NFL Predictions Week 3: 6 Best Prop Bets to Make This Week

Looking for some ideas on prop betting for Week 3 of the 2011 NFL season?  I have five good prop bets for you to make with your friends this weekend.

If you aren't exactly sure what a proposition bet is ("prop bet" for short), it is basically betting on extraneous things within and around a football game that doesn't alter the outcome of the game itself.

For example, the Super Bowl is the most popular time for people to partake in prop bets.  Bets are made on who will win the coin toss, who will score the first touchdown, and even what color the Gatorade will be that gets poured on the winning coach.

But prop betting is not limited to only the Super Bowl.  You can partake in this for any game or a combination of games.  Week 3 offers some interesting things to think about and come up with a few good bets to make.

Here are six of them.

Patriots vs. Bills: Total Points Scored or Points from Bills

Do you realize what team has scored the most points through two weeks of the NFL season?  That would be none other than the Buffalo Bills!

Yeah, I can't believe it either.

After two weeks, the Bills have scored a total of 79 points.  The scoring has been done all by their offense as well (no defensive or special teams touchdowns).  Who knew they were such offensive juggernauts?

What's not such a surprise is that New England has scored the third-most points after two weeks of football.  Talk about an offensive juggernaut, the Patriots certainly fit that bill.

The Pats have scored a total of 73 points so far, but have done it against stiffer competition than the Bills have faced.  But that doesn't take away from the fact that these two teams have combined for 152 points of offense.

You can do an over/under type of bet for this one, Vegas Insider has the current line at 53.

Seems a bit low, right?  But these two teams are division rivals and know each other well.  The Patriots defense will also be a bigger test for the Bills offense.  We all know the Pats can score on just about anyone though.

You can make your own over/under for this game.  With each team averaging well over 30 points per game, maybe bump the line to 60. 

Another idea would be to bet on whether or not the Bills will score over 30 points.  Can they keep their machine rolling at home against New England?

Seahawks vs. Cardinals: Total Penalties

So far in 2011, the Cardinals and Seahawks are both among the top six most penalized teams.

The Seahawks come in at No. 4 with 17 penalties for 138 yards, and the Cardinals are sixth with 16 penalties for 158 yards.

That's a combined total of 33 penalties for 296 yards after only two weeks.  Between the two, that's an average of 16.5 penalties per week.

How many flags will be thrown in this one?  More than 16 total or less?  It seems like it will surely be a busy day for the zebras.

Or will at least one team clean up their act?

Kansas City Chiefs: Will They Score Double-Digit Points?

10.  That's the total amount of points the Chiefs have scored after two games.  To put that into perspective, the Bills have scored just about 10 points per quarter this season.

And now things just got worse for the offensively-challenged Chiefs.  Running back Jamaal Charles is out for the season with a torn ACL.

However, they do still have Dwayne Bowe and .. well, Dwayne Bowe.  Maybe Thomas Jones and/or Dexter McCluster can fill the void left by Charles, but that is yet to be determined.

The Chiefs play the Denver Broncos this weekend.  The Broncos are ranked 15th in total defense and have allowed an average of 22.5 points per game over two weeks.

Will this be the week that Kansas City can break into double-digits on the scoreboard?  Or will the Denver defense look like the second-coming of the Steel Curtain?

Eagles vs. Giants: How Many Skirmishes Will There Be?

The Eagles and the Giants don't like each other... at all.  They are division rivals as well as city rivals (Philadelphia vs. New York).

In both of their meetings last year, the Giants had the lead in the fourth quarter of each game.  Both times they watched it evaporate due to some improbable plays.

In the first meeting there was the Eli Manning fumble during an awkward slide attempt that turned the game around.  Then, in the second meeting, DeSean Jackson stunned New York with a "walk off" punt return for a score.

Needless to say, the Giants were left broken and frustrated.

Then, during this past offseason, there was a war of words via Twitter between LeSean McCoy and a few Giants players; namely Osi Umenyiora. 

Apparently those two don't like each other personally.

There were also a few Giants players who spoke openly about wanting to face the "Dream Team," which is the moniker Eagles backup quarterback Vince Young made the mistake of giving the team.

When these two teams get together, it's a physical battle.  Tempers are sure to flare at some point.  Each team is heading into the game at 1-1 and neither wants to leave 1-2.

What will be fun to watch is how many skirmishes break out on the field.  There will be some good old-fashioned pushing and shoving going on.

I put the over/under at two.  What about you?

Cam Newton: Will He Throw for over 400 Yards Again?

Cam Newton has already set an NFL record for being the first rookie quarterback to throw for over 400 yards in two games during his first season.  It has been an impressive beginning for the youngster in Carolina.

The Panthers play against the Jaguars this weekend.  The Jags have only given up a total of 445 yards passing through two games.

Logic would say that it is highly doubtful that Newton can surpass the 400 yard mark a third straight time.  But, logic also would have said there was no way Newton would pass for over 400 yards in his first two games.

Will Newton continue rewriting the record books this week, or will his numbers begin to look more rookie-like?

Cowboys Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan: Will ESPN Try to Capture His Play Chart?

In a funny story, Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan was caught having a picture of a sexy woman on his defensive play chart from last week's game.

Maybe that's why their defense seemed a little distracted against San Francisco.

The Cowboys play on ESPN's Monday Night Football this week.  Will the network acknowledge Ryan's risque play chart and try to get a camera on it during the game, or will they just ignore it?

Could be an interesting bet.  

Or maybe you could bet on who will be his Ryan's play chart this week.