NFL Picks Week 3: Highlighting Best Vegas Odds and Expert Predictions

Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees have a combined 460 regular-season games of NFL experience. They have 920 passing touchdowns and 125,438 passing yards between them. For more than a decade, they have been two of the best quarterbacks in the league and have led their respective teams to success, each winning a Super Bowl along the way.

So when the Green Bay Packers travel to take on the New Orleans Saints on Sunday night, football fans will get to end their day by watching two of the greatest signal-callers of this century go head-to-head. Neither is in his prime—Rodgers is 36 and Brees is 41—but their teams remain among the top contenders in the NFC in 2020.

Although Brees' Saints enter the matchup at Mercedes-Benz Superdome as the betting favorite, few would be surprised if Rodgers' Packers maintain their strong start and pull out a win. It should be an exciting matchup either way.

Heading into Week 3 of the NFL season, here's a look at the full schedule, along with odds and picks, followed by a breakdown of what experts are saying about some key matchups to potentially bet on.

NFL Week 3 Odds, Picks

Thursday, Sept. 24

Miami Dolphins at Jacksonville Jaguars (-3)

Sunday, Sept. 27

Chicago Bears at Atlanta Falcons (-3)

San Francisco 49ers (-4) at New York Giants

Cincinnati Bengals at Philadelphia Eagles (-5)

Las Vegas Raiders at New England Patriots (-5.5)

Houston Texans at Pittsburgh Steelers (-4)

Los Angeles Rams at Buffalo Bills (-2)

Tennessee Titans (-2.5) at Minnesota Vikings

Washington Football Team at Cleveland Browns (-7)

New York Jets at Indianapolis Colts (-10.5)

Carolina Panthers at Los Angeles Chargers (-6.5)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-6) at Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions at Arizona Cardinals (-5.5)

Dallas Cowboys at Seattle Seahawks (-5)

Green Bay Packers at New Orleans Saints (-3.5)

Monday, Sept. 28

Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens (-3.5)

Picks made against the spread. Odds obtained via DraftKings.

Expert Predictions

The Packers as 3.5-point underdogs? That's a line many experts appear to be jumping on in Week 3, especially because of the continued uncertain status of Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas.

According to NFL Pickwatch, a site that compiles expert predictions each week, 76 percent of experts are picking Green Bay to at least lose by no more than three points—no surprise considering how these teams have started the season.

While the Packers have opened the year 2-0 with wins over a pair of NFC North teams (Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions), the Saints are 1-1 after losing to the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night. New Orleans is still likely to have a strong season, but its offense struggled without Thomas in the fold.

Thomas is dealing with a high ankle sprain, and it's unclear whether he will return to the lineup Sunday. The Packers are also dealing with an injury to a top receiver, as Davante Adams didn't practice Wednesday because of the hamstring injury he suffered in Week 2.

Green Bay may be better equipped to play without its top receiver, though, as Allen Lazard and Marquez Valdes-Scantling will supply Rodgers with strong targets.

The only other Week 3 matchup that has that many experts on one side is the Chicago Bears vs. Atlanta Falcons. There are 76 percent of experts picking the Falcons to win by at least four points. So there is a confidence that Atlanta will bounce back after opening the season with consecutive losses to the Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys.

Although they are off to a slow start, the Falcons are putting up a ton of offense. Through two weeks, they rank fourth in the NFL with 443 yards per game. Atlanta appeared to be on its way to its first win Sunday before blowing a 20-point lead and falling 40-39 to Dallas.

Chicago is 2-0, but it hasn't faced the same type of competition as Atlanta. The Bears' victories have come against the Lions and New York Giants, both of whom are 0-2.

If you are looking to start betting early in Week 3, then the experts appear to mostly agree on Thursday night's matchup. Per NFL Pickwatch, 70 percent are predicting the Jacksonville Jaguars will win by at least four points against the Miami Dolphins.

Jacksonville opened the season with a win over the Indianapolis Colts, but it lost to the Tennessee Titans in Week 2. However, the Jaguars played a close game, losing 33-30 in a contest that was still tied in the final two minutes.

Quarterback Gardner Minshew II is off to a strong start for the Jags, passing for 512 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions, and he could be poised for a big performance against Miami. Feel confident going with the experts and betting on Jacksonville to pick up a sizable victory over the 0-2 Dolphins.