Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Week 3 NFL picks and best bets for the Sun’s handicapping contest

Chris Carson

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Seattle Seahawks running back Chris Carson (32) takes the hand off from quarterback Russell Wilson (3) during an NFC wild-card NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019.

Only one competitor in the Sun’s NFL handicapping contest stands 2-0 on best bets through two weeks.

To keep the perfect streak alive, he’ll need the Seahawks to defend their home field as 4-point favorites against the Drew Brees-less Saints this afternoon. Seattle is one of the most popular picks this week in the contest, which requires six selections a week from the Westgate Supercontest lines.

Like the Seahawks, the Chargers and Falcons also drew picks from two of the four competing sports writers as a 3-point favorite over the Texans and 1.5-point underdog over the Colts, respectively.

Read below for all of our week 3 NFL picks.

Case Keefer

Points: 8 (7-5)

Broncos plus-7.5 at Packers

Vikings minus-8.5 vs. Raiders

Panthers plus-3 at Cardinals

Chargers minus-3 vs. Texans

Steelers plus-6.5 at 49ers

Two-point best bet: Browns plus-3 vs. Rams. The last two weeks, I’ve gone with a good number as my best bet. This week, I’m doing the opposite — at least by the market’s consensus opinion. Cleveland is now a 3.5-point underdog so I’m not getting an extra half-point, but I just don’t see it. The Rams might be the most overvalued team in the NFL right now; they don’t deserve to lay this many points to a team as talented as the Browns on the road.

Justin Emerson

Points: 8 (6-6)

Chiefs minus-6.5 vs. Ravens

Falcons plus-1.5 at Colts

Chargers minus-3 vs. Texans

Dolphins plus-21.5 at Cowboys

Cardinals minus-3 vs. Panthers

Two-point best bet: Seahawks minus-4 vs. Saints. The Seahawks overcame a Week 1 hiccup against Cincinnati at home to nearly reverse-cover the Steelers as road dogs last week. The Saints don’t do well on the west coast, and they’ll be doing it this time without Drew Brees.

Ray Brewer

Points: 6 (5-7)

Packers minus-7.5 vs. Broncos

Falcons plus-1.5 at Colts

Raiders plus-8.5 at Vikings

Giants plus-6.5 at Buccaneers

Redskins plus-4 vs. Bears

Two-point best bet: Rams minus-3 at Browns. The Browns, on a short week after playing on Monday Night Football, simply don’t have the offensive weapons to match the Rams. Baker Mayfield is an interception waiting to happen. Last week, he completed just 54 percent of his passes, and minus a long catch-and-run from Odell Beckham Jr., struggles throwing the ball down field.

Mike Grimala

Points: 5 (4-8)

Falcons plus-1.5 at Colts

Ravens plus-6.5 at Chiefs

Patriots minus-22.5 vs. Jets

Seahawks minus-4 vs. Saints

49ers minus-6.5 vs. Steelers

Two-point best bet: Packers minus-7.5 vs. Broncos. The Packers’ offense isn’t quite operating at 100 percent yet, but we saw more flashes in Week 2. Meanwhile, the Broncos look dead on arrival. A good game from Aaron Rodgers should cement a Green Bay cover.

Past Winners: 2012 — Case Keefer; 2013 — Case Keefer, Ray Brewer (tie); 2014 — Case Keefer; 2015 — Case Keefer; 2016 — Ray Brewer; 2017 — Case Keefer, Jesse Granger (tie); 2018 — Case Keefer

Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.

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