Best NFL Picks ATS for Week 3

All six of our recommended NFL picks against the spread won last week, but you have to have a short memory when betting on football. Week 3 presents 16 new matchups to predict. 

Keep reading to see my NFL picks ATS for Week 3 of the 2024-2025 season. I will highlight my favorite matchups to bet on this week at the best football betting sites. Also, I will explain why I recommend each bet for this week over at XBet.

New England Patriots (+6.5) at New York Jets (-6.5)

Kicking off my NFL expert picks against the spread for Week 3 is an AFC East matchup on Thursday Night Football. The Jets (1-1) will host the Patriots on TNF for New York’s home opener this season.

XBet has the Jets listed as 6.5-point favorites at home. 

New York struggled in Week 1 against San Francisco, but Rodgers and Company picked up a much-needed win on the road against Tennessee in Week 2. The Patriots, on the other hand, won on the road to start the season against Cincinnati but lost to Seattle in overtime at home last week. 

A touchdown spread for a divisional matchup is also a risky bet, especially with two defensive-led teams. The Jets have also struggled to move the ball against good defenses, and New England’s defense will be another tough matchup. 

It is the Jets home opener, and I expect New York to win. However, New England’s defense and rushing attack should help them be competitive in this game. I believe the Patriots can get after Rodgers on TNF and keep this game close. 

Los Angeles Chargers (+2.5) at Pittsburgh Steelers (-2.5)

Speaking of great defenses, the Steelers (2-0) are also playing their first home game of the season this weekend. They will host the Chargers (+2.5) in a matchup of surprising 2-0 teams. Los Angeles is the road underdog, but I believe they will cover the spread in this game. 

Pittsburgh has scored just 31 points and has only one touchdown through two games this season. Despite the struggles on offense, the Steelers’ defense has led them to two road wins to start the season. Containing the Chargers’ offense will be a much more arduous task. 

The Steelers held Denver’s Javonte Williams to just 17 yards on 11 attempts in Week 2. LA, by comparison, has seemingly revived JK Dobbins’ career, with the former Raven racking up 266 yards on just 27 attempts this season. I expect Jim Harbaugh to remain committed to the run this weekend in Pittsburgh. 

Another factor to consider is that LA just played in Carolina, and the Chargers are staying on the East Coast this week. As a result, they could avoid the usual fatigue that plagues West Coast teams who have to travel across the country for early afternoon games. The Steelers have a history of dropping games they are supposed to win, and I believe the Chargers can at least cover this weekend in Pittsburgh. 

Chicago Bears (+1.5) at Indianapolis Colts (-1.5)

Next on my list of NFL against the Spread picks for Week 3 is the matchup between Chicago and Indianapolis. The Bears are 1.5-point underdogs on the road this week.

Indianapolis is searching for its first win of the season, though, and looked out of sorts against the Packers in Week 2. 

The Colts’ defense only allowed 122 passing yards in the team’s 16-10 loss in Green Bay. On the other hand, Malik Willis completed 12 of his 14 passes, and Packers’ running back Josh Jacobs had 151 rushing yards on 32 carries. Indianapolis has a heavy favorite ahead of the game, with Jordan Love out with a knee injury. 

A major reason for Indy’s struggles this season has been the play of second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson. He has 416 passing yards and three passing TDs this year but has completed just 49.1% of his passes. Richardson also has 4 INTs already this season, including three in the team’s loss to the Packers. 

Chicago’s defense led them to a win in Week 1 and nearly had a repeat performance on Sunday Night Football against the Texans. I believe the Bears’ defense will force another subpar performance out of Richardson, leading to Chicago covering the spread, if not winning outright. 

Carolina Panthers (+7) at Las Vegas Raiders (-7)

One of the most shocking outcomes of Week 2 was the Raiders upsetting the Ravens in Baltimore, 26-23. Las Vegas was a 10-point underdog going into the game. I picked Las Vegas to cover last week, and I believe they will cover again this Sunday when they host Carolina. 

Usually, my football strategy would include something other than picking a team to cover a touchdown spread. I am making an exception in my Week 3 NFL picks against the spread for the Raiders this week. Carolina looks every bit as terrible as advertised, and they should struggle again this week on the road in Las Vegas. 

The Panthers have been outscored 73-13 through two games this season. Second-year quarterback Bryce Young has 245 passing yards, no TDs, and 3 INTs in his two starts this year. I expect Young to struggle again this weekend against the Raiders. 

Las Vegas is riding high after its big win in Baltimore, and the Panthers are the perfect opponent for a team looking to build momentum. The Raiders will come back down to earth soon, but it will come after they beat Carolina by more than a touchdown in Week 3. 

Baltimore Ravens (-1) at Dallas Cowboys (+1)

Before the season started, this Week 3 matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and the Dallas Cowboys was a marquee matchup of the early season.

Millions will watch this game closely, but it will be for a different reason than expected. Baltimore has yet to win a game, and Dallas’s blowout loss to New Orleans officially kicked off Derek Carr’s NFL MVP campaign. 

XBet has the Ravens as 1-point favorites on the road against the Cowboys. Baltimore is desperate for a win, but so is Dallas after a poor performance in its home opener. I believe this line is an overaction to the Cowboys’ loss last week, and Dallas will win outright at home. 

To the oddsmakers’ credit, Lamar Jackson is 20-3 against the NFC in his career. His last loss against an NFC team came against the Giants in Week 6 of 2022. I think the Cowboys will end Jackson’s winning streak against the NFC this weekend. 

Detroit Lions at Arizona Cardinals (+3) (-110)

The final spot on my list of the best NFL picks against the spread for Week 3 is Arizona +3.0 against the Detroit. Both teams are 1-1, but they are coming off of wildly different performances in Week 2. 

Detroit won its Wild Card rematch against the Rams in Week 1, 26-20. The Lions faced another playoff rematch in Week 2, losing to the Buccaneers 20-16. Jared Goff and the offense have started slow in both games this year, and their struggles in the red zone have been especially alarming. 

Arizona, conversely, lost a close game to the Bills in Buffalo to start the year and blew out the Rams 41-10 in Week 2. Despite the Cardinals playing at home again this week, they are 3-point underdogs.

If Arizona can start hot again, they will have a chance to win the game outright and should at least cover the spread.  

Betting on NFL Picks ATS in Week 3

Betting against the spread is one of the easiest and most popular ways to wager on football.

You can find my favorite NFL picks against the spread for Week 3 listed above. I detailed all my predictions, including my favorite pick for Week 3: Las Vegas Raiders (-7.0) against the Carolina Panthers. 

After reading my picks for this week, sign up at XBet sportsbook to wager on all your NFL picks ATS this weekend.

This sportsbook has competitive odds on every game and excellent sports bonuses, including a 100% crypto welcome deposit match worth up to $200.