NFL Picks Week 3: Which Teams Will Surprise the League?

With some new teams on the rise in 2011, it certainly makes the season that much more memorable.

We hope that these feel-good stories come around each year, and when a franchise continues to surprise the fans, it only gets better.

Also, even when we see the surprise coming before it happens, when it actually happens, we're like, "Oh man that was awesome!"

So with that in mind, here are three teams that will surprise the league in Week 3.

Washington Redskins

For as much talent as there is in the NFC East, and all the star power names we can think of, the Washington Redskins are the least of those thoughts.

Their best player is captain and starting LB London Fletcher, who came from John Carroll University, a NCAA Division III school that maybe enrolls around 4,000 students.

Their QB is Rex Grossman. I'll leave it at that.

And yet, they are 2-0 and slowly, but surely rising in the NFL ranks.

Week 3 is their biggest test yet though, as they travel to Texas and play the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football.

If they win, great, the Redskins may just be the real deal.

If they lose, Week 4 becomes the deal-breaker as we see how Washington responds to adversity.

Detroit Lions

This is the team that we saw coming and knew was going to be great, but unless we actually saw it happen, we wouldn't believe it.

The Lions are currently 2-0, riding high, and play a big road game in Minnesota this week.

Obviously stopping RB Adrian Peterson is easier said than done, but no one is playing with as much confidence as the The Motor City right now.

And even if we expected them to be better, it's almost hard to believe, which only adds to their motivation.

Wasn't it just three years ago this franchise went 0-16?

In the back of their opponents' minds, whether they'll admit to it or not, they are thinking, "Wait, this is the Lions, there's no way they can keep this up."

Hence, advantage Detroit and they'll keep rolling, and we'll keep being surprised because this hasn't happened in The Motor City in quite a while.

Buffalo Bills

Even more so than the Detroit Lions, the Buffalo Bills are really making some jaws drop after only two weeks.

They're 2-0 and playing host to the New England Patriots in Week 3, which could be the make-or-break game for them in 2011.

That being said, as long as they don't get completely obliterated by the Pats' and keep it close (maybe pull the upset?), then the Bills will be a force.

And just like the Redskins, if they do lose, then Week 4 becomes vehemently more important as it's how one responds after a loss.

If they lose in Weeks 3 and 4, then all is for naught, but if they lose in Week 3 and then win in Week 4, you will immediately see how thick-skinned they are.

Being thick-skinned doesn't hurt when you play in Buffalo, especially during the winter.

Be sure to check out John on Bleacher Report.

And you can follow him on Twitter @ Sportswriter27.