NFL odds, lines, picks, spreads, best bets, predictions for Week 3, 2021: Model high on Ravens, Raiders

The Kansas City Chiefs‘ offseason dream of going 20-0 ended last week when they fell to the Ravens, but the Chiefs will now try to rebound against the divisional-rival Chargers. That matchup is one of three divisional games on the Week 3 NFL schedule, as the Colts visit the Titans and the Steelers host the Bengals. Divisional games often end up closer than expected due to the familiarity between the teams, so that’s something to keep in mind when placing your Week 3 NFL bets.

Caesars Sportsbook lists the Chiefs as 6.5-point favorites in the latest Week 3 NFL odds. The Titans, fresh off an overtime win in Seattle, are five-point favorites over the Colts, who could be without quarterback Carson Wentz (ankle). These are just two of the nine games on the schedule with NFL spreads of a touchdown or less. All of the NFL lines are listed below, and before making any NFL picks on these games or others, be sure to see the Week 3 NFL predictions from the proven computer model at SportsLine. 

The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up almost $7,800 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception six-plus years ago. It went a sizzling 24-14 on top-rated NFL picks last season, returning more than $800. The model also enters Week 3 of the 2021 season on an incredible 122-81 run on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season.

The model also ranked in the top 10 on NFLPickWatch four of the past five years on straight-up NFL picks and beat more than 94 percent of CBS Sports Football Pick’em players four times during that span. Anyone who has followed it is way up.

Now, it has turned its attention to the latest Week 3 NFL odds from Caesars and locked in picks for every NFL matchup. Head here to see every pick.

Top Week 3 NFL predictions

One of the top Week 3 NFL predictions the model recommends: The Ravens (-8) cover the spread on the road against the Lions. Baltimore is coming off its biggest regular-season win of the Lamar Jackson era, as it finally knocked off the Chiefs. Jackson had been 0-3 against Kansas City before that game and the Ravens became the first team to pick off Patrick Mahomes in September.

Intercepting Jared Goff could be a much easier task since the former number one overall pick has eight interceptions over his last seven regular-season games. The worst loss of Goff’s career also came against the Ravens, who handed his Rams a 45-6 defeat in 2019 in which Goff threw two picks and no touchdowns.

Goff’s Lions allowed 41 points in Week 1, which means the team is picking up right where it left off in 2020. The Lions have now given up at least 40 points in three of their last four games and allowed 37 points in the other contest. The model sees Baltimore dominating, with Jackson rushing for more yards than D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams combined. That’s a big reason why it has Baltimore covering the nine-point spread in almost 60 percent of simulations.

Another one of the top Week 3 NFL picks from the model: The Raiders (-4) cover the spread at home against the Dolphins. Las Vegas is coming off one of the most remarkable wins by any team this season when it went into Pittsburgh and knocked off the Steelers. The Raiders passed for 373 yards, 100 more than Pittsburgh allowed in any game last year. It was also the most passing yards allowed by the Steelers at home in nearly six years.

Miami’s defense isn’t nearly as imposing ,and the Raiders could welcome back Josh Jacobs to help out in the run game. Vegas is projected to take advantage of the Dolphins’ defense just as Buffalo did last week, as four different Raiders are forecasted to reach 50 receiving yards. With Miami getting little on offense, the model projects the Raiders to cover in well over 50 percent of simulations. The model also says you should take the over (45) for total points scored since that hits 60 percent of the time.

How to make Week 3 NFL picks 

The model has also made the call on who wins and covers in every other game on the Week 3 NFL schedule, and it’s calling for a Super Bowl contender to go down hard. You can only get every pick for every game at SportsLine.

So what NFL picks can you make with confidence? And which Super Bowl contender goes down hard? Check out the latest NFL odds below, then visit SportsLine to see which teams win and cover the spread, all from a proven computer model that has returned almost $7,800 since its inception, and find out.

Week 3 NFL odds, spreads, lines

Thursday, Sept. 23

Panthers at Texans (+8, 43)

Sunday, Sept. 26

Cardinals at Jaguars (+7.5, 52)

Bengals at Steelers (-3, 43.5)

Colts at Titans (-5, 48)

Ravens at Lions (+8, 50)

Washington at Bills (-7.5, 45.5)

Saints at Patriots (-3, 42)

Chargers at Chiefs (-6.5, 54.5)

Falcons at Giants (-3, 47.5)

Bears at Browns (-7, 45.5)

Dolphins at Raiders (-4, 45)

Jets at Broncos (-10, 41.5)

Buccaneers at Rams (+1.5, 55.5)

Seahawks at Vikings (+1.5, 55.5)

Packers at 49ers (-3.5, 49.5)

Monday, Sept. 27

Eagles at Cowboys (-4, 51.5)