With two weeks down and NFL Week 3 quickly approaching, you should know that, after just two weeks of play, a lot has been revealed about every team in the league.
Even at this early juncture, you should know that a handful of teams have become favorites and you just can’t take a pass without betting on them this weekend.
I’ve identified three favorites that all have the look of teams offering great value in their respective Week 3 matchups. Now, let’s find out who they are.
The #Texans have rushed for 315 yards in their first two games, which is tied for the most rushing yards gained in Weeks 1-2 in franchise history (2010). Houston is ranked 1st in the NFL in rushing yards (315), 1st in rushing yards per game (157.5) & 3rd in rushing average (5.25) pic.twitter.com/KmCvax5B9J
— Texans PR (@TexansPR) September 18, 2018
New York Giants at Houston Texans
Game Information
🏈: New York Giants at Houston Texans
⏰: Sun. Sep 23, 2018, 1:00 PM ET
🏟️: NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
📺: FOX, DTV: 711
🎰: Houston Texans -6 -115 | -265 | U 42 -110
While I like New York’s decision to hire former Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur as their head coach and subsequent drafting of supremely gifted running back Saquon Barkley with the second overall pick in the draft, after two games, it’s clear the Giants still have a ways to go to get back to being a respectable team. The G-Men put up a good effort in their 20-15 week 1 loss at home against Jacksonville, but they looked like a one-dimensional team that was capable of only getting the ball to Barkley or forcing it to wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. in their ugly 20-13 loss to a mediocre Dallas team on Sunday night. While Houston also put up a good effort in their opener before falling to New England 27-20, the Texans also regressed in their 20-17 Week 2 loss against a Tennessee Titans team that looks mediocre at best right now.
For this Week 3 matchup, I’m thinking the Texans are now something of a lock to beat the Giants and cover the chalk as a near touchdown home favorite. Houston has a bunch of playmakers on defense and New York is having problems making plays on offense when Saquon Barkley isn’t touching the ball.
The Giants are 5-2 ATS in their last seven road games against a team with a losing home record while the Texans are a winless 0-7 ATS in their last seven games. Still, I’m going with Houston to get the convincing home win as Deshaun Watson has his best game of the season and the Texans shut down New York’s simple offense.
Pick: Texans 24 Giants 14
Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars
Game Information
🏈: Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars
⏰: Sun. Sep 23, 2018 1:00 PM ET
🏟️: TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, FL
📺: CBS, DTV: 707
🎰: TBA
Tennessee managed to get past Houston 20-17 on Sunday one week after losing at Miami 27-20 in their regular season opener. Jacksonville looked solid in their 20-15 season-opening win over the Giants two weeks ago, but they looked even better in their 31-20 win over New England this past weekend.
While the Titans won both of last season’s two meetings, I’m going on record right now to say that’s not happening again this season. As a matter of fact, I like the Jags for the regular season sweep. Jacksonville is elite on both sides of the ball and Tennessee is still a work in progress under first-time head coach Mike Vrabel.
Jacksonville is putting up 25.5 points per game so far while allowing 17.5 per contest defensively. Tennessee is averaging 20.0 points per game and giving up 22.0 per contest defensively. The Jaguars are 4-0 ATS in their last four games and the favorite in this AFC South division rivalry has gone 5-1-1 ATS in the last seven meetings. I’m going with the Jags to shut down Marcus Mariota and Tennessee’s offense while ramming the ball down the Titans’ throats early and often with powerful running back Leonard Fournette.
Pick: Jacksonville 27 Tennessee 17
San Francisco 49ers at Kansas City Chiefs
Game Information
🏈: San Francisco 49ers at Kansas City Chiefs
⏰: Sun. Sep 23, 2018 1:00 PM ET
🏟️: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO
📺: FOX, DTV: 712
🎰: Kansas City Chiefs -6½ -115 | -270 | U 56½ -110
After getting manhandled in their 24-16 season-opening loss at Minnesota Jimmy Garoppolo and the San Francisco 49ers bounced back nicely to get past Detroit 30-27 in Week 2. Unfortunately, the Niners don’t look like they’re playing nearly well enough to keep up with the now, downright explosive Kansas City Chiefs.
Thanks to the ascension of second-year quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City has looked absolutely phenomenal in throttling the Chargers 38-28 in their opener two weeks ago and then routing Pittsburgh 42-37 on Sunday. Mahomes has thrown a mind-boggling 10 TD passes and no interceptions through two games, but more importantly for me is the fact that he’s got a ton of weapons at his disposal with guys like Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce and Kareem Hunt among others.
The Chiefs are 7-1 ATS in their last eight week 3 games while San Francisco has gone 1-5 ATS in their last six Week 3 games. With the home team in this rivalry going 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings and Kansas clearly being the better offensive team in this affair, I’m going to urge you to back the Chiefs to win and cover.
Pick: Chiefs 35 49ers 24
