NFL Week 3 picks: Titans shock Browns in Cleveland, Vikings win thriller over Chargers, 49ers destroy Giants

I wish to get started issues off right here via noting that I realized a vital lesson in Week 2 and that lesson is that you just will have to NEVER flip off an NFL recreation early. I do not care if your own home is burning down, be able to depart the sport on, as a result of if you happen to flip it off, there is a 100% probability that you can leave out some type of loopy comeback. 

Case in level: With the Giants trailing the Cardinals 28-7 in the second one part, I nearly became off the sport so I may just clip my finger nails (which used to be far more thrilling than anything else the Giants had been doing at that time), however fortunately, I did not, for the reason that Giants ended up profitable 31-28. 

I additionally nearly became off the Commanders recreation once they had been trailing 21-3 to Denver, however then I remembered that they had been enjoying the Broncos and no person is aware of blow a lead higher than the Broncos. I will be able to by no means be turning off a recreation early ever once more. Well, until it is the Bears. It hurts my head to look at them play.

One factor that does not harm my head is making choices, so let’s get to these. 

Actually, prior to we get to the choices, here is a fast reminder that you’ll be able to take a look at the weekly choices from each CBSSports.com NFL professional via clicking right here. The explanation why you will have to click on over and take a look at the opposite professionals this week is to look how badly Jamey Eisenberg embarrassed everybody. Jamey is a senior delusion author right here at CBSSports.com, however it seems that, we wish to make him our senior playing author, as a result of he is been crushing it in opposition to the unfold this 12 months with a document of 19-12-1 thru two weeks. 

I may have to start out copying his choices. Just kidding. I’ve the second-best document, I do not wish to replica any individual. If anything else, they will have to replica me. OK, let’s get to the choices for actual this time. 

NFL Week 3 choices

N.Y. Giants (1-1) at San Francisco (2-0)

Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET (Amazon Prime)

I handiest have one rule in terms of making NFL picks and that rule is that I’ve to select in opposition to Daniel Jones each time he is enjoying in high time. For the easier a part of a decade, Andy Dalton used to be the laughingstock of primetime soccer, however I’m lovely positive that honor now belongs to Jones, who’s more than likely going to ultimately ask the NFL to prevent hanging him in primetime video games. 

Over the process his profession, Jones has a document of 1-10 in high time, which incorporates a 40-0 loss to the Cowboys in Week 1. In the ones 11 video games, Jones had thrown extra interceptions (15) than touchdowns (12) and the Giants 10 losses have come via a mean of 12.4 issues. 

Unfortunately for Jones, issues are not going to be getting any higher this week for the reason that Giants are dealing with a matchup nightmare on Thursday night time. If you are the Giants, the best way to take drive off of Jones is to get your run recreation going, however that possibility is most likely going to be off the desk since Saquon Barkley would possibly not be enjoying after struggling an ankle damage in Week 2. 

This implies that the Giants offense goes to single-handedly revolve round Jones, which turns out like a crisis ready to occur. Jones has already been sacked 10 instances this 12 months, which is the second one maximum in the NFL, and that general may double on Thursday night time with a banged up Giants offensive line dealing with a 49ers protection that incorporates the reigning defensive participant of the 12 months (Nick Bosa). Asking the Giants offensive line to prevent Bosa is like asking me to prevent a bus at the interstate with my naked arms. It’s simply no longer going to finish neatly. 

As you’ll be able to more than likely already inform, I do not believe this recreation goes to finish neatly for the Giants. 

The pick out: 49ers 31-17 over Giants. 

Tennessee (1-1) at Cleveland (1-1)

1 p.m. ET (CBS)

If there is one staff in the NFL that has confused me greater than every other, it is without a doubt the Titans. When it comes to selecting their video games, I’m 2-0 in opposition to the unfold, however I’m 0-2 straight-up. When I believe they’ll zig, they zig, but if I believe they’ll zag, they devour Fruit Loops. I’ve were given them 50% discovered, because of this 50% of the time, I do not know what is going on with this staff. 

I have never been this perplexed for the reason that first time I watched “Tenet.”

The Browns performed on Monday night time in Week 2, because of this they are going to be heading into the Tennessee recreation on a brief week and let me simply say that Derrick Henry is the ultimate man I wish to be seeking to take on if I’m coming off a brief week. 

The Browns have one of the crucial ultimate pass-rushes in soccer, however that does not in reality do you any excellent when the opposite staff is not throwing it and I do not believe we will see them throw too many passes on Sunday (Ryan Tannehill handiest threw 24 passes in Week 2). The Titans are at their ultimate when they can shorten the sport, which is mainly their recreation plan each week. They run the ball and run the ball and run the ball to stay the clock operating, after which prior to you realize it, it is the fourth quarter and you might be down 3 and you haven’t any thought what is going on to any extent further. And that is when their protection punches you in the mouth. That’s Mike Vrabel soccer in a nutshell. 

The Titans have a excellent protection, and thru two weeks, I’ve no longer observed a unmarried factor from Deshaun Watson that makes me assume he can transfer the ball in opposition to a excellent protection. Also, the lack of Nick Chubb looks like a intestine punch to this staff and they’d want greater than every week to get better from that. 

The Browns must play on a brief week after an emotional loss, which turns out like the very best spot for the Titans to enter Cleveland and thieve a win. 

The pick out: Titans 19-16 over Browns

L.A. Chargers (0-2) at Minnesota (0-2)

1 p.m. ET (Fox)

I do not know the way it took place, however a recreation that includes two winless groups could be the most productive recreation at the agenda this week. Well, it may not be the most productive, but it surely will have to definitely be probably the most entertaining. For one, you have got the Chargers, who discover a new solution to lose each week. Let’s see what that new means used to be in Week 2: 

That could be very inventive, Chargers. For a moment, I did not assume it used to be conceivable for them to get a hold of a brand new solution to lose, however then they did. 

As for the Vikings, they are nearly as entertaining because the Chargers and that’s the reason as a result of each recreation they play in is made up our minds via one rating. Last 12 months, that used to be a excellent factor, for the reason that Vikings gained all their one-score video games, going 11-0. This 12 months, the regulation of averages in the end stuck as much as them and they are now 0-2 in one-score video games. The regulation of averages at all times will get you. I realized that in school. 

Through two weeks, the Chargers have given up extra passing yards than any staff in the NFL, and now, they have got to stand the staff that has arguably the most productive vast receiver in the league in Justin Jefferson. I’m no longer positive what the NFL document is for receiving yards in a recreation, however Jefferson may get it in one quarter in opposition to the Chargers. OK, so I seemed up the document and it is 336 yards. I do not believe Jefferson gets that in one quarter, however he may get it in one part. 

This recreation looks like a shootout ready to occur with the Vikings handiest profitable after the Chargers invent some other not possible solution to lose. If the Chargers do lose this recreation and drop to 0-3, Brandon Staley’s scorching seat goes to be the similar temperature as the outside of the solar. 

The pick out: Vikings 34-31 over Chargers

New Orleans (2-0) at Green Bay (1-1)

1 p.m. ET (Fox)

Out of all of the video games in Week 3, this one intrigues me probably the most and that’s the reason most commonly as a result of I nonetheless do not know what to make of both staff. The factor concerning the Packers is that I’m nonetheless no longer precisely positive how excellent they’re this 12 months. They more than likely will have to be 2-0, however they are no longer, as a result of their protection had a complete meltdown in the fourth quarter in opposition to the Falcons in Week 2 (Green Bay used to be main 24-12 in the fourth prior to shedding 25-24). 

I wish to consider in Jordan Love, however I’m no longer positive if I will. Yes, he has the best possible QB score in the league and sure, he is tied for the NFL lead in landing passes thru two weeks, however he additionally utterly melted down in the fourth quarter in opposition to the Falcons, going 0-for-6 in crunch time. If you might be studying this at the moment, you finished as many fourth quarter passes as Love did in Week 2 and when random other folks on the web are finishing as many passes as you in the fourth quarter of a recreation, that is without a doubt no longer a excellent factor. 

Also, I’m no longer positive I will agree with Jordan Love as a result of he tried to run what may cross down because the worst QB sneak of all-time. 

If you’ll be able to’t run a QB sneak, I will’t agree with you to run anything else. Although Love has seemed excellent thru two weeks, the Saints would be the ultimate protection that he is confronted this season and I may just see him suffering. The Saints protection has handiest given up one landing all 12 months and that got here in rubbish time, so I’m no longer even positive it counts. 

After spending the primary two video games of the season at the street, this would be the Packer’s house opener and I hate choosing in opposition to them in their house opener, so I’m no longer going to do it. Surprise! I’m taking Green Bay. I believe those groups are lovely even, however I give the slight edge to the Packers for the reason that Saints were given dealt a brutal hand via the NFL schedule-maker: They must play at the street on a brief week. 

They needed to play a street Monday recreation in Week 2, and now, they have got to show round and play at the street once more in Week 3. They’re the one staff in the NFL this 12 months that has to play at the street following a street Monday recreation, so I believe what I’m announcing is that the schedule-maker obviously hates the Saints. 

The pick out: Packers 23-20 over Saints. 

L.A. Rams (1-1) at Cincinnati (0-2)

Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET (ESPN)

The Bengals have handiest performed two video games and their whole season is already beginning to fall aside. If you learn those choices continuously, you realize that I’m a Bengals homer and let me simply say that my panic stage is at DEFCON 3, which I believe is the center DEFCON, however I will’t say needless to say, as a result of I will’t ever have in mind how the DEFCON quantity machine works and I’m too lazy to Google it. 

The level this is that I’m feeling concurrently constructive and pessimistic about the remainder of their season. 

On one hand, I’m no longer involved in any respect, for the reason that Bengals have made it a dependancy of falling on their face to start out the season. This is Joe Burrow’s fourth 12 months in the NFL and his profession document all the way through the primary two weeks of the season is 1-7. That manner the Bengals nearly at all times lose their first two video games, after which they nearly at all times get better. As an issue of truth, they began 0-2 ultimate 12 months prior to making it all of the solution to the AFC name recreation.

That being mentioned, this 12 months feels somewhat other. The 0-2 get started this 12 months is worse for the reason that Bengals misplaced two divisional video games. Also, Burrow has been dangerous: According to our analysis staff, he is 0 for 12 on passes of 15 or extra air yards this season. Basically, he can not hit the massive play, which is a big a part of the Bengals offense. 

Oh, and let’s no longer put out of your mind that Burrow annoyed his calf damage, because of this if he is at the box this week, he isn’t going to be 100%. Not handiest is Burrow must care for his calf damage on Monday night time, however he’ll be dealing with Aaron Donald, who’s just about the ultimate person who any quarterback desires to stand, particularly when they are hobbled. 

This looks like a make-or-break recreation for the Bengals season. Although Burrow has a tendency to fight in the primary two weeks, he at all times turns out to determine issues out via Week 3 and that is Week 3, so I’m going to mention he figures issues out simply sufficient to overcome the Rams. If for some explanation why Burrow does not play because of his calf damage, I will be able to 100% be converting this pick out to the Rams, however for now, I’m taking the Bengals. 

The pick out: Bengals 23-20 over Rams. 

NFL Week 3 choices: All the remaining

Lions 24-17 over Falcons
Dolphins 27-20 over Broncos
Patriots 20-17 over Jets
Bills 30-23 over Commanders
Jaguars 27-17 over Texans
Ravens 31-20 over Colts
Seahawks 30-20 over Panthers
Chiefs 34-23 over Bears
Cowboys 30-16 over Cardinals
Steelers 19-16 over Raiders
Eagles 27-24 over Buccaneers

Last Week

Best pick out: Last week, I predicted that the Falcons would beat the Packers in a thriller and bet what took place? The Falcons beat the Packers in a thriller. Now, did I do know that Freddie the Falcon used to be going to offload cheese all over a Packers fan? Of path, I did. The very first thing they train you in mascot faculty is that you just at all times wish to have a bucket of cheese able in case you want to pour it on a Packers fan. 

Clearly, Freddie the Falcon paid very shut consideration all the way through his time at mascot faculty. 

Worst pick out: I’m no longer positive what I used to be ingesting ultimate week, but it surely will have to had been one thing sturdy, as a result of I come what may satisfied myself that the Texans had been going to overcome the Colts. Going into the season, the overall consensus used to be that Houston used to be going to be one of the crucial worst groups in the NFL this 12 months, however I selected to forget about the overall consensus and pick out the Texans to overcome the Colts. In my protection, after I discovered that the overall consensus does not like pineapple on pizza, I finished trusting it. Pineapple is among the 3 ultimate toppings that you’ll be able to placed on a pizza and I will be able to no longer be satisfied differently. If the Texans had performed as excellent as pineapple tastes on pizza, they might have gained via seven touchdowns, however they did not. If the Texans had been a pizza topping, they might be anchovies. 

Picks Record

Straight up in Week 2: 11-5
SU total: 19-13

Against the unfold in Week 2: 9-6-1
ATS total: 18-13-1

You can to find John Breech (*3*) or Twitter and if he isn’t doing a type of issues, he is more than likely consuming consuming a bucket filled with nacho cheese with Freddie Falcon.