Week 3 NFL Picks: Vegas Betting Odds, Over/Under Spreads and Line Projections

The NFL didn't make it any easier on would-be bettors in Week 2. 

Plenty of examples exist, though perhaps the most noteworthy is what looked like a line resembling a softball over the plate. The San Francisco 49ers visiting the Seattle Seahawks seemed obvious enough, right? 

Favored by as many as 14 points and it not seeming too unrealistic, Russell Wilson and the Seahawks hardly escaped with a 12-9 victory. 

Not every game will be so dramatic or burn bettors. Some likely even capitalized on the line, showcasing how imperfect a process oddsmakers go through when setting the lines. 

But Week 3 doesn't figure to get any easier for all involved. Let's take a look at the full slate, with corresponding spreads and over/under figures.

NFL Week 3 Schedule, Odds

L.A. Rams (-3) at San Francisco | O/U 40

Baltimore (-4) at Jacksonville | O/U 39.5

Atlanta (-3) at Detroit | O/U n/a

Cleveland (-1) at Indianapolis | O/U 40.5

Denver (-3) at Buffalo | O/U 40

Houston at New England (-13) | O/U 43.5

Miami (-6) at N.Y. Jets | O/U 41.5

New Orleans at Carolina (-6) | O/U 47.5

N.Y. Giants at Philadelphia (-3.5) | O/U n/a

Pittsburgh (-7.5) at Chicago | O/U 45.5

Tampa Bay at Minnesota (n/a) | O/U n/a

Seattle at Tennessee (-3) | O/U 43

Cincinnati at Green Bay (-9) | O/U 44.5

Kansas City (-3) at L.A. Chargers | O/U 45.5

Oakland (-3.5) at Washington | O/U 54

Dallas (-3.5) at Arizona | O/U 47

Bold denotes predicted winner against the spread and over/under projection. 

L.A. Rams (-3) at San Francisco

The Los Angeles Rams, quietly, have the talent to be one of the league's better turnaround stories this season. 

Jared Goff and the Rams blew away the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1, 46-9, getting 306 passing yards from Goff and a breakout game from rookie wideout Cooper Kupp, who caught four passes for 76 yards and a score. Next to Sammy Watkins, Goff doesn't lack for options if Kupp keeps playing at such a high level right away. 

ESPN Stats & Info noted an important development in Goff's game: 

Granted, the Rams fell short in Week 2 against the Washington Redskins, 27-20. There's not much Goff can do, though, when an Aaron Donald-led defense surprisingly coughs up 229 rushing yards and a pair of scores on the ground, gifting the Redskins with a 5.9 per-carry average. 

The details surrounding the 49ers mentioned in the intro above shouldn't skew how bettors look at this rather easy contest, by the way. San Francisco sticking in the game against Seattle on the road is more a product of the Seahawks' odd decisions across the offensive line over the past few seasons than anything else.  

Case in point—in the opener, against a team building things the right way, the 49ers took a 23-3 loss to the Carolina Panthers at home.

In this one, bettors can count on a few mistakes from 49ers quarterback Brian Hoyer, who has 292 yards and a pair of interceptions through two games. Goff shouldn't have a problem pulling away.

Prediction: Rams 27, 49ers 14 

Denver (-3) at Buffalo

It is always worthwhile hunting down the easy calls first as a means to secure the bankroll before moving on to the riskier gambles.

The Denver Broncos visiting the Buffalo Bills is about as easy as it gets in Week 3.

Denver looks the part of a contender, having moved past the Los Angeles Chargers in 24-21 fashion in Week 1 before walloping the Dallas Cowboys, 42-17. Granted Dallas didn't look like it wanted to be involved in a game at all. 

But through two games, Trevor Siemian has a 6-2 touchdowns-interceptions ratio and C.J. Anderson has blown the roof off expectations, rushing for 199 yards and a score on a 4.4 per-carry average. 

If Siemian keeps making throws like this, it won't be easy to overlook the Broncos anymore: 

As for the Bills, beating up on the New York Jets in 21-12 fashion to start the season isn't nearly as impressive, especially when those Jets went on to get destroyed 45-20 by the Oakland Raiders in Week 2. 

Buffalo, as expected, isn't doing anything overly impressive on offense. In a 9-3 loss to the Panthers in Week 2, Tyrod Taylor only threw for 125 yards and lead back LeSean McCoy ran it 12 times for a humbling nine yards. 

A week removed from holding Ezekiel Elliott to eight yards on nine carries, bettors can expect the Denver defense to put on another elite performance while Siemian keeps gaining more attention for his improved play. 

Prediction: Broncos 24, Bills 7

Pittsburgh (-7.5) at Chicago

The undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers against the winless Chicago Bears speaks for itself.

Pittsburgh's defense held the Cleveland Browns to 18 points in a Week 1 win, then turned around and held the Minnesota Vikings to nine in a Week 2 victory.  

Leaders on the defense credit young guys for stepping up before the snap as the biggest difference between this year and last.  

”It’s definitely a lot louder,” Ryan Shazier said, according to the Associated Press (via FoxSports.com). ”Guys are aware of each other and what can happen on a play before they even line up in their formation.”

The only concern in Pittsburgh so far? Le'Veon Bell, who through two games, has yet to score a touchdown and has all of 119 yards on a 3.2 per-carry average. 

Technically, Bell's slow start is something an underrated Bears front seven could exploit. Chicago's biggest problem, though, is an inept offense that has yet to breach the 17-point mark in a game. The Bears have the worst wideout corps. in the league, and new quarterback Mike Glennon has a pair of touchdowns and interceptions already. Last year's breakout star Jordan Howard has a 2.7 per-carry average on only 22 attempts.

Detractors might point out Pittsburgh's defense has yet to face a serious threat under center. That's fair—though the same logic applies against this Bears team, which means bettors have a rather easy call here. 

Prediction: Steelers 24, Bears 10

Stats courtesy of NFL.com. Odds via OddsShark.