The Philadelphia sports scene is never happy for too long.
The Eagles are coming off a Super Bowl and have lost once since last Sept. 29. But the slow start by the offense is giving Eagles fans something to worry about. And the angst is fair.
The Eagles haven't played well on offense, especially in the passing game. Jalen Hurts has 253 passing yards through two games. They got by against the Cowboys and Chiefs, but the offense doesn't look anywhere close to a finished product. And the tests keep coming.
The Los Angeles Rams are also 2-0 and they haven't been perfect either, but they look like a contender in the NFC. Puka Nacua and Davante Adams give them more than enough firepower on offense. The defensive front is fierce. And of course, the Rams were the only team to give the Eagles a challenge last postseason. The memories of how close that game was are a little skewed — the Rams trailed 28-15 with less than five minutes left before a rally, though they were 13 yards from taking the lead in the final minute — but the Rams can compete with Philadelphia.
At some point the Eagles will come alive. The roster is tremendous. They'll get in a situation in which they have to open up the offense, speeding up the pace and throwing it downfield much more than they have so far this season, and they're capable of doing that. The Rams are very good, but the Eagles are a tier better. I'll take them as a 3.5-point favorite in what should be one of the games of the week. And if the Eagles lose, you know the reaction in Philly won't be a quiet one.
Here are the NFL Week 3 picks, with all odds from BetMGM:
Bills (-12.5) over Dolphins
If you've followed the NFL picks here over the years, you might recall that double-digit favorites are not a regular item on the menu. But with how bad the Dolphins defense has been, how good the Bills offense has looked and the short turnaround for a road game on a Thursday for a Miami team that already looks like it's spiraling, the Bills are reluctantly the pick.
Browns (+8) over Packers
It won't be a fun season taking the Browns over and over this season, but they're getting too many points again. Cleveland's defense is pretty good. The Packers look like the best team in football, but this is their first road test. It's not a pleasure to back the Browns, but they'll cover plenty of big spreads this season.
Bengals (+3) over Vikings
If the change from J.J. McCarthy to Carson Wentz was Minnesota's only issue, maybe the pick would be different. McCarthy hasn't exactly been impressive. But the Vikings are waiting on good injury news for offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw and center Ryan Kelly, and running back Aaron Jones is on injured reserve. Defensive end Andrew Van Ginkel and safety Harrison Smith were out last week too. The Bengals have to turn to Jake Browning, but the Vikings are really beat up.
Steelers (-1.5) over Patriots
The Patriots looked like a potential breakout team this season. So far we have seen them lose at home to the Raiders (who looked awful in Week 2) and then almost lose to the Dolphins (who looked awful in Week 1). I'm not sold on the Steelers, especially their suddenly poor defense, but the Patriots have been very disappointing.
Jets (+7) over Buccaneers
Tampa Bay keeps getting by, which is commendable. They're 2-0 with road wins against the Falcons and Texans as they deal with injuries. But the injuries are significant, especially on the offensive line. The Jets defense has been a big letdown, but there is talent on that side. Quarterback Justin Fields is out, but Tyrod Taylor is a capable backup. The Buccaneers might win but as usual for them, it won't be easy.
Commanders (-3.5) over Raiders
The NFL did the Raiders dirty this week. The Commanders played last Thursday night, giving them nine days off between games. The Raiders played the latest possible game on the regular season schedule, the second game of a Monday night doubleheader. And then the Raiders have to go on the road and play an early game on the East Coast. How does the NFL justify that? Even if Jayden Daniels doesn't play or is limited, that scheduling disadvantage is enough to take Washington.
Panthers (+6) over Falcons
The Panthers have looked terrible this season. I'm not giving them too much credit for fourth quarter rallies after they fall behind by 20. The Falcons have looked better, but the Vikings' struggles played a role in their Week 2 win. This is a "we pick every game every week" pick, taking the points with little confidence in Carolina.
Jaguars (-2) over Texans
That was a miserable loss by the Jaguars on Sunday. They had many chances to put the Bengals away, but bad decisions by Trevor Lawrence, dropped passes by his receivers and a defense that couldn't stop Jake Browning when it mattered led to blowing a fourth-quarter lead. It's hard to take them again, but the Texans offense looks utterly broken.
Titans (+3.5) over Colts
Which game looks the most obvious this week? Maybe it's the Colts, who have not even punted yet, against an 0-2 Titans team? Let's see how the Colts look in their first road test.
Broncos (+3) over Chargers
The Chargers have been very good in two tough games away from home. Yet, the Broncos aren't going anywhere just because they took a really bad leverage penalty on a missed field goal that would have won the game against the Colts. This is a tremendous matchup. I'll take the points.
Seahawks (-7.5) over Saints
I don't love the spread being more than a touchdown, but I'm buying Seahawks stock now. The defense looks very good. The offense was a lot better in Week 2. And the Saints are 0-2 against the spread, after playing two home games. If this game was played a month from now, the spread might be double digits.
49ers (-2.5) over Cardinals
Hey look, another quarterback looked good in Kyle Shanahan's offense. What a surprise. I'm not sold on the Cardinals' 2-0 start, especially given a lukewarm start on offense. Brock Purdy has a chance to play, although the 49ers showed last week they are fine with Mac Jones at QB.
Cowboys (-1) over Bears
The Bears defense gave up 52 points and still might have been better than the Cowboys, who let Russell Wilson torch them for 450 yards. Dallas' cornerbacks are struggling, which happens when you don't have a great pass rush, which would have been helped by having ... ah, nevermind. It's hard to trust either side, but I give the slight edge to the Cowboys and their more reliable offense. Especially with the Bears dealing with a few defensive injuries.
Giants (+6.5) over Chiefs
Are the Chiefs really going to 0-3 with a loss to the Giants? Probably not. But the Giants did play well last week, at least on offense. And Kansas City still has massive offensive issues. They can't run the ball and have no dangerous pass catchers. That's a problem. And remember, it's an NFL rule that all Chiefs games must be close.
Lions (+5) over Ravens
What a matchup for Monday night. The Lions showed last week they're just fine when they're not facing the Packers' defense. The Ravens have scored 40 points in back to back games. This is going to be a fun one. I hate going against Lamar Jackson, especially in prime time, but the line is a little high for a quality opponent. And with the Lions' offense, the backdoor cover is always open if needed.
Last week: 4-12
Season to date: 14-17-1
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