Week 3 brings a chance for surprising 0-2 clubs like the Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans to get their first wins and start building momentum toward the playoffs — and it features the NFL’s third-ever regular-season game in Brazil, the league’s first in Rio de Janeiro. Below is a roundup of expert spreads, analyses and score predictions gathered from CBS Sports and SportsLine, including model-driven projections and picks from several staff and SportsLine analysts.
General note: SportsLine’s consensus model runs every game 10,000 times and its top-rated NFL picks have returned strong results for bettors since the model launched.
Chargers at Bills
– Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (FOX) — Stream on fubo
– Opening line: Bills -7, O/U 50
– Take: John Breech doubts the Chargers have settled in after two surprising losses and points to Josh Allen’s hot start (multiple TDs early in the season) and Buffalo’s momentum. He also notes Justin Herbert has been under heavy pressure and struggling on deeper throws. Prediction: Bills cover; 31-20 Bills.
Panthers at Browns
– Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (FOX) — Stream on fubo
– Opening line: Panthers -3, O/U 40.5
– Take: SportsLine’s Eric Cohen remains skeptical about a sustained Deshaun Watson comeback and trusts Carolina’s offense after back-to-back 30+ point games. He expects a couple of late Watson turnovers to swing the game. Prediction: Panthers 22, Browns 16.
Jets at Lions
– Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (FOX) — Stream on fubo
– Opening line: Lions -7, O/U 48
– Take: Pete Prisco notes Detroit’s extra rest and a matchup advantage against Aaron Glenn’s Jets. He expects the Lions’ offense to eke out a win in a competitive game. Prediction: Lions 28, Jets 23.
Texans at Colts
– Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (CBS) — Stream on Paramount+
– Opening line: Texans -1.5, O/U 43.5
– Take: Jordan Dajani isn’t overly worried about Houston’s 0-2 start given its tough early schedule, though he calls out both teams’ recent defensive struggles and Houston’s missing receivers. He backs the Texans to get their first win on the road. Prediction: Texans 27, Colts 21.
Patriots at Jaguars
– Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (CBS) — Stream on Paramount+
– Opening line: Jaguars -2.5, O/U 44.5
– Take: Jared Dubin believes Jacksonville’s offense has shown flashes of efficiency and explosiveness that should be enough to handle a Patriots team that hasn’t impressed yet. Prediction: Jaguars 23, Patriots 17.
Chiefs at Dolphins
– Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (CBS) — Stream on Paramount+
– Opening line: Chiefs -10.5, O/U 45
– Take: SportsLine’s R.J. White warns that while the Chiefs will be a popular survivor-pool pick against Miami, there may be smarter, less obvious options; White lays out alternatives at SportsLine.
Titans at Giants
– Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (CBS) — Stream on Paramount+
– Opening line: Giants -6, O/U 43
– Take: Pete Prisco expects the Giants to rally behind Jameis Winston with starter Jaxson Dart unavailable, and predicts New York will hand Tennessee another loss. Prediction: Giants 23, Titans 14.
Bengals at Steelers
– Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (CBS) — Stream on Paramount+
– Opening line: Bengals -3.5, O/U 43.5
– Take: Jordan Dajani points to Cincinnati’s resurgent defense and Pittsburgh’s very slow offense through two weeks. He thinks the Bengals will win by at least a touchdown. Prediction: Bengals by 7.
Seahawks at Commanders
– Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (FOX) — Stream on fubo
– Opening line: Seahawks -6, O/U 41.5
– Take: Tyler Sullivan highlights the Commanders’ quarterback injury issues and questions about Marcus Mariota’s ability to produce consistently; meanwhile Seattle’s defense has been stingy through two games and the road team has a strong recent away record. Prediction: Seahawks 27, Commanders 17.
Cardinals at 49ers
– Time: Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET (FOX) — Stream on fubo
– Opening line: 49ers -8.5, O/U 47.5
– Take: Pete Prisco sees San Francisco as one of the league’s best teams so far and expects Brock Purdy and the 49ers’ offense to outpace Arizona. Prediction: 49ers 30, Cardinals 17.
Vikings at Buccaneers
– Time: Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET (FOX) — Stream on fubo
– Opening line: Vikings -2.5, O/U 44.5
– Take: SportsLine’s Josh Nagel continues to push teaser plays and high-value tickets; he’s eyeing some home underdogs, including Tampa Bay, as part of his teaser strategy. See SportsLine for his specific teaser advice.
Ravens at Cowboys (in Rio de Janeiro)
– Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (CBS) — Stream on Paramount+
– Opening line: Ravens -3, O/U 52
– Take: John Breech expects Baltimore’s running game to exploit a Dallas rush defense that has struggled early, and he notes the special circumstance of this game being played in Rio (which could affect field conditions). Prediction: Ravens 34, Cowboys 27.
Raiders at Saints
– Time: Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS) — Stream on Paramount+
– Opening line: Saints -3, O/U 44
– Take: Breech admits he’s uncertain about both teams — the Raiders have been surprisingly effective and the Saints have been close to flipping results — but ultimately backs New Orleans to win a tight game. Prediction: Saints 27, Raiders 24.
Rams at Broncos (Sunday Night Football)
– Time: Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC) — Stream on fubo
– Opening line: Rams -2.5, O/U 45.5
– Take: SportsLine’s Larry Hartstein, who’s been on a strong run betting on Rams games, has picked a side of this spread; his full reasoning and his selection are posted on SportsLine.
Eagles at Bears (Monday Night)
– Time: Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET (ABC) — Stream on fubo
– Opening line: Eagles -3.5, O/U 44.5
– Take: Emory Hunt, who specializes in how QB injuries affect games, notes uncertainty around the Bears’ quarterback situation (Caleb Williams/Tyson Bagent) and has a clear lean on one side of the line — his pick and analysis are available at SportsLine.
Fan Take: Week 3 could be a turning point for several early underperformers — how teams respond to bad starts now will shape division races and playoff odds. Fans should pay attention to injuries, offensive line play and which defenses are properly clicking, because these factors will determine whether surprise squads stay relevant or the league’s favorites pull away.
Source: www.cbssports.com
