Predicting the NFL’s full slate of week three games
Titans (1-1) Jaguars (2-0)
Sunday 1:00 pm EST
TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, Florida
(JAX -1.0)
The Jags are coming off one of their best regular season wins in years and they look for real at 2-0. Jacksonville is truly a complete team, with very little holes on both sides of the ball. If Blake Bortles can play anywhere near as well as he did last week against New England, the Jaguars will be a tough team to beat.
The Jags beat the Patriots by 11 last week without star running back Leonard Fournette. If Fournette comes back this week, it may be a long day for the Titans. Tennessee, looked pretty good last week against Houston without Marcus Mariota and instead with Blaine Gabbert at QB. It’s unclear who will get the start, but either way, it will be a tough matchup for the Titans.
The Jaguars need to just run the football, take care of the ball, and play great defense as they have for the last 20 games. Improving to 3-0 will put the Jags in a great place in the AFC South.
Jaguars 24 Titans 13
49ers at Chiefs
Sunday 1:00 pm EST
Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
(KC -6.5)
The Chiefs offense look unfair. It looks like a video game. It looks unstoppable. Against the Niners, it shouldn’t stop. Patrick Mahomes is playing out of his mind right now and with all those weapons on field, the Chiefs explosive offense is a well-oiled machine that looks to keep on rolling.
The 49ers offense doesn’t look too shabby either. The Niners struggled a bit offensively in Minnesota, but so would any team. They expectedly looked much better at home against the Lions. The Chiefs defense has been suspect thus far, giving up 28 points in week 1 to the Chargers and 37 in week 2 to Pittsburgh.
It doesn’t seem to matter how much points the Chiefs defense gives up because their offense will probably score more. That is likely to happen here in what should be a fun, high-scoring affair.
Chiefs 38 49ers 31
Raiders (0-2) at Dolphins (2-0)
Sunday 1:00 pm EST
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
(MIA -3.0)
The Raiders and Dolphins have experienced two very different starts to the season. The Dolphins have looked good in their first two games, beating the Titans by 7 in week one, in the longest game in NFL history, and beating Sam Darnold and the Jets in week 2 by 8. The Fins have run the ball well, and Tannehill has been efficient throwing it.
But it’s been the Defense that’s been the best part of this team so far this season. The Dolphins have forced 6 turnovers in two games, including a league-leading 5 interceptions.
Robert Quinn and Cam Wake have been wreaking havoc in the backfield of opposing offenses, and the secondary has played well with Xavien Howard and Minkah Fitzpatrick shutting down opposing receivers.
Kiko Alonso has looked tremendous as well, leading the teams in tackles, had a pick in week 1 and a forced fumble in week 2. He has been all over the field.
The Raiders got shellacked at home in week 1 to a Rams team that might be the best team in the league. In week 2, Oakland led 19 to 7 in the fourth quarter but failed to maintain the lead, falling in Denver 20 to 19. The Dolphins should be able to run the ball well against a Raiders team that has struggled to stop the run this year. And with Khalil Mack gone to Chicago, the Dolphins should have time to sit back and throw it deep.
A matchup to watch for is Raiders’ Tight End Jared Cook against the Dolphins’ linebackers and safeties. Cook is the team’s leading receiver this year and he was dominant last year against Miami.
It’s unclear if Reshad Jones will play, but he is nursing a shoulder injury, per Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Losing Jones would be a huge blow to the secondary and the Fins may be forced to move rookie Defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick to Free Safety. Jones’ did not practice on Wednesday and his status for Sunday yet to be listed. Adam Gase mentioned that he is “day to day” at this point.
Even if Jones does not play in Sunday’s game, the Dolphins will still have the advantage, on both sides of the ball. The Raiders will also be forced to travel across the country to play this game. The Dolphins should be able to score points against this Raiders lackluster defense and get the win at home, improving to 3-0 for the first time since 2013.
Dolphins 27 Raiders 17
Chargers (1-1) at Rams (2-0)
Sunday 4:05 pm EST
LA Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
(LAR -7.0)
The Chargers won’t have to travel very far for this road game, but still will be playing in a hostile environment. The Rams look like the best team in the league, but the Chargers are the best team the Rams have faced this year. which means this game should be closer than the rams last two. The Chargers are a solid all around team with a veteran QB who knows how to take advantage of even the best of secondaries.
This Rams Offense however, will be a tough matchup for a young Chargers defense. If Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram can get consistent pressure on the edge the Chargers should keep it close, but the Rams have just too many weapons offensively for the Chargers to keep up.
Rams 28 Chargers 17
Cowboys (1-1) at Seahawks (0-2)
Sunday 4:25 pm EST
CenturyLink Field, Seattle, Washington
(SEA -1.5)
This is a game of two offenses who have greatly disappointed this year. Both offensive lines have struggled mightily and that should continue again this week. The Seahawks rarely lose at home, and the same should be expected for the home opener, but the Seahawks will struggle to give Russell Wilson any time against what it is stout Cowboys pass rush.
If the Cowboys can control the game, run the ball well with Ezekiel Elliot, and score a few Touchdowns, it may enough to knock of the Seahawks on their home turf. The Cowboys have more weapons offensively than the Seahawks and have a good enough defense to shut down Russell Wilson and get the upset win on the road.
Cowboys 20 Seahawks 16
Bears (1-1) at Cardinals (0-2)
Sunday 4:25 pm EST
State Farm Stadium, Phoenix, Arizona
(CHI -5.5)
These teams are in coming into this game in very different situations. The Bears have looked good in both their games, with their lone loss coming on the road to Green Bay, to another Aaron Rodgers comeback. The Cardinals have not looked so good, losing handedly in week 1 to the Redskins and getting blown out by the Rams in week 2.
Khalil Mack has been unstoppable so far this season and that should continue against a Cardinals offensive line that has been lackluster thus far. The Bears have an ascending defense that should shut down Sam Bradford and company who have scored just one touchdown this season (in garbage time) and curiously have failed to get the ball into David Johnson’s hands consistently. The Bears shouldn’t have too much trouble on the road in Phoenix.
Bears 24 Cardinals 10
Patriots (1-1) at Lions (0-2)
Sunday 8:20 pm, EST
Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
(NE -7.0)
The Lions looked abysmal in week one, falling to Sam Darnold and the Jets by an absurd 31 point margin. They were better in week 2, losing by just 3 to the 49ers, despite being down by 17 in the fourth quarter. The Lions gave themselves chance late in the game which is encouraging for a team that looked awful in the previous 7 quarters.
The Patriots fell last week to the Jaguars on the road, but improved themselves this week by acquiring Josh Gordon via trade from the Browns. If Gordon can stay healthy and out of trouble he will be a steal for the Patriots, as he is undoubtedly one of the most talented receivers in the league.
It’s unclear how big of a role he will have in his first game as Patriot, but he should be a dangerous and valuable weapon every time he steps on the field. With or without Gordon, the Patriots are and have been the better team this year and should get a comfortable win on the road on primetime.
Patriots 31 Lions 14
Steelers at Buccaneers
Monday 8:15 pm EST
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, Florida
(PIT -1.0)
The Buccaneers have shockingly beaten two serious playoff contenders in back to back weeks to open the season behind the right arm of Ryan Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick has been nothing short have magical, and despite Minkah Fitzpatrick trademarking “Fitzmagic,” Ryan Fitzpatrick deserves the name after his performances.
He also deserves a starting job when Jameis Winston returns in week 4. The Steelers have been less impressive, if impressive at all, especially on defense. Pittsburgh gave up 42 points to Patrick Mahomes and company last week at home, and it won’t get any easier against a QB who is on fire right now. With the Steelers defense struggling and and the Bucs offense thriving, Tampa should have little trouble putting up points.
The Steelers still have a high powered offense that can score in bunches when Ben Roethlisberger is on time and on target. With James Conner filling in nicely for Le’Veon Bell at running back and Antonio Brown and Juju Smith-Schuster doing their thing on the outside, the Steelers should point up points as well. Expect a shootout in Tampa, one that narrowly goes in favor of the hot hand, Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Buccaneers 38 Steelers 34