NFL Week 3 Preview and Predictions

Written by Shawn Stewart

Washington (1-1) at Cleveland (1-1)

1 p.m. ET

FOX

Point Spread: Browns, -7

The Washington Football Team unsurprisingly took a hard crash back to reality after their Week 2 loss to the Cardinals. Granted, that loss to the Cardinals may be more telling of how good the Cardinals are as opposed to how bad the Washington Football Team is. The Browns on the other hand were able to get their first win of the season against the Bengals last Thursday Night. The Washington Football Team has enough on the offensive side of the ball, but their defense is what really could keep them competitive in this game. The Browns have talent all over the field, but have they figured out how to use that talent yet? Last Thursday they looked as if they have found their identity when they ran the ball all night between Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb. These are two teams that we are still unsure of what they will offer the 2020 season.

SHAWN’S PREDICTION: Browns 24 - 14

AJ’S PREDICTION: Browns 27 - 21

L.a. Rams (2-0) aT Buffalo (2-0) 

1 p.m. ET

FOX

Point Spread: Bills, -2.5

One of these teams was expected to be undefeated after the first two weeks, but the other team has been a nice surprise. The Bills are playing very good football right now and Josh Allen is playing out of his mind. Allen passed for 417 yards and 4 touchdown passes against the Jets last week, both career highs, and leads the NFL in passing yards through 2 weeks with 729 yards. The Rams are the surprise team around the league so far. While there is a lot of talent on this team, many were expecting them to flounder as they did in 2019. Jared Goff so far is back to playing good football, plus they have been able to run the ball effectively. Even with the departure of Todd Gurley II, this team ranks 3rd in the league in terms of rushing yards as they are averaging 172 yards per game. They are doing this all with different backs as well as both Malcolm Brown and Darrell Henderson have had successful weeks back to back. This game could end up being a lower scoring one just because both teams have solid defenses, but don't be surprised if the offenses take over the game as well. Turnovers could be the key to this game.

SHAWN’S PREDICTION: Rams 21 - 16

AJ’S PREDICTION: Bills 31 - 28

Chicago (2-0) at Atalanta (0-2) 

1 p.m. ET

FOX

Point Spread: Falcons, -3.0

At the beginning of the season, a lot of sports experts thought that there would be a quarterback controversy in Chicago. Well, that discussion has quickly been put to rest as Mitchell Trubisky has played well enough in the first two games to have the Bears sitting at 2-0 to start the season. In two games, Trubisky has thrown for 432 yards and 5 touchdowns, and the Bears defense looks much more like its 2018 team as opposed to how they looked last year. The Atlanta Falcons are coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Dallas Cowboys. It seems like this is becoming a trend for the Falcons, to blow big leads. The Cowboys should have never been allowed to win this game, but the Falcons defense was awful in the 4th quarter against the Cowboys, and the Special Teams might want to reread the rule book about how onside kicks work. The Falcons are either going to come out firing on all cylinders and forget about the Cowboys game, or they are going to still be haunted by blowing that big lead last weekend. I like the Bears in this game! Don't be surprised if the Falcons defense makes it interesting again, and not in a good way!

SHAWN’S PREDICTION: Bears 16 - 13

AJ’S PREDICTION: Bears 20 - 14

Houston (0-2) at Pittsburgh (2-0) 

1 p.m. ET

CBS

Point Spread: Steelers, -4.0

How much does quarterback DeShaun Watson and the Houston Texans miss DeAndre Hopkins? Our guess is a lot! Only a few games into the season and the Texans are already having a hard time replacing the production that they lost in the trade. Meanwhile, DeAndre Hopkins is flourishing in the desert and has helped the Cardinals to a 2-0 record. The Texans offense has not been able to find a groove and that is putting a lot of pressure on the defense to make plays. The Steelers on the other hand look as if they are going to be a tough opponent this season, and it all starts with Ben Roethlisberger and his play calling. Roethlisberger is back and is finally looking like himself again, in what feels like its been forever. If James Conner can stay on the field and stay productive, that makes this offense that much more scary. The Steelers have won 4 of the last 5 games against the Texans and that isn’t going to be changing anytime soon. The Steelers defense should be able to produce a few turnovers in this game.

SHAWN’S PREDICTION: Steelers 30 - 21

AJ’S PREDICTION: Steelers 23 - 13

Cincinnati (0-2) at Philadelphia (0-2)

1 p.m. ET

CBS

Point Spread: Eagles, -4.5

This is the only matchup of the weekend that features two winless teams. One of these teams has a very strong chance of starting 0-3 which will almost certainly end the season for them very early on. Let's just get this out on the table; the Eagles defense stinks! The linebackers in Philly might be one of the worst groups across the NFC. On top of that, the Eagles are also dealing with injuries all across the team. The talented rookie wide receiver, Jalen Reagor out of TCU, has been placed on IR this week which is obviously a huge blow to the offense that is already not strong at the position. The Cincinnati Bengals have allowed the most rushing yards to opposing running backs so far this season, allowing 152.9 per game, dating back to 2019, which is the most in the NFL. Joe Burrow has played decent in his first two NFL starts and is still learning how to be a pro. While he has yet to win in the NFL, he has shown early on that the wins will eventually turn the team around. However, it is going to take some time for that to happen. Miles Sanders will need to have a huge day and the Eagles need to get their first win of the season, but the Bengals are not going to let it be easy.

SHAWN’S PREDICTION: Eagles 27 - 21

AJ’S PREDICTION: Bengals 24 - 23

San Francisco (1-1) at New York Giants (0-2) 

1 p.m. ET

FOX

Point Spread: 49ers, -4.0

Is it okay to call this the body bag game? Both the 49ers and the Giants have been completely decimated by injuries so early in the season. The Giants just lost their superstar running back Saquon Barkley for the year after he tore his ACL in Week 2. The 49ers on the other hand could be running out of room on the injured reserve list because the names just keep piling up. The 49ers have 5 wide receivers on IR, they are missing George Kittle, their top two running back’s are hurt, they lost two starters on the defensive line last week to torn ACL’s, including superstar Nick Bosa, Richard Sherman is on IR, and they will be without QB Jimmy Garoppolo for at least this game. The 49ers are 4-20 without Jimmy Garoppolo as their starter in the Kyle Shanahan era compared to being 20-6 with Garoppolo under center. This could be a very ugly game for both teams. The 49ers still have a solid enough defense to win this game. Nick Mullens will step in once more and we will see if he can prove that he can compete in the NFL, but do not expect this game to be pretty.

SHAWN’S PREDICTION: 49ers 19 - 10

AJ’S PREDICTION: 49ers 17 - 9

Las Vegas (2-0) at New England (1-1) 

1 p.m. ET

CBS

Point Spread: Patriots, -5.5

The Raiders have shocked a few NFL fans with their win against Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night and the fact that they are sitting at 2-0 to start the season. Granted, the Saints top offensive weapon, Michael Thomas, was ruled out in that game the Raiders were still able to slow down the Saints offense enough to pull out a win. The Raiders played an all-around solid game and this is the first time since 2016 that the Raiders have scored 30 or more points in 2 straight games. The Raiders offense is much more than Josh Jacobs. Darren Waller is proving that last year was not a fluke. After having 105 yards on 12 catches, one of which was in the endzone, Waller cemented himself as the go-to guy in that passing offense. The Patriots on the other hand lost a very close game against a very good Seattle team on the road. Cam Newton had another solid outing in New England but the running game could not get much going, outside of Cam scrambling. Despite Cam playing great football, New England needs to figure out everything else around him. That defense needs to be able to play how they did in 2019, despite how many different players they are playing. For the Patriots to be competitive, they cannot have their best player in Stephon Gilmore allow huge plays as he did against the Seahawks. Can the Raiders start a season 3-0 by taking down Bill Belichick and the Patriots?

SHAWN’S PREDICTION: Patriots 31 - 21

AJ’S PREDICTION: Patriots 23 - 21

Tennessee (2-0) at Vikings (0-2) 

1 p.m. ET

CBS

Point Spread: Titans, -3.0

This is going to be a great matchup, even if the Vikings record does not indicate it, especially with that horrific performance Kirk Cousins and the Vikings had last Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts. The Vikings need to get production from both sides of the ball, and that starts with getting the ball to Dalvin Cook early and often. We have seen two weeks in a row that the Vikings offense has been stifled early and forced to get away from the run. To be successful once more, the offense needs to run through Dalvin Cook, especially since the Vikings just broke the bank for him! The Titans have won a couple of close games to start the season against two not so great teams, and it has led them to their first 2-0 start since 2008. While Derrick Henry has not been spectacular, he has given the Titans what they have needed to win the first two games. This will be a tough game to call and will be very telling for both teams to see if the Titans are really that good or if the Vikings are really that bad.

SHAWN’S PREDICTION: Titans 27 - 19

AJ’S PREDICTION: Vikings 23 - 17

Carolina (0-2) at Los Angeles Chargers (1-1)

4:05 p.m. ET

CBS

Point Spread: Chargers -6.5

Things have gone from bad to worse for the Carolina Panthers as they are not only in a hole at 0-2 but they also just lost the best player in football, Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey left Week 2’s game against the Buccaneers and will now be out for at least the next several weeks with a severe ankle sprain. This puts a lot of pressure on Teddy Bridgewater and the passing attack, which has been less than stellar at times in the early season. The Panther's defense has not helped the offense either as they have allowed 20 + points in 14 straight games, spanning back to last season. On the other side of the ball, the Los Angeles Chargers had an opportunity to beat the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2. They did play extremely well, even though their own team doctor accidentally punctured starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor's lung just minutes before the game. However, the rookie from the University of Oregon, Justin Herbert, played very well for the hand that he was dealt on Sunday. He was able to put the Chargers in a position to have a chance to win the game in overtime. Despite coming up short against the defending Super Bowl Champions, the Chargers were able to put up a very good fight. Without Christian McCaffrey, the Panthers offense could become one dimensional very quickly.

SHAWN’S PREDICTION: Chargers 24 - 14

AJ’S PREDICTION: Chargers 24 - 10

New York Jets (0-2) at Indianapolis (1-1) 

4:05 p.m. ET

CBS

Point Spread: Colts, -11.0

The Jets just flat out stink! They have scored fewer than 20 points in 12 games dating back to 2019. That is not going to get it done and will not make Jets fans happy. Le'Veon Bell is banged up and will be out a few more weeks. The Jets will be without a few of their starting offensive lineman on Sunday and will be missing three of their top options in the receiving game in Jamison Crowder, Breshad Perriman, and Denzel Mims. It is starting to look more and more likely that Sam Darnold may just not the answer at quarterback. The Colts on the other hand are coming off a very impressive win against the Minnesota Vikings. The Colts defense forced Kirk to throw 3 interceptions in that game. Imagine what the Colts defense will do to Sam Darnold? They are going to eat him alive! The Colts realized what formula they need to follow in 2020 to be successful; play great defense and run the damn ball. Through two weeks, the Colts are far and away the best defense in the league allowing only 208 yards per game. They are going to only add to that on Sunday in what should be an easy win.

SHAWN’S PREDICTION: Colts 31 - 13

AJ’S PREDICTION: Colts 38 - 10

Dallas (1-1) at Seattle (2-0)

4:25 p.m. ET

FOX

Point spread: Seahawks, -5.0

Everyone is still trying to figure out how the Cowboys are not 0-2 to start the season. In Week 2, the Cowboys did not win in Atlanta, the Falcons lost it. That game says a lot more about the Falcons than it does about the Cowboys. However, with everyone else struggling in the NFC East, the Cowboys could be the last team standing, but they have a very tall task on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks and Russell Wilson. For the way that he has played early on in the season, Wilson is probably the frontrunner for MVP across the league. Wilson already has thrown for 9 touchdown passes in just two games, and if the Cowboys couldn't stop Matt Ryan, they will not be able to stop Russell Wilson. Plus the Cowboys have to travel to Seattle (though that connotation is a bit different this year) in this one. The Cowboy’s are going to need much more than bad special teams play from the Seahawks to pull this one off.

SHAWN’S PREDICTION: Seattle 28 - 23

AJ’S PREDICTION: Seattle 24 - 20

Tampa Bay (1-1) at Denver (0-2)

4:25 p.m. ET

FOX

Point spread: Buccaneers, -5.5

Congratulations to Tom Brady for his first career NFL win not in a Patriots uniform. Tom Brady has not had a lot of success against Denver throughout his career. In fact, Brady has only beaten Denver 4 times in 20 seasons compared to 7 losses, including the playoffs. However, Brady may have a bit more success heading into this matchup as the Broncos are a complete mess. The Broncos head into this game completely hobbled. They are injured all over the place and their quarterback situation is no exception. Drew Lock is out for a while with a shoulder injury. They will be led into this game by Jeff Driskel with newly signed free agent Blake Bortles backing him up. Needless to say, the Broncos are going to need to rely heavily on the run game if they have a chance to stay in this game. Unfortunately, they will still be without Phillip Lindsay for at least one more week as he is dealing with injuries himself. The Broncos are going to have a hard time stopping Brady and the Buccaneers on Sunday as they are just starting to find their groove.

SHAWN’S PREDICTION: Buccaneers 26 - 13

AJ’S PREDICTION: Buccaneers 23 - 17

Detroit (0-2) at Arizona (2-0)

4:25 p.m. ET

FOX

Point Spread: Cardinals, -5.5

Kyler Murray has been so much fun to watch so far this season. In fact, the Cardinals have just been fun to watch, period. Kyler Murray is averaging 79.0 yards per game this season on the ground, by far the most of any NFL Quarterback. The addition of DeAndre Hopkins has been a godsend to this air raid offense. He has taken things a step further and has made the Cardinals one of the most fun offenses to watch across the entire league. The Lions are the Lions and are putting way too much pressure on Matthew Stafford. The Lions will need to establish a running game to be successful at all. Despite having three different effective running backs at their disposal, none have been able to take the game over and become the bell cow runner that this offense needs. With the continued lack of Kenny Golladay in the passing game, someone else will need to step up big time. We will see if the Lions have enough to hang with the Cardinals.

SHAWN’S PREDICTION: Cardinals 27 - 17

AJ’S PREDICTION: Cardinals 27 - 29

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