox	SF (-2.5)	49ers
Denver at Seattle	4:25 p.m.	CBS	SEA (-4.5)	Broncos
Kansas City at Miami	4:25 p.m.	CBS	MIA (-4)	Chiefs
Pittsburgh at Carolina	8:30 p.m.	NBC	CAR (-3)	Panthers
Chicago at NY Jets	8:30 p.m.	ESPN	NYJ (-2.5)	Bears

*Betting information via OddsShark.com.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Atlanta Falcons

One of the most intriguing games of Week 3 will take place under the lights on Thursday Night Football when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers travel to Atlanta to square off with the NFC South division rival Falcons.

It is still very early in the season, but many fans of Tampa Bay are legitimately concerned about the future of the team. With a loss in Week 1 to a Cam Newton-less Carolina Panthers and a defeat in Week 2 against the Sam Bradford-less St. Louis Rams, there are questions about how the team will handle a mostly healthy Atlanta roster playing on its home turf.

While Falcons wide receiver Roddy White has been dealing with a hamstring injury that kept him out of practice all week, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, there is no doubt he will play on Thursday:

White is a big part of Atlanta’s pass attack. Led by quarterback Matt Ryan, the Falcons have averaged 328.5 passing yards and another 110 yards on the ground per game. Tampa Bay’s defense has been solid through two weeks, but it hasn’t faced an offense with the firepower Atlanta possesses.

If the Buccaneers want to walk out of this marquee nationally televised matchup with a win, the team must lean on quarterback Josh McCown, and he can’t fold under the pressure. Through two games, the veteran backup-turned-starter has averaged 168.5 passing yards per game, thrown just two touchdowns and already has three interceptions.

When asked about his poor performance through the first two weeks of the season, McCown spoke to Andrew Astleford of Fox Sports Florida regarding how he perceives the issues and what he is doing to remedy them:

"

I think for me, especially those kind of mistakes, particularly the first pick in the first game and then this one in the last game, those are things that I look back on the tape last year and it's not there, it's not something that I was doing. That's what's frustrating to me and it's more of just taking a look at those things 'What was I thinking?'

"

As long as McCown does a better job protecting the football, head coach Lovie Smith can call a run-heavy game plan and control the clock. Doug Martin is expected to sit out, according to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport (via Rotoworld's Adam Levitan), but Bobby Rainey is coming off a huge game and should be productive against the Falcons' vulnerable defense.

Atlanta’s defense has been terrible through two weeks. The team is giving up the second-most passing yards (317.5) and sixth-most rushing yards (154.5) per game. The inept Falcons defense is exactly what Tampa Bay needs to find its offensive rhythm.

Despite the raw talent the Buccaneers have on the roster, the team is still trying to get all the pieces to fit into Smith’s schemes. It is a long process, and the Falcons should be able to exploit the growing pains.

If Atlanta scores early and forces Tampa Bay to abandon the run, this will be an easy victory for the home team.

Predicted Winner: Atlanta 31, Tampa Bay 21

*Stats via NFL.com.

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