Travel and time zones have already proved important (remember the Australia games), and Week 3 features several matchups where travel and body clocks could be factors. Two West Coast clubs kick off at 1 p.m. ET on the East Coast: the Chargers head to Buffalo (Bills -7 in Week 3 lines) and the Seahawks travel to Washington (Seahawks -7), with the Commanders likely missing Jayden Daniels for an extended stretch due to an elbow injury. Claim the latest Polymarket promo code CBSSPORTS to get a $50 bonus after $10 in trades.
No teams travel quite like the Cowboys and Ravens this week: Dallas vs. Baltimore will be played in Rio de Janeiro in the NFL’s first-ever Rio Game. Although the Cowboys are the designated home team, sportsbooks list them as 3.5-point underdogs. All updated Week 3 lines are shown below, and SportsLine’s computer model has locked in picks for every game on the slate.
The SportsLine model runs each matchup 10,000 times and, according to the outlet, has produced more than $7,000 in profit for $100 bettors on its top-rated NFL picks since it began. The model enters Week 3 on a 53-41 streak for top-rated picks going back to 2024 and has now applied its simulations to the latest Week 3 odds to generate recommendations for every game. See every pick at SportsLine. New traders can also check the Kalshi promo code CBSSPORTS55 to receive a $55 bonus after $25+ in trades.
Top Week 3 predictions from the model include:
– Lions (-6.5, 47.5) vs. Jets (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET): Detroit is expected to cover the spread. The Lions often respond well after losses—Dan Campbell has a track record of getting strong follow-up performances—and Detroit is 12-3 against the spread after a loss since 2023 (an 80% cover rate). The model favors Detroit to cover in well over 60% of its simulations.
– 49ers (-8.5, 47.5) vs. Cardinals (home): San Francisco is projected to cover and win by double digits in most simulations. Through two weeks the 49ers rank among the NFL’s top five in both scoring offense and defense and are also near the top in red-zone efficiency on both sides. Arizona comes in off a 24-point home defeat to a backup QB in Seattle and ranks in the bottom 10 in both rushing and passing offense, so the model forecasts the Niners winning comfortably and the game hitting the Over in nearly 60% of sims.
The model also provides projected winners and covers for every other Week 3 matchup and has identified five A-rated spread plays that could be especially lucrative. For the full list of picks and the model’s breakdowns, visit SportsLine.
Fan Take: Travel-heavy scheduling and an international game in Brazil make Week 3 a meaningful test of team resilience and could influence how franchises approach logistics and player rest going forward. For fans, these matchups not only affect betting markets but also signal the NFL’s continued push into new markets, which could grow the sport’s global footprint.
Source: www.cbssports.com
