Week 2 of the NFL season provided several fantastic finishes and big-time upsets. We saw the Raiders go into Pittsburgh as a 6.5-point underdog and come away with a win.
It was a wild week in the NFL, and it sets the stage for another great slate of games heading into Week 3.
Here are our best bets for Week 3 in our NFL prediction and picks series. All odds are current as of Monday, September 20.
Marcus Mosher’s NFL Betting Record: 10-2
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NFL Week 3 Best Bets
Seattle Seahawks vs. Minnesota Vikings
Both the Seahawks and the Vikings are coming off crushing Week 2 losses. But which team can bounce back in Week 3?
Minnesota’s defense is a big problem, as they have been gashed through the air by Joe Burrow and Kyler Murray. It doesn’t get any easier for them this week, as Russell Wilson is playing incredibly well right now. Without much of a pass rush, it’s difficult to see how the Vikings will slow him down.
Seattle’s run defense continues to be an issue, so keep an eye on that during this game as Dalvin Cook is among the best backs in football.
However, if the Seahawks can force the Vikings to be one-dimensional, they shouldn’t have any problem winning this game.
Seahawks vs Vikings Prediction: Seahawks 31, Vikings 24
Seahawks vs Vikings Best Bet: Seahawks -1 (-110) on BetMGM
There was really no reason for the Seahawks to lose in Week 2. They were up 30-16 on the Titans with just over 13 minutes left in the fourth quarter.
However, from that point on, the Seahawks were only able to gain one first down in the rest of the quarter and overtime.
Despite their 1-1 record, the Seahawks are just the far better team, making this our pick of the day. They should win this game on Sunday, potentially by a touchdown or more.
Take Seattle with confidence in Week 3, as the offense should score into the 30s in this game.
- Read our full Seahawks vs Vikings NFL Week 3 predictions and best bets.
Seahawks vs Vikings Best Bet: Under 55.5 (-110) on BetMGM
55.5 is the highest Over/Under of the week, and it’s not hard to understand why. Both teams have major issues in their secondary and the pass rushes can come and go.
However, look for both teams to try to establish the run, as they will want to keep their defense off the field. Despite the poor performance in Week 2, it’s worth noting that the Under has hit in eight of the last 11 games for the Seahawks.
Expect that to be the case again here in this NFC battle.
- Looking for more NFL Week 3 betting tips? Check out our NFL Week 3 Parlay Picks and Predictions.
The Minnesota Vikings will look to get the run established early behind Dalvin Cook when they take on the Seattle Seahawks in Week 3.
Arizona Cardinals vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
One of the most surprising 2-0 teams of the NFL season is the Arizona Cardinals. The offense has been lights-out, scoring a combined 72 points in the first two games of the season.
They are big-time favorites in Week 3 as they travel to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars. The talent differential in this game is substantial, and it’s hard to envision the Jaguars hanging in this game.
After all, Jacksonville put up a mere 13 points in Week 2, scoring just seven points in the first 55 minutes of their game against the Broncos.
Look for the Cardinals to get another win and dismantle the Jaguars here in Week 3. This game shouldn’t be all that competitive.
Cardinals vs Jaguars Prediction: Cardinals 31, Jaguars 17
Cardinals vs Jaguars Best Bet: Cardinals -7 (-110) on BetMGM
This line feels off for a variety of reasons. Jacksonville’s offense really struggles outside of late-game garbage time situations, and the Arizona defense is going to present a lot of problems in this game.
If the Cardinals can continue to be an elite offense, this game has a chance to be a blowout early. The Cardinals should be favored by double-digits, so getting them at -7 is a steal.
Don’t be afraid to rush out and take this NFL bet of the day now before it moves up later in the week.
Cardinals vs Jaguars Best Bet: Under 52 (-110) on BetMGM
The Cardinals should be able to score 30-33 points in this game. The Jaguars can not. That means the Under is the smart bet here, as the Jaguars could really struggle to get to 20 points given the state of their offensive line.
It’s worth noting that despite Kyler Murray’s big performances as of late, the Under has hit in six of the last nine games for the Cardinals. Look for that trend to continue here in Week 3.
- Read our full Cardinals vs Jaguars NFL Week 3 predictions and best bets.
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
After an impressive Week 1 win over the Vikings, the Bengals looked completely lost in Week 2. They failed to secure a win against the Bears, who accumulated just 86 passing yards. Joe Burrow threw three interceptions and was never comfortable in the pocket.
Things don’t get any easier for the Bengals in Week 3. Their offensive line will be tested once again against arguably the best pass rush in football.
The defense for the Steelers should keep them in this game, while Ben Roethlisberger just needs to make enough plays on offense to keep the chains moving.
This might not be the most well-played game, as we can see in the NFL gameday odds, but look for the Steelers to get back on track and get a much-needed AFC North win.
Bengals vs. Steelers Prediction: Steelers 21, Bengals 17
Bengals vs. Steelers Best Bet: Steelers Moneyline (-225) on BetMGM
The Bengals have not had a lot of success in Pittsburgh during the Mike Tomlin era. In fact, they have lost 11 of their last 12 games against the Steelers at Heinz Field.
Tomlin does a pretty good job of beating division opponents, and I would expect that to be the case again. It just doesn’t feel very likely that the Steelers drop back-to-back games at home.
Taking the Steelers on the moneyline, even at subpar odds, is a smart bet this week.
Bengals vs. Steelers Best Bet: Under 44.5 points (-110) on BetMGM
The Steelers could be without T.J. Watt (groin) in this game, but their interior defensive line should contain Burrow. Pittsburgh’s offense also hasn’t shown many signs of life and this just feels like a low-scoring AFC North battle.
Both offenses will likely struggle to throw the ball downfield, meaning we won’t see many explosive plays in this game. A 20-17 type of game feels very likely.
- Read our full Bengals vs Steelers NFL Week 3 predictions and best bets.
Still trying to make sense of a crazy NFL Week 2? Check out our NFL Week 3 Power Rankings along with our Run It Back series on Instagram:
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