Week 3 in the NFL isn’t short on betting options across all 16 games. However, there are three Week 3 bets that should be atop your to-bet list. Keep reading and we’ll reveal each of the three picks to make popular NFL betting sites.
Over/Under Points: Cincinnati Bengals at New York Jets
One of the biggest surprises of the season is the Bengals' 0-2 start. Super Bowl hangover anyone? It’s only week 3 and it feels like Cincy is in win-now mode. That makes betting the over/under of 45 points in this Bengals-Jets game all the more intriguing.
Cincinnati's offensive line has somehow gotten worse than a year ago when they got Joe Burrow sacked 51 times in the season. Despite several splashy signings — tackle La’el Collins, center Ted Karras, and guard Alex Cappa — this team can’t keep Burrow upright. After two games, they’ve surrendered a whopping 13 sacks. 13!
No surprise, the lack of protection isn’t giving Burrow any time to throw it vertically. In Week 2, no passing play went further than 19 yards gained. Burrow is checking it down more often than not, which is not the way to pile up points in modern-era NFL.
The Jets are fresh off an improbable coming back — erasing a 13-point deficit in under two minutes to beat the Browns. It was an impressive rally led by Joe Flacco, no doubt, but also fluky. More than anything else, Cleveland beat themselves with unthinkable defensive breakdowns and an allowed onside kick recovery. For us, New York’s offense still remains highly suspect.
If you haven’t guessed by now, we’re throwing money on the under. Neither team’s attack is trending in the right direction after two games to bet the contrary.
Against The Spread: Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Los Angeles Chargers
The biggest question that’ll determine the best bet to make between the Jaguars and Chargers is the health of LA signal caller Justin Herbert. He’s currently listed as day-to-day with a fractured rib cage. To us, that means the Chargers are fade material.
Look, at worse, Herbert misses Sunday’s game versus Jacksonville — which would completely swing the current betting line. But at best, he still plays, only in a limited capacity. And if limited, the Chargers would protect their franchise quarterback by playing a more conservative style that’s more run-dependent. Both scenarios benefit the Jags, which is where our betting optimism stems from.
Plus, Jacksonville isn’t complete pushovers anymore. We’re not ready to call them contenders either, but this team can at least compete and cover the spread. Trevor Lawrence is flashing the potential that made him one of the most heralded quarterbacks coming out of college in the last 10 years.
Moneyline: San Francisco 49ers at Denver Broncos
Trey Lance is out for the year. On the surface, it feels like a blow to a 49ers organization ready to hand the reigns to a potential franchise quarterback. But we’re not sure Jimmy Garoppolo returning under center is negative. In the near term, Jimmy G is an upgrade and that’s why we’re betting on San Francisco to beat Denver.
Garoppolo might not have Lance’s upside, but neither will he have his downside — which as we’ve seen in Lance’s limited playing time, can be very erratic. When healthy, Garoppolo is consistent as they come. He’ll take what the defense gives him (check downs, play action, quick throws to Deebo Samuel) and won’t beat himself either. That’s good enough for a 49ers team that’s dripping with talent and good coaching.
Speaking of coaching, one of the biggest storylines after two weeks is how bad of a start Denver’s Nathaniel Hacket is off to. The first-time head coach beat Houston in Week 2, but not before Hacket and company were booed on their home field. He made another clunky error — allowing a delay of game penalty to knock them out of field-goal position. It was bad, but at least not as unforgivable as electing the second-longest field goal in league history rather than go for a modest fourth-and-five with the game on the line, which happened in Week 1.
Here’s more evidence Hacket might be in over his head as the Broncos coach AND play-caller: in two games, Denver has had five goal-line situations and walked away with a meager nine points. The team has also been penalized 25 times so far, the most over a two-game span in team history. One of these blunders might be coincidental, but all of them together? Probably a sign of Hacket’s incompetence.
Fade Hacket and ride Jimmy G is our betting philosophy in this game. We wouldn’t be surprised to see San Francisco beat the brakes off of Denver in spite of being on the road.
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