NFL Week 3 Picks: Predictions for Favorites and Underdogs

If the Atlanta Falcons' 56-14 destruction of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday night is any indication, Week 3 of the NFL season promises to be a wild one.

There are quite a few large spreads on the board, which means that there could be even more blowouts, but anything can happen in any given week. This season has already featured some fairly shocking upsets, so there is a great deal of intrigue surrounding Sunday and Monday's contests.

Here is a full breakdown of how every favorite and underdog will fare both straight up and against the spread, as well as some in-depth analysis regarding the best bets of the week.

*Point spreads courtesy of OddsShark.com.

Date	Time (ET)	Away Team	Home Team	Spread	Pick Straight Up	Pick ATS
Sunday, Sept. 21	1 p.m.	San Diego Chargers	Buffalo Bills	BUF (-1)	BUF	BUF
Sunday, Sept. 21	1 p.m.	Oakland Raiders	New England Patriots	NE (-14.5)	NE	OAK
Sunday, Sept. 21	1 p.m.	Minnesota Vikings	New Orleans Saints	NO (-10.5)	NO	NO
Sunday, Sept. 21	1 p.m.	Tennessee Titans	Cincinnati Bengals	CIN (-7)	CIN	CIN
Sunday, Sept. 21	1 p.m.	Houston Texans	New York Giants	HOU (-2)	NYG	NYG
Sunday, Sept. 21	1 p.m.	Baltimore Ravens	Cleveland Browns	BAL (-2)	BAL	BAL
Sunday, Sept. 21	1 p.m.	Washington Redskins	Philadelphia Eagles	PHI (-6.5)	PHI	WAS
Sunday, Sept. 21	1 p.m.	Green Bay Packers	Detroit Lions	DET (-1)	GB	GB
Sunday, Sept. 21	1 p.m.	Dallas Cowboys	St. Louis Rams	DAL (-2)	DAL	DAL
Sunday, Sept. 21	1 p.m.	Indianapolis Colts	Jacksonville Jaguars	IND (-7)	IND	IND
Sunday, Sept. 21	4:05 p.m.	San Francisco 49ers	Arizona Cardinals	SF (-3)	SF	SF
Sunday, Sept. 21	4:25 p.m.	Kansas City Chiefs	Miami Dolphins	MIA (-4)	KC	KC
Sunday, Sept. 21	4:25 p.m.	Denver Broncos	Seattle Seahawks	SEA (-5)	DEN	DEN
Sunday, Sept. 21	8:30 p.m.	Pittsburgh Steelers	Carolina Panthers	CAR (-3)	CAR	CAR
Monday, Sept. 22	8:30 p.m.	Chicago Bears	New York Jets	NYJ (-3)	CHI	CHI

New Orleans Saints (-10.5) vs. Minnesota Vikings

Few teams in the league will be more desperate for a victory in Week 3 than the New Orleans Saints. A pair of shocking, last-second losses have the Saints at 0-2, and another defeat would certainly put New Orleans in dire straits in the competitive NFC South.

Luckily for the Saints, Week 3 marks their home opener. There is no question that the Saints are a better and more dangerous team within the confines of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, so that alone should give them a great deal of confidence. In addition to that, New Orleans will face a Minnesota Vikings team with a laundry list of problems.

The Vikes were crushed 30-7 by the New England Patriots in Week 2, and it is possible that things could get even worse in Week 3. Minnesota will once again be without superstar running back Adrian Peterson, which means the combination of Matt Asiata and Jerick McKinnon will have to step in.

Asiata is somewhat of a plodder, while McKinnon is inexperienced. That means quarterback Matt Cassel will be expected to make some plays in the passing game, but he is coming off a performance that saw him throw four interceptions.

According to Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com, Saints linebacker Curtis Lofton is fully cognizant of the fact that Peterson's absence totally changes the Vikings' offense.

"

As a defense, our number one thing is that we've go to stop this run, make him more one dimensional, and get to the quarterback. Anytime you don't have an elite running back in the backfield ... Adrian is definitely one of the top running backs in this league. (His absence) allows us to do different things.

"

The Saints' running back depth has taken a hit as well since Mark Ingram will miss Sunday's game with a broken hand, but New Orleans likely feels comfortable with the ability of Pierre Thomas and Khiry Robinson to step up.

Above all else, the Saints are led by quarterback Drew Brees. It is tough to imagine Brees letting his team fall to 0-3, especially at home. While 10.5 points is a lot to give up, this game has all the makings of a blowout with the Saints righting the ship after a difficult start.

Indianapolis Colts (-7) at Jacksonville Jaguars

In a battle of 0-2 AFC South teams, the Jacksonville Jaguars will host the Indianapolis Colts in Week 3. Few are surprised that the Jags have yet to win a game, but Indy was the overwhelming favorite to win the division entering the season.

There is always some degree of panic when a team starts 0-2, but the Colts' losses should be put in perspective. They fell to a pair of Super Bowl contenders in the Denver Broncos and Philadelphia Eagles, and both of those defeats were by a single score. Indianapolis isn't playing anywhere near its potential yet, but it was able to play two playoff teams tough.

Jacksonville is quite possibly the worst team in the league, so this is a game that the Colts must win. The fact that it's a road game makes things a bit more difficult, but it shouldn't have a huge bearing on the result. Simply put, the Colts are the more talented team from top to bottom.

Indianapolis crushed the Jags twice last season and has won three straight against Jacksonville. In fact, the Colts have an impressive streak to preserve against AFC South opponents on Sunday, according to Kevin Bowen of Colts.com:

The Colts also happen to have a huge advantage in the form of quarterback Andrew Luck. He is capable of taking games over, which is something the Jaguars don't possess with Chad Henne under center. Luck also has an explosive receiving corps featuring Reggie Wayne, T.Y. Hilton and Hakeem Nicks at his disposal.

That could mean big trouble for the Jaguars as they have given up the most big plays in the league through two weeks, per NFL.com's Gil Brandt:

The Colts have been susceptible to allowing big plays as well, but Jacksonville simply isn't explosive on offense. In what amounts to a desperation game for the Colts, they shouldn't have an issue covering the seven-point spread.

Kansas City Chiefs (+4) at Miami Dolphins

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

After roaring out of the gates last season and establishing themselves as the NFL's biggest surprise, the Kansas City Chiefs are off to a much different start this year. Kansas City is 0-2 after losses to the Tennessee Titans and Broncos, and it is on the verge of putting its playoff chances in serious jeopardy.

The Miami Dolphins just missed the playoffs last season due to a collapse in the closing weeks. It seemed as though the Dolphins had put that behind them in 2014 as they upset the Patriots in Week 1. That momentum was quickly erased in Week 2, though, when Miami was thoroughly dominated on the road by the Buffalo Bills.

Both the Chiefs and Dolphins could really use a victory in Week 3, but Kansas City needs it a little bit more. It is possible that the Chiefs won't be at full strength, though, with star running back Jamaal Charles suffering from a high ankle sprain.

Charles surprised many by participating in practice on Friday, though, according to Pro Football Talk:

That doesn't necessarily mean that Charles will suit up, but it certainly increases his chances. If Charles can't go, then second-year man Knile Davis will get the starting nod. Davis racked up over 100 total yards and two touchdowns last week, and he seems to have a firm grasp of the offense.

As pointed out by Omar Kelly of The South Florida Sun-Sentinel, the Dolphins' defense is in for a tough day regardless of whether Charles plays or not:

The Dolphins also have a running back injury to deal with in the form of Knowshon Moreno. He will miss Sunday's game with an elbow injury, which will push Lamar Miller into the starting spot. Although Miller has great skills, he did not thrive as a starter last season.

These two teams appear to be evenly matched on the surface, which is why the four-point spread in favor of Miami feels a little steep. It isn't surprising that the Dolphins are favored at home, but the Chiefs are coming off an admirable showing against the Broncos.

The Dolphins struggled against the Bills defensively last week when it came to screens, crossing routes and other similar plays that allow for yardage after the catch. Kansas City's offense is predicated on that, and it will help lead to an upset victory on the road.

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