NFL Trends and Indexes - Week 3 (Thur. Sep. 20 - Mon. Sep. 24)

[Udog]

BIG DAY AHEAD FOR HOWARD

Chicago coach Matt Nagy wasn’t happy about everything after Monday’s win over Seattle, telling reporters afterward that running back Jordan Howard needs “probably a few more carries.” He also said that the Bears need to have the lead for Howard to receive the “typical 8-10 fourth-quarter carries.” Well, the Bears have a very good chance of having a lead in the fourth quarter on Sunday as they visit the lifeless Arizona Cardinals as 5.5-point road favorites.

Howard’s total is set at 75.5 for Week 3. He reached that number in Week 1 at Green Bay with 82 yards but came up short with 35 yards at home against Seattle in Week 2, though it sounds like Nagy regrets not getting him more touches. Now Howard plays a defense that gave up 96 yards at home to Adrian Peterson in Week 1. We’re leaning towards the Over 75.5 for Howard’s rushing total.


RAIDERS GET GASHED

The Oakland Raiders are struggling with life after Khalil Mack with the defense giving up 154 yards per game on the ground so far. They were gashed by Todd Gurley for 108 in Week 1 and by the Philip Lindsey/Royce Freeman combo for 135 in Week 2. This week, Miami’s rushing combo of Kenyan Drake and Frank Gore gets to pad their stats. But which back can bettors trust?

Most would think Drake for yardage just because he’s younger and more explosive, but there’s no ignoring the fact that Gore has 18 touches through two games. There’s also the fact that Gore is averaging 4.8 yards per attempt to Drake’s 4.0. But the one place where Drake seems to have an edge is in the red zone, with six touches so far to Gore’s three. Drake also has the lone Dolphins rushing touchdown on the season. We’re expecting the Dolphins to score via the rush on Sunday so let’s back Drake to score at any time.


CRABTREE IN A FUNK

The Baltimore Ravens had high hopes that Michael Crabtree would help shore up a terrible receiving corps, but it hasn’t worked out that way yet. Crabtree has put up yard totals of 38 in Week 1 and 56 in Week 2 — and that was when the Ravens were playing catch-up all night. In fact, Crabtree has only hit to 60-yard mark once in his last six, going back to last season. The Broncos, meanwhile, are extremely tough on wide receivers, although they did get torched by Amari Cooper last weekend.

There are three reasons why Crabtree won’t put up a big line against Denver like Cooper did last weekend. First, Crabtree isn’t nearly as talented as Cooper. Two, Jon Gruden and Derek Carr spent all of Week 2 finding a way to get Cooper more involved and then force fed him 10 targets — Flacco won’t do that to Crabtree. Three, the Broncos take pride in their pass defense and will work all week to ensure that doesn’t happen again. We’re taking the Under 57.5 on Crabtree’s receiving total.


GIO LEADS THE WAY

Cincinnati’s Giovani Bernard gets lead-back duties this week as he takes over for the injured Joe Mixon when the Bengals visit Carolina on Sunday. Bernard looked solid in relief, rushing for 27 yards on six carries after Mixon got hurt last Thursday. Carolina was one of the top rushing defenses in the NFL last season, giving up the third-fewest total rushing yards (1,409). Through two games in 2018, it hasn’t been the same as the Panthers have given up 264 yards, eighth-most in the league, and are giving up an average of 5.4 yards per carry, second-most in the NFL. Bernard is going to see a lot of touches and has a good chance to surpass his total of 60.5.


GOLLADAY BREAKING OUT

Detroit's second-year wide receiver Kenny Golladay is quietly having a really nice start to the season with lines of 7-114-0 and 6-89-1 through Weeks 1 and 2, respectively. He is second to Golden Tate on the Lions with 22 targets. But the key here is just how much Matthew Stafford throws the ball — he has attempted 99 throws already this season, second-most in the NFL to Ben Roethlisberger’s 101. The Lions have no rushing game and are constantly playing from behind, which has forced them to throw on 78 percent of their plays so far this season. On Sunday Night Football, Detroit hosts New England as 6.5-point underdogs, meaning it’ll probably be playing from behind yet again. Let’s back Golladay to go Over his receptions total of 4.5.

[Udog]

Top 6 picks in the Westgate SuperBook NFL handicapping contest (3,123 entries)

1) Saints +3 (823)

2) Seahawks -2 (806)

3) Ravens -5.5 (756)

4) 49ers +6.5 (707)

5) Patriots -7 (678)

6) Chiefs -6.5 (668)

Season record: 5-6-1

[Udog]

Total Talk - Week 3
Chris David

Total bettors saw a stalemate (8-8) in the second week of the season and most of the results were never in doubt. You could argue that the Vikings-Packers ‘over’ (45) only cashed due to the late surge but the pair did have 24 points posted at halftime. Bettors chasing the high side in the second-half again cashed tickets with a 9-7 mark.

2018 Total Results - Game & Halves

O/U Game 1st Half 2nd Half
Week 2 8-8 8-8 9-7

O/U Game 1st Half 2nd Half
Year-to-Date 17-15 15-17 19-13

The two non-conference games in Week 2 went ‘under’ and the early divisional trend leaning to the ‘over’ came back to life with a 5-3 lean to the low side.

2018 Results - Other

O/U AFC-NFC Divisional Indoor Coast to Coast
Week 2 0-2 3-5 1-1 1-0

O/U AFC-NFC Divisional Indoor Coast to Coast
Year-to-Date 2-4 7-5 4-2 1-1

Keep an Eye On

-- Nine teams have watched the ‘over’ cash in each of their first two games while seven teams have watched the ‘under’ go 2-0.

-- It was noted in our Hot & Not Report that the four teams in the NFC East are 7-1 to the ‘under’ and it did double-count the Giants-Cowboys result from Week 2.

-- Fireworks are expected for a quarter of the games in Week 3 with four games having totals listed in the fifties. Week 2 had two games close in the 50s and the ‘over/under’ went 1-1. No games in Week 1 were in this range but a pair closed at 49 ½ and the same total result (1-1) occurred.

Line Moves and Public Leans

Listed below are the largest line moves for Week 3 as of Saturday morning

Green Bay at Washington: 47 ½ to 45
Chicago at Arizona: 40 to 38 ½
New England at Detroit: 50 to 54
Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay: 50 to 54

Listed below are the five largest leans for Week 3 per the betting trend percentages on the Matchup index as of Saturday morning.

Cincinnati at Carolina: 92% Over
New England at Detroit: 92% Over
N.Y. Giants at Houston: 85% Over
Oakland at Miami: 83% Over
Denver at Baltimore: 78% Over

Divisional Action

Tennessee at Jacksonville: The ‘over’ is on a 4-1 run in this series and last year’s ‘under’ result could be tossed out with the Jaguars resting players in Week 17. The Titans won that game 15-10. Tennessee has scored 20 in each of its first two games but injury concerns at quarterback could keep that production in the same neighborhood. The Jaguars have allowed just 12.7 points per game in their last seven games at home.

New Orleans at Atlanta: Nine of the last 10 encounters between the pair have seen totals in the fifties and this week’s number (53 ½) is in that range. The ‘over’ has gone 6-3-1 during this span and based on what we’ve seen from the Saints defense (33 PPG), it’s hard to imagine Atlanta not getting at least four scores at home. First road game for New Orleans and it averaged 25.7 PPG away from home last season. This Falcons defense was great last season and it showed in Week 1 at Philadelphia but the unit has been affected by two huge injuries (Deion Jones, Keanu Neal) and it showed last week by allowing 439 yards to Carolina.

NFC vs. AFC

Half of the 16 matchups in Week 3 are non-conference tilts. Looking above, you can see the ‘under’ has gone 4-2 in these games so far this season.

Indianapolis at Philadelphia: This is a tough game to handicap for a couple reasons. For starters, you have QB Carson Wentz returning for the Eagles on Sunday since injuring his knee last December and rust could certainly be a factor. Second, former Philadelphia offensive coordinator Frank Reich is the head coach for the Colts. Will his knowledge be able to temper the Birds? The Philadelphia defense was great at home last season (12.4 PPG) and it held Atlanta to 12 points in the opener. While QB Andrew Luck has made a few mistakes (3 INTs) for the Colts, he’s almost back to his form and the Colts offense is ranked first in third down conversions (61%). Going back to the 2016 season, Indy has averaged 25.8 PPG in their last nine road games with Luck under center.

Cincinnati at Carolina: The Bengals have been a surprise so far at 2-0 and while the defense (23 PPG, 402.5 YPG) looks suspect, they’ve forced five turnovers through two games. The Cincy offense takes a hit with the loss of running back Joe Mixon but QB Andy Dalton appears confident for now. Including one win this season, the Panthers have captured six straight at home and the offense has averaged 27.5 PPG in those victories.

N.Y. Giants at Houston: The New York offense (14 PPG, 289.5 YPG) continues to be a mess and Houston’s hyped-up attack (18.5 PPG) under Deshawun Watson hasn’t been much better. Both clubs enter this game with 2-0 ‘under’ records and the Giants have seen the ‘under’ go 8-1 in their last nine regular season games.

Buffalo at Minnesota: Based on the odds for this matchup, the books are expecting Minnesota to win this game 28-12 over Buffalo. The Vikings have watched the ‘under’ go 6-2 in their last eight regular season games at home and no opponent has scored over 16 points during this span.

San Francisco at Kansas City: Andy Reid and the Chiefs have become the most popular team to back and it’s easy to see why. They lead the league in scoring (40 PPG) and they have to because their defense (32.5 PPG, 508 YPG) is one of the worst units in the league. While this total (55) is high, the ‘over’ is certainly doable based on the tendencies for Kansas City. The Chiefs have averaged 29 PPG in their last five home games versus NFC foes.

L.A. Chargers at L.A. Rams: The Bolts averaged 27.5 PPG in two road games versus NFC teams last season and more points expected here in this local rivalry. This is a big step up in class for the Chargers, who just faced two of the weakest defensive teams. The Rams defensive unit (6.5 PPG, 266 YPG) has been lights out albeit versus the Raiders and Cardinals. In two games versus AFC teams at home last season, the Rams only allowed a combined 16 points.

New England at Detroit: (See Below)

Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay: (See Below)

Under the Lights

The ‘under’ went 2-1 in primetime games last week and through eight games, the low side owns a 5-3 mark on the season which includes Thursday’s outcome between the Browns and Jets. Home teams have won six of those contests and a visitor hasn’t won since the road teams (Jets, Rams) swept the double-header on Monday Night Football in Week 1.

SNF – New England at Detroit: A Patriots-Over combination on SNF would be a disaster for the house and the books are hoping former Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia can rally his new club to an upset. You might be surprised to know that Patricia and the Lions (347.5 YPG) have the better defense than the Patriots (402.5 YPG). New England was diced up by the Jaguars (480 yards) on the road last week and they made Blake Bortles (376 yards, 4 TDs) look like Tom Brady. Detroit is on an 8-2 ‘over’ run its last 10 games at Ford Field, which was helped by Lions attack (25.7 PPG). Make a note that the Patriots have seen the ‘over’ go 4-2 in their last six games against NFC opponents and they’ve scored 30-plus in four of those games, which includes their last two Super Bowl results.

MNF – Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay: The opening number (50) was quickly pushed up and it appears that bettors are certainly overreacting to what we’ve seen in the first two weeks. Tampa Bay has turned some heads but they’ve done it with big plays and you wonder what happens when the Buccaneers are forced to move the sticks. The Steelers were lit up at home last week to the Chiefs, who hold a slight lead over Tampa Bay (10-9) with big passing plays (25-plus yards) this season. As bad as both defensive units have looked, you would have to think that Tampa Bay (30.5 PPG) or Pittsburgh (31.5 PPG) will improve as the season progresses. Make a note that including the tie at Cleveland in Week 1, the Steelers have gone 7-1-1 in their last 9 road games and the defense (15.7 PPG) has been very solid during this span. And as great as Tampa Bay QB Ryan Fitzpatrick has played through two games, he’s 0-5 in five career starts against Pittsburgh and his teams only averaged 14.4 PPG.

Fearless Predictions

A couple clear-cut winners were upended by the Jets-Dolphins ‘over’ and turnovers clearly doomed that outcome. The teaser was shot at halftime of the Chiefs-Steelers game and that loser cost us juice ($10) on the weekend. Bankroll (+185) still positive and plenty of weeks left. As always, Press, Pass or Fade but in the end – Good Luck!

Best Over: Cincinnati-Carolina 44
Best Under: Oakland-Miami 44 ½
Best Team Total: Over 17 ½ N.Y. Giants

Three-Team Total Teaser (+7.5, +105)
Under 52 ½ Green Bay-Washington
Under 46 Chicago-Arizona
Over 46 ½ New England-Detroit

[Udog]

Big bettor, sharps all over Saints' odds in NFL Week 3 clash against Falcons
Patrick Everson

The Saints hope to have a reason to strike a more celebratory pose Sunday, after a lackluster first two games. Bettors certainly think New Orleans will come around on the road against Atlanta.

The NFL Week 3 Sunday slate has no shortage of games drawing bettors’ interest, including an NFC South clash in which cash is piling up on one side. We check in on the action and odds movement for a handful of matchups, with insights from Scott Shelton, sportsbook supervisor at The Mirage on the Las Vegas Strip, and John Murray, sportsbook manager at the Westgate Las Vegas Superbook.
New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons – Open: -3; Move: -2.5; Move: -1.5

Atlanta mustered just a dozen points in a Week 1 loss at Philadelphia, but the normally potent offense got back on track in Week 2. The Falcons (1-1 SU and ATS) beat Carolina 31-24 as a 5.5-point home favorite.

New Orleans hasn’t looked good in either of its two games, losing outright to Tampa Bay and nearly losing to Cleveland in Week 2, with both contests at home. The Saints (1-1 SU, 0-2 ATS) needed a last-minute field goal to beat the Browns 21-18 as a 10-point chalk last week.

But some bettors in Vegas are certainly sold on the Saints.

“One guy has been betting six figures multiple times on the Saints pointspread and moneyline,” Shelton said of activity at The Mirage and other MGM Resorts books. “It’s brewing to be a massive decision. We went down to 2.5 on Friday, then 1.5 on Saturday, and we took the moneyline off the board. It’s gonna be a seven-figure game for us.

“This is the curb-stomp game. He’s trying to win the keys to the front door!”

The Superbook also opened Atlanta -3 and was down to -2.

“A lot of sharp money on the Saints has pushed this number down,” Murray said. “The Saints were the most popular pick in the SuperContest and the SuperContest Gold, because we used 3 for the contest number. That number is long gone on the board, but the money is still coming in on the Saints, despite their showing in the first two weeks."

New York Giants at Houston Texans – Open: -3; Move: -3.5; Move: -6; Move: -5.5; Move: -6; Move: -5.5; Move: -6

Two teams desperate for their first victory of the season collide in this nonconference contest. New York has generated just 28 points through its first two games, losing and failing to cash as an underdog in both. In Week 2, the Giants fell to Dallas 20-13 as a 3-point road underdog.

Houston has Deshaun Watson back from a knee injury, but that hasn’t helped get the team back in the win column. The Texans, also 0-2 SU and ATS, dropped a pair of one-score games, including last week’s 20-17 setback at Tennessee laying 3.5 points.

Though the line move has been significant, it’s not due to an overflow of cash on the home side. Rather, before the Giants’ Sunday night game at Dallas, the Superbook took the line down per standard protocol; and New York looked so bad that when Murray and Co. re-hung the line, it was quite different.

“There’s not a lot to report in this game. The money has been pretty split,” Murray said. “The Giants are 0-2 and looked awful last Sunday night in Dallas, but this is really more of a must-win spot for the Texans and coach Bill O’Brien. This is Houston’s home opener, and I think O’Brien doesn’t last another week if they lose in this spot.”


Oakland Raiders at Miami Dolphins – Open: -3; Move: None

Miami is out of the gate with two wins and two cashes, both in the role of modest underdog. The Dolphins topped the New York Jets 20-12 as a 3-point road pup in Week 2.

Conversely, the second Jon Gruden Era in Oakland has seen two losses and a split of the cash in those outings. Last week, the Raiders twice led by a dozen and didn’t trail until a Denver field goal with just 10 seconds left, as they lost 20-19 getting 5.5 points on the road.

While the line hasn’t moved at MGM books, Shelton noted the price has, with Miami starting at -3 (-120) and now at -3 (even), thanks to a bettor who’s becoming quite familiar.

“We do not need the Raiders,” Shelton said after Oakland moved from +3 (even) to +3 (-120). “That’s a big decision. The same guy who’s on the Saints is betting Oakland, moneyline and pointspread.”


Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars – Open: -9.5; Move: None

Tennessee quarterback Marcus Mariota (elbow) sat out last week and is still questionable for this 1 p.m. ET start. In his absence, Blaine Gabbert and the Titans (1-1 SU and ATS) notched a 20-17 victory over Houston as a 3.5-point home ‘dog.

Jacksonville is off to a 2-0 SU and ATS start, including a strong revenge win over New England last week. The Jaguars rolled to a 31-20 victory catching 2 points at home, in a rematch of last season’s AFC Championship Game.

“This game was off the board most of the week due to the Mariota injury, so there isn’t much to report on in terms of handle,” Murray said. “We didn’t open until Friday, when we put up Jaguars -9.5, as we don’t expect Mariota to play and we do expect Gabbert to get another start. The Titans had a good win last week over the Texans, but I think their luck runs out this week. It’s too much to ask of Gabbert, playing with a banged-up offensive line, to go on the road against the Jaguars’ defense.”


Buffalo Bills at Minnesota Vikings – Open: -16.5; Move: -17; Move: -16.5

Buffalo could be looking at a long season, after a pair of games that didn’t inspire much confidence. The Bills (0-2 SU and ATS) got blasted at Baltimore 47-3 as a 7.5-point Week 1 ‘dog, then trailed the Los Angeles Chargers 28-3 at home in Week 2 en route to a 31-20 loss, again getting 7.5 points.

Meanwhile, Minnesota escaped with a sister-kisser in Week 2. The Vikings (1-0-1 SU, 1-1 ATS) trailed most of the way at Green Bay, but got a late touchdown and 2-point conversion to force overtime. Neither team scored in the extra session of a 29-29 tie, with Minnesota laying 2 points.

This game presents the issue of another big player riding hard on one side. The so-called Duffel Bag Bettor hit MGM books Friday night with three parlays – a two-teamer and a three-teamer for $50,000 apiece, and a four-teamer for $20,000 – that all included the Vikings -16.5.

“If we get the Bills, it’s all over. If he gets the Vikings in the early kickoffs, it’s on to the Bears in the afternoon kickoffs,” Shelton said. “If he goes undefeated, his four-teamer carries over to Tampa Bay on Monday.”

[Udog]

According to reports, Jaguars' RB Leonard Fournette (hamstring) is expected to miss Sunday's game vs. Titans.
Current Spread: Jags -9.5
Current Total: 40.0

[Udog]

It's not exactly a shocking development, but the Cleveland Browns have officially named Baker Mayfield as their starting quarterback moving forward.

[StarDust Bum]

Essentials - Week 3
September 23, 2018
By Tony Mejia

Sunday

Indianapolis at Philadelphia (-7/46), 1 p.m. ET, FOX: : Carson Wentz is back. The 2017 Fed Ex Air Player of the Year didn’t get to finish what he started but had his team at 11-2 when he was injured, helping rack up 390.5 yards per game of total offense and a scoring average of 31.1. We should see an increase in Zach Ertz production since he’s Wentz’s preferred security blanket and there aren’t a lot of options to throw to. Outside of Nelson Agholor, a collection of guys who haven’t really been playing out there will be counted on to support Wentz injuries to Alshon Jeffery and Mike Wallace. Second-year WR Shelton Gibson is making his season debut and has two career catches, former Eagle Jordan Matthews was just signed a few days ago and Kamar Aiken has been around all camp but was originally released at the beginning of the month before being brought back. Running back is also potentially a problem spot if Corey Clement isn’t ready to play the bulk of the snaps. He’s been nursing a quad injury, as has LT Jason Peters, but both are expected to go. Regulars Jay Ajayi (back) and Darren Sproles (hamstring) won’t participate, so Wendell Smallwood should see more touches behind Clement.

New Colts head coach Frank Reich won’t get a warm reception in Philly since that’s not how the NFL works and not really how the City of Brotherly Love gets down, but last year’s offensive coordinator played a large role in Wentz’s development, Foles’ adjustment and the eventual Super Bowl run. He comes off his first win in Indy thanks to a 21-9 road win over Washington but will also be operating short-handed. Left tackle Anthony Castonzo, TE Jack Doyle, RB Marlon Mack, DT/DE Denico Autry and safety Clayton Geathers, all starters, have been ruled out. Top WR T.Y. Hilton will gut it out through a quad injury that kept him out of practice this week, while rookie RB Jordan Wilkins and TE Eric Ebron, a new addition, will be asked to step up for Andrew Luck, who has looked rather rusty. The Colts have dropped eight straight games after a win. Rainy conditions are a possibility.

Cincinnati at Carolina (-3/44), 1 p.m. ET, CBS: A.J. Green went quiet after his three first-quarter touchdowns against Baltimore, drawing attention that allowed Tyler Boyd to have a breakout game. The Bengals are looking for an unlikely 3-0 start given the early suspension top LB Vontaze Burfict and the fact new coordinator Teryl Austin is still feeling things out. Cincinnati will be the more rested team since they opened Week 2 with a Thursday night win, but that hasn’t meant it is immune from the injury bug. RB Joe Mixon revealed he had a slight ligament tear in his knee that will cost him a few weeks and thrusts Giovani Bernard back into the limelight. Center Billy Price has been dealing with a foot injury and has been ruled out. Linebackers Preston Brown and Michael Johnson are considered questionable and would be huge losses against a Panthers offense that likes to attack the middle of the field.

Carolina must get creative in order to overcome all their attrition up front. Guard Trae Turner is out with a concussion so we’ll see Cam Newton give different looks and likely be more decisive since there’s fewer bodies he trusts offering protection. Norv Turner should put together a run-heavy attack to play to the strengths of Newton running the read option and Christian McCaffrey being joined by C.J. Anderson. Safety Da’Norris Searcy is dealing with a concussion and will miss this contest, so Andy Dalton could take advantage of fresh meant back there as he attempts to snap the Panthers’ six-game home winning streak.

Tennessee at Jacksonville (-9.5/40), 1 p.m. ET, CBS: Blaine Gabbert found a way to get the Titans past the Texans last week and should get a crack at his former team here. Although Marcus Mariota’s nerve problem affecting his elbow is considered a week-to-week issue, he hasn’t made enough progress to start and likely won't play unless it's absolutely necessary. Tennessee will aim to hang around behind a defense that has given up a few big plays but has largely been solid. Gabbert has a better chance of staying up right than he did last week since top tackle Taylor Lewan has cleared concussion protocol and will take part, but the defense will again be missing safety Kendrick Lewis and will be without LB Kamalei Correa, who has been a major asset thus far due to his motor and the constant pressure he’s created.

It’s going to be difficult to dent Blake Bortles’ confidence coming off a tremendous day in the red zone against the Patriots last week, cashing in with some great throws to help produce a statement win. Leonard Fournette’s availability has yet to be determined but T.J. Yeldon is again ready to go if he can’t swing it. Corner Jalen Ramsey is a go after dealing with an ankle issues all week, so he’ll be available to make Gabbert’s return to Jacksonville even more difficult. Tennessee has won three of four in this series.

New Orleans at Atlanta (-2/54) 1 p.m. ET, FOX: One of the league’s most entertaining divisional rivalries over the past decade will put the loser in a hole with a losing record through three games, potentially landing them sole possession of the NFC North cellar. The divisional tie-in, to me, gives it the edge on Dallas/Seattle as the most important game of Week 3 since neither team here wants to fall behind. The Falcons are banged up, having lost superb LB Deion Jones and talented safety Keanu Neal for the season already. This week, DEs Takkarist McKinley and Derrick Shelby won’t play, so it remains to be seen if this unit can hang with the talented, versatile Saints while shorthanded. Offensively, Atlanta will use Tevin Coleman as its feature back in place of the injured Devonta Freeman. It lost key guard Andy Levitre in the first half last week but saw Wes Schweitzer step into help the offense rack up 170 rushing yards in Carolina while not allowing a sack.

New Orleans WR Michael Thomas leads the NFL with 28 receptions on just 30 targets through two weeks and Alvin Kamara may indeed be the league’s most dangerous, versatile back, so it’s a little scary that the results haven’t been there. After losing to Tampa Bay, the Saints barely hung on to drop Cleveland, so it’s time for the light bulb to turn on for this group. RB Mark Ingram will miss one more game due to suspension and will provide another weapon once he returns, but there’s more than enough to win a second straight game against Carolina. The Falcons won 11 of 13 in this series from 2006-12 but have most recently dropped three of four.

Denver at Baltimore (-6/46), 1 p.m. ET, CBS: The Broncos rallied in the fourth against the Raiders to improve to 2-0, dropping old rivals Seattle and Oakland on last field goals. It hasn’t looked very pretty, but Vance Joseph has nevertheless gotten results that he looked incapable of achieving from the head seat last season. They’ll look to remain perfect by going on the road for the first time in Baltimore. Case Keenum has to solve his turnover issues but is by far the team’s best option at quarterback, averaging 275.5 yards passing through the first two games. He’ll play despite missing practice with knee soreness earlier in the week, which bodes well for all the young talent on the roster that is set to take the field for their first road game. Philip Lindsay, the hero in last week’s comeback, Week 1 starter Royce Freeman and WRs Courtland Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton will all be counted on to produce against a veteran Ravens defense. Denver has won and covered only one of its last 10 road games, so maybe the kids will have a positive influence.

Baltimore hopes to see CJ Mosley make it though pre-game warmups after leaving the field with a knee injury early in the Thursday night loss. He’s got a bone bruise in his knee. Although there are some other backups unlikely to suit up, offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley will play and DT Michael Pierce has a chance to, so John Harbaugh’s team has an opportunity to rebound quickly as they continue enjoying a rare run of prosperity health-wise. The Ravens have lost three of their last four meetings against the Broncos, giving up an average of 35 points per game. Rain is in the forecast and should present issues for both teams throughout the day..

N.Y. Giants at Houston (-6/44) 1 p.m. ET, FOX: The threat of thunderstorms could impact this key contest between teams coming off bitterly disappointing losses. The loser slips to 0-3, stomping out the high hopes they came into the season with. Texans QB Deshaun Watson is healthy but hasn’t look like himself yet, while Giants rookie RB Saquon Barkley has put together a few highlights already but fits right in with his new teammates in being sabotaged by one of the league’s worst offensive lines. Center Jon Halapaio broke his ankle on Sunday night while Ereck Flowers has been a turnstile up at right tackle and will be benched today, replaced by Chad Wheeler. Odell Beckham Jr. comes off a rough Sunday night against Dallas, which held him in check in part because Eli Manning didn’t have much time to let plays develop downfield. New York’s defense has held its own in losses to the Jags and Cowboys but will again be without top DE Olivier Vernon and CB Eli Apple, who looked much improved in the season opener.

The Texans managed to lose to a Gabbert-led team by falling in an immediate 14-0 hole in the first quarter. Tennessee proved willing to pull out all the stops by having safety Kevin Byard throw for a score on a fake and held up defensively because Watson still hasn’t found a groove. Dealing with Beckham could be a chore since corners Kevin Johnson (concussion) and Kayvon Webster (achilles), remain out. It will help that Jadeveon Clowney’s back has healed up enough to play since the defense will need him to get some heat on Manning to provide some relief for the secondary.

Buffalo at Minnesota (-16.5/41), 1 p.m. ET, CBS: This is the largest spread of the young season but will probably hold up as the biggest number for at least another month, probably two. The Bills visit Green Bay next week but shouldn't be getting 17 no matter how ugly this game winds up being. The possibility that this goes horribly exists since LeSean McCoy is now not expected to play after suffering injured ribs. At this point, with Josh Allen learning on the job and one of the league's fiercest defenses lining up against them, there's no point in exposing Shady to further injury.

The Vikings are exercising caution themselves, sitting DE Everson Griffen (knee), RB Dalvin Cook (knee) and backup corner Marcus Sherels (chest). Latavius Murray should get the bulk of the carries with Cook out, while Kirk Cousins can continue building chemistry with his receiving corps with little pressure on him. Minnesota has covered 18 of its last 25 games as a favorite, though it didn't cover its largest number last season, beating Chicago 23-10 after closing s a 13.5-point favorite last New Year's Eve.

San Francisco at Kansas City (-6.5/55), 1 p.m. ET, FOX: Patrick Mahomes hopes to build on his touchdown pass collection, currently at 10 on the season after a blistering start that has answered all questions as to why Andy Reid and the Chiefs were ready to move from Alex Smith. He’s punishing teams with simple reads thanks to a strong accurate arm that’s allowing the advantages that athletic marvels Tyreke Hill, Sammy Watkins and Travis Kelce help create regularly. The return of LB Reuben Foster from suspension gives the 49ers a boost, especially with LB Malcolm Smith and CB Richard Sherman also upgraded to “probable.” Kansas City remains without veteran safety Eric Berry, who is starting to turn the corner as he looks to work his way back from a heel injury. The Chiefs are averaging 40 points per game and finally get to see Mahomes start a regular-season game at Arrowhead for the first time.

San Francisco’s Matt Breida leads the NFL in rushing yards (184) and yards per rush (8.36), so the expectation is that he’ll get plenty of carries to try and keep Kansas City’s offense off the field as much as possible. He only got 11 carries last week and still ended up with 138 yards, so we’ll see how he responds to more work as he gets back on the road behind a new-look offensive line. Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49ers barely held on against Detroit but he didn’t have the most impressive outing, holding the ball too long. Still, following a three-interception game that contributed to the loss in Minnesota with a pick-free day was progress, even though he got bailed out of an enormous late turnover thanks to a Lions penalty. Attempting to keep pace with Mahomes should be a great test for his maturity. San Francisco has only one road conquest against teams with winning records over its last 10 tries.

Chicago (-6/38.5) at Arizona, 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX: The Bears are one masterful and improbable Aaron Rodgers-led comeback from a 2-0 record and people are tripping over themselves to crown Khalil Mack as the early MVP. He’s certainly been disruptive and has participated more than most anticipated he would upon being moved from Oakland to Chicago just before the season started, but getting his conditioning up and feeling more comfortable with the Bears’ schemes will likely yield even more impressive play than we’ve seen to date. Backup defensive backs Marcus Cooper (hamstring) and DeAndre Houston-Carson (forearm) won’t play, so secondary depth will be thin. The Bears should be able to pressure Arizona up front and will run into the starting QB with the lowest rating through two games, veteran Sam Bradford.

Arizona has been dreadful so far with Sam Bradford owning the league's worst QB rating among those who have started two games and the offensive line depleted by injury. It hasn't helped that Larry Fitzgerald has been hobbled by a hamstring issue that has kept him from helping Bradford find a rhythm, but time is running out for the veteran to make a dent and keep first-round pick Josh Rosen from seeing the field. Despite Chicago being 2-15 in its last 17 road games, oddsmakers have made the team the second-largest road favorite behind only New England, who is visiting Detroit. Arizona has scored an NFL-low six points.

[Udog]

MNF - Steelers at Buccaneers
Kevin Rogers

LAST WEEK

The Steelers (0-1-1 SU, 0-2 ATS) haven’t gone winless through the first three weeks of the season since starting 0-3 in 2013. That Pittsburgh team didn’t pick up its first victory until Week 6 as it managed to finish at 8-8 that season. The Steelers squandered a 21-7 lead to the Browns in Week 1 before finishing in a tie, while erasing a 21-0 deficit to even things up with the Chiefs last week. Pittsburgh couldn’t get over the hump as the Steelers fell, 42-37 as four-point favorites.

Running back Le’Veon Bell sat out for the second straight week as he continues to hold out, while James Conner couldn’t duplicate his 135 yard performance in Week 1 by rushing for only 17 yards against Kansas City. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger finished with 452 yards passing and three touchdowns, as all three touchdown tosses came in the first half. However, the Steelers lost their first home opener since that fateful start of 2013 as Pittsburgh allowed at least 42 points in consecutive games at Heinz Field going back to the 45-42 shootout loss to the Jaguars in the AFC divisional round in January.

The Buccaneers (2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS) weren’t expected to do much offensively in the first two weeks as starting quarterback Jameis Winston began a three-game suspension. However, the Harvard man came to the rescue as veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick diced up a pair of playoff teams in the first two weeks. After lighting up the Saints for 417 yards and four touchdowns in a 48-40 opening week shocker, Fitzpatrick put an encore in the home opener against the defending champion Eagles.

Fitzpatrick connected with speedster DeSean Jackson on a 75-yard touchdown pass on the first play of scrimmage, while also hooking up with tight end O.J. Howard on another 75-yard scoring connection. The Bucs jumped out to a 27-7 advantage before holding on for a 27-21 win over Philadelphia to cash as three-point underdogs. Fitzpatrick eclipsed the 400-yard mark for the second straight week by throwing for 402 and four more touchdowns, as he leads the league in passing yards and is second in touchdown passes behind Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes.

HOME LOSS BOUNCE-BACK

The Steelers have done a solid job over the years coming off a home loss, owning an 8-1 record since 2013 in this situation. Last season, Pittsburgh lost twice at home in the regular season, falling to Jacksonville and the disputed finish to New England. In each instance, the Steelers rebounded with a win at Kansas City and at Houston, while the only loss in the situation came in 2016 at Baltimore following a home defeat to New England. From a totals standpoint, the UNDER has hit five straight times when the Steelers play on the road following a home defeat dating back to 2015.

BARKING ‘DOGS AT THE PIRATE SHIP

Although Tampa Bay is a slight underdog on Monday night, the Bucs have taken care of business when receiving points at Raymond James Stadium. In the last six instances 2016, the Bucs are 4-2 SU and 5-1 ATS as a home underdog, coming off last week’s mild upset of the Eagles. Last season, Tampa Bay lost in close contests to the Patriots and Falcons, but managed a cover as seven-point underdogs in a 27-24 defeat to Atlanta.

SERIES HISTORY

The last time these teams met up back in 2014 at Heinz Field, as the Buccaneers picked up a 27-24 triumph as seven-point underdogs. Tampa Bay entered the contest at 0-3 and ultimately finished that season at 2-14, but came out on top thanks to a Mike Glennon five-yard touchdown pass to Vincent Jackson with seven seconds remaining. Roethlisberger hooked up with Antonio Brown for a pair of touchdown connections, but Pittsburgh suffered its first loss to Tampa Bay since 1998.

In the previous matchup at Raymond James Stadium in 2010 (also in Week 3), the Steelers cruised past the Bucs, 38-13 as 2 ½-point favorites. Roethlisberger was in the midst of a four-game suspension as Charlie Batch threw three touchdown passes, while Pittsburgh scored three touchdowns in the second quarter.

MONDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

The Steelers have won four consecutive Monday night games (not including a Christmas Day victory at Houston last season) since 2014. The last three instances have come on the road at the Chargers (2015), Redskins (2016), and Bengals (2017), but failed to cover at Cincinnati in a 23-20 win as 4 ½-point favorites.

Tampa Bay has been showcased on Monday night football three times since 2013, all in the underdog role. In all three instances, the Bucs have covered, while picking up outright victories over Miami in 2013 and Carolina in 2016.

HANDICAPPER’S CORNER

Handicapper Joe Nelson says that the Buccaneers are in a good spot for now, but the road doesn’t ease up, “Needless to say Fitzpatrick will likely maintain the starting role past Winston’s suspension, but it is too soon to count Tampa Bay as a serious NFC championship threat. The division is stacked with three other viable playoff threats and the schedule remains difficult with road games in Chicago and Atlanta surrounding a Week 5 bye week.”

Will there be a bunch of points scored since the two teams have combined for a 3-1 OVER record? “While the attention will be on the offenses, the defenses have surrendered big numbers as well, both in the bottom eight of the league in total defense and in the bottom six of scoring defense. One big disparity is Tampa Bay featuring currently one of the best run defenses in the NFL, allowing just 67 rushing yards per game while Pittsburgh ranks 30th allowing 152 rushing yards per game. It seems likely that over time those numbers will adjust towards the middle as the Steelers have mostly played from behind while the Buccaneers have mostly played with a lead so far this season,” Nelson notes.

LINE MOVEMENT

The Westgate Las Vegas Superbook opened the Steelers as a three-point road favorite, but that number has dipped down to 1 ½ at most books. Due to the numbers put up by Fitzpatrick and Roethlisberger through two weeks, the total sits between 53 ½ and 54 at most spots. The Steelers last saw a road total of 50 or above in the 2015 season opener at New England in which it lost, 28-21. Under Dirk Koetter, the Bucs are 3-1 to the UNDER on totals of 50 or higher with the lone OVER hitting in Week 1 at New Orleans.

[Udog]

Bookmakers expect NFL bettors to jump on red-hot Rams' odds after Vikings' Week 3 implosion
Patrick Everson

Kirk Cousins and Minnesota stunningly lost to Buffalo in Week 3, and though early Week 4 action favored the visiting Vikings vs. the Rams, the Superbook expects L.A. money to show up strong.

Week 4 of the NFL season opens with a team coming off a monster upset loss against an unbeaten unit averaging 34 points per game. We check in on the opening lines and early action for four matchups, with insights from John Murray, sportsbook manager for the Westgate Las Vegas Superbook.

Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Rams (-7)

Minnesota went into its Week 3 home tilt as a 16.5-point favorite against seemingly hapless Buffalo. But things didn’t go quite as planned, as the Vikings (1-1-1 SU, 1-2 ATS) trailed 27-0 at halftime and ended up losing 27-6. Now, the Vikes have a short turnaround on the road, playing the Thursday nighter.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles kept piling up points at a consistent rate in Week 3. After totaling 33 and 34 points in Weeks 1 and 2, respectively, the Rams (3-0 SU and ATS) bested the Los Angeles Chargers 35-23 as a 7.5-point chalk.

“We opened this game Rams -7, a 2 point move from our lookahead line (last week) of Rams -5,” Murray said. “We took a bet right away on the Vikings +7 and went to 6.5. But I’m pretty sure we will need the Vikings big on Thursday. Minnesota looks like it was caught looking ahead in a terrible loss at home to the Bills.

“The Rams are definitely the public team right now. They’re scoring points and covering spreads. The public loves them.”

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Chicago Bears (-1.5)

Tampa Bay and Ryan Fitzmagic, er, Fitzpatrick are the talk of the league, but they’ve still got some Week 3 work to do, hosting Pittsburgh in a Monday night affair. The Buccaneers (2-0 SU and ATS) shocked New Orleans in Week 1 as a 10-point road pup, then beat defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia 27-21 catching 3 points at home in Week 2.

After a tough Week 1 loss at Green Bay, Chicago bounced back with a pair of victories. The Bears (2-1 SU and ATS) rallied from a 14-0 first-quarter deficit to grab a 16-14 victory over Arizona as 5.5-point road faves in Week 3.

“We opened the Bears -1.5, took a couple bets on them and moved it to -2,” Murray said. “Chicago struggled offensively against Arizona, but the public believes in its defense, and I can see why. This number could change depending on the ‘Monday Night Football’ game between the Steelers and Bucs.”

Later Sunday, the line ticked up another notch to Chicago -2.5.

Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos (+4.5)

Kansas City quarterback Pat Mahomes is another big developing story this season, with 13 touchdown passes and no interceptions through three weeks. In Week 3 against San Francisco, Mahomes had three TDs as the Chiefs (3-0 SU and ATS) built a 35-7 lead and cruised to a 38-27 win laying 5.5 points at home.

Denver played its first two games in the friendly confines of the Mile High City and won both. Week 3 on the road wasn’t nearly as kind, with the Broncos (2-1 SU, 0-2-1 ATS) tumbling to Baltimore 27-14 getting 5.5 points.

“We opened the Chiefs -4.5 and took a bet on the Broncos, but left it,” Murray said, though later Sunday, the line did tick down to 4. “We will need the Broncos in this game. The public loves the Chiefs for all the same reasons I said they love the Rams. I can see why. Mahomes looks unbelievable right now. I’m confident books all over Nevada will have big liabilities on the Chiefs next Monday night.”

Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots (-9.5)

Perennial Super Bowl contender New England is off to a shaky start this season. After getting dominated at Jacksonville in Week 2, the Patriots couldn’t build any momentum at Detroit, losing 23-10 as a 7-point fave.

With the Pats out of the gate slowly, Miami finds itself atop the AFC East. The Dolphins (3-0 SU and ATS) dropped Oakland 28-20 laying 3 points at home, but this Week 4 road trip will easily be their sternest test so far.

“We opened the Patriots -9.5, despite the Dolphins getting off to an impressive 3-0 start,” Murray said. “I’ve been impressed with the Dolphins and consider New England to be a little on the overrated side right now, but we know where the money will come in on this game. The Patriots will be included in every moneyline parlay and teaser next week.”

The Superbook moved down a tick to 9 just before the Patriots kicked off at Detroit, and then took the game off the board, which is standard operating procedure when a team is playing in the Sunday nighter. The matchup will be reposted on Monday morning.

[Udog]

Betting numbers thus far in Week 3 (prior to Monday Night Football):

Betting Favorites: 7-8 ATS
Home Teams: 10-5 ATS
Over/Under: 7-8

[Udog]

Armadillo: Monday's six-pack

Top 6 picks in the Westgate SuperBook NFL handicapping contest (3,123 entries)

1) Saints +3 (823)- W

2) Seahawks -2 (806)- W

3) Ravens -5.5 (756)- W

4) 49ers +6.5 (707)- L

5) Patriots -7 (678)- L

6) Chiefs -6.5 (668)- W

Season record: 9-8-1

**********

Armadillo: Monday's Den: Wrapping up an NFL Sunday……

Bills 27, Vikings 6— Three of first five times Buffalo had ball, they started drive in Viking territory; Bills had 22-yard edge in field position in winning Josh Allen’s first career road start- they led 27-0 at the half. Underdogs of 16+ points are now 6-75 SU in their last 81 games; this was biggest upset in NFL since Redskins Dallas on Dec. 3, 1995.

Minnesota ran ball only six times for 14 yards in this game; they turned ball over three times.

Lions 26, Patriots 10— Detroit outgained Patriots 414-209, but they also kicked four FGs while scoring only two TD’s, a red flag for their offense. New England should get Gordon/Edelman back at WR soon; they need ‘em- Patriots averaged only 4.3 yards/pass attempt. Big night for former Patriot assistant coach Matt Patricia- his first win as an NFL head coach.

Saints 43, Falcons 37 OT— Last four times New Orleans had ball, they ran 38 plays 247 yards, four TD’s; they had only one TD on their first eight drives. Game turned when Saints blocked a punt when trailing 21-16- they scored on a 16-yard drive after that, only one of ten TD drives in this game that was shorter than 75 yards. Atlanta gained 9.4 yards/pass attempt, but their defense fell apart down the stretch.

Chiefs 38, 49ers 27— Overshadowing this game is Garoppolo blowing out his knee, a disaster for San Francisco. Chiefs’ offense was perfect in first half; five drives, 41 plays, 295 yards, five TD’s and a 35-10 lead. KC now has 15 TD’s, only two FGA’s this year. Home side has now won last ten games in this series. CJ Beathard takes over at QB; would the Niners take a look at bringing back Colin Kaepernick?

Rams 35, Chargers 23— Rams lost both starting CB’s during this game; they play Minnesota on Thursday, which could be dicey. In this game, Rams blocked punt for a TD, only TD scored all week in NFL by defense/special teams. Teams combined to convert 15-24 on third down in this game; Rams had three TD drives of 75+ yards- they didn’t have one longer than 59 yards in first two games.

Dolphins 28, Raiders 20— Oakland is 0-3 despite leading all three games at halftime; they’ve been outscored 64-17 in second half this season. Miami averaged 13.3 yards/pass attempt, including a 52-yard TD on a trick play that gave Miami the lead for good with 7:18 left. Fish are now +4 in turnovers- over is 12-4 in their last sixteen home games.

Eagles 20, Colts 16— Wentz was 25-37/227 passing in his 2018 debut; Eagles outgained Colts 379-209 for game, overcoming -2 turnover ratio. Indy is obviously much-improved with Luck back at QB; they scored only 16 points on five red zone drives, though and were 2-12 on third down, after going 20-33 in first two games. Philly had a TD drive that lasted over 11:00.

Panthers 31, Bengals 21— Teams with -4 turnover ratios rarely win; Dalton threw four picks, allowed 230 rushing yards (McCaffery had 28 carries for 184 yards, after catching 14 passes for 102 yards LW). Cincy had eight plays of 20+ yards; Carolina has allowed 15 such plays in their last two games. All three Bengal games this year went over the total.

Ravens 27, Broncos 14— More and more I hear that “….the first four games of NFL season are for evaluation”, since starters don’t play much in preseason these days. Home side is 3-0 vs spread in Raven games. Denver is now 1-10 in its last 11 road games; they’re 4-12 vs spread in last 16 games as road underdogs. Ravens scored first TD on 6-yard drive after a blocked punt;

Titans 9, Jaguars 6— First NFL game this season with no TD’s; there was only play of 20+ yards. Gabbert started at QB, got knocked goofy, Mariota threw for only 100 yards. Tennessee has now won five of last six games vs Jacksonville; first downs in this game were 15-12, Titans. Rams had 14 first downs in first quarter alone Sunday.

Redskins 31, Packers 17– In first half, Redskins had ball six times; they ran 33 plays for 323 yards scoring four TD’s- they led 28-10 at the half on a rainy day. Adrian Peterson had 19 carries for 120 yards. Thru three games, Green Bay has only 36 points on nine red zone drives. Over is now 14-3 in Green Bay’s last 17 road games.

Giants 27, Texans 22— Houston’s two running backs ran ball combined 14 times for 23 yards; Watson threw for 385 yards, but they’ve got no balance and now O’Brien is on the hot seat. Manning was 25-29/297 passing as Big Blue silences the back pages of the tabloids for a week. Bekcham had nine catches for 109 yards; his presence is opening up chances for other guys to catch passes.

Bears 16, Cardinals 14— Arizona put rookie QB Josh Rosen in for his NFL debut with 4:31 left and Cardinals down 16-14; I’ve never seen a coach put a young QB on the spot like that before. He threw INT’s on both his drives, though one was on 4th down so he had to force ball in.

Arizona led 14-0 in first quarter; after that, they ran 39 plays for 120 yards and zero points. Redbirds turned the ball over on all four of their second half possessions.

Seahawks 24, Cowboys 13— Seattle won its last ten home openers, and 15 of last 16; they were +3 in turnovers here. In three games, Cowboys have only four plays of 20+ yards; they’ve scored total of 21 points in losing both their road games, are 8-38 on third down. Under is 15-2-1 in Seahawks’ last 18 home openers. Under is 18-7 in Cowboys’ last 25 road games.

[Udog]

Betting Recap - Week 3
Joe Williams

Overall Notes

National Football League Week 3 Results
Wager Favorites-Underdogs
Straight Up 9-6
Against the Spread 7-8

Wager Home-Away
Straight Up 10-5
Against the Spread 10-5

Wager Totals (O/U)
Over-Under 7-8

National Football League Year-to-Date Results

Wager Favorites-Underdogs
Straight Up 27-18-2
Against the Spread 20-26-1

Wager Home-Away
Straight Up 29-16-2
Against the Spread 26-20-1

Wager Totals (O/U)
Over-Under 24-23

The largest underdogs to win straight up
Bills (+17, ML +1000) at Vikings, 27-6
Titans (+10, ML +400) at Jaguars, 9-6
Lions (+7, ML +280) vs. Patriots, 26-10
Giants (+6, ML +230) at Texans, 27-22

The largest favorite to cover
Rams (-7) vs. Chargers, 35-23
Chiefs (-6) vs. 49ers, 38-27
Ravens (-5.5) vs. Broncos, 27-14
Browns (-3) vs. Jets, 21-17
Dolphins (-3) vs. Raiders, 28-20

Miami Nice

-- The Miami Dolphins have fired out to a 3-0 SU/ATS record after topping the Oakland Raiders by a 28-20 score. The Dolphins have been particularly solid at home, averaging 27.5 points per game (PPG) while allowing 20.0 PPG, and the 'over' has connected in each of their two at Hard Rock Stadium. The Dolphins hold a two-game lead on everyone in the AFC East Division through three weeks and they can take a commanding lead with a win in Week 4 on the road against the New England Patriots, who limp home from the Motor City on a two-game losing streak.

Shuffled Back To Buffalo

-- The Buffalo Bills had been atrocious through the first two weeks, and they entered Week 3 against the Minnesota Vikings as a 17-point underdog. Those playing survivor pools were certainly not pleased with the result, and any chalk eaters brave enough to lay the points knew they had a losing ticket early on. The Bills had allowed 39.0 PPG through their first two games, so no one could have seen their stark turnaround coming against a team expected to contend for the Super Bowl. Their beleaguered defense stepped up and held the Vikings to just six points while scoring a season-high 27 points. They had managed a total of 23 points over their first two contests.

Total Recall

-- The five lowest totals on the board all cashed the 'under' this week, as defense reigned surpreme. The lowest total, Chicago-Arizona (39), ended up with a total of just 30 points. The Cardinals fired out of the box with 14 points in the first quarter, but put up goose eggs in their final three quarters. The Tennessee-Jacksonville (39.5) contest was expected to be a defensive battle, but the Titans and Jags took it to the extreme. QB Blaine Gabbert exacted revenge against his former team in a 9-6 slugfest, the lowest-scoring game of the season in the NFL so far. Dallas-Seattle (40), Buffalo-Minnesota (41) and N.Y. Jets-Cleveland (41) each ended up going well under.

-- The highest total on the board in Week 3 was the Sunday Night Football game which was expected to be a shootout, but it never came into fruition. New England-Detroit (55.5) ended up not even coming close to the set total, as the Lions limited the Patriots in a 26-10 victor. The same couldn't said for the other two 50-plus games on the board, as New Orleans-Atlanta (54) and San Francisco-Kansas City (53.5) were both slam-dunk 'over' plays.

-- The 'over' has cashed in all three games for the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals, Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers are the only three teams in the AFC with a 3-0 'over' mark so far. In the AFC South, the 'under' is 2-1 in for all four teams. In the NFC, the only team to hit the over in each of their three games is the Green Bay Packers. Meanwhile, the under is 3-0 for the Arizona Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys.

-- There are two primetime games in the books so far in Week 3, with the under cashing in both. Overall for the 2018 season the 'over' in primetime games is 3-6 (33.3%).

Officially, the 'over' finished 25-23-1 (52.1%) in 49 games under the lights in 2017.

In 2016, the 'over' in night games went (52.9%) through 51 games.

In 2015, the over finished 20-28-1 (41.7%) in 49 primetime games.

In 2014, the over went 33-17 (66.0%) in primetime games, and the over was 28-22 (56.0%) in 2013.

Injury Report

-- Bengals WR A.J. Green (groin) left Sunday's game at Carolina due to a groin injury, but he feels he'll be ready for Week 4.

-- 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo (knee) is believed to have suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament on a non-contact situation in Kansas City late in the game.

-- Giants TE Evan Engram (knee) was knocked out of the Week 3 victory in Houston due to a knee injury and he was unable to return.

-- Patriots RB Rex Burkhead (neck) suffered a neck injury in the third quarter of the game in Detroit and he was unable to return.

-- Titans QB Blaine Gabbert (concussion) started against his former team, but he was knocked out, forcing QB Marcus Mariota (elbow) into action.

Looking Ahead

-- The winless Texans will head to Indianapolis to battle the Colts in Week 4. Over the years it hasn't been a great place for Houston to visit, as they're 2-7 SU in their past 10 visits while going 3-5-1 ATS. The 'under' has also cashed in each of the past nine meetings in Indianapolis.

-- The Patriots host the Dolphins on Sunday. Miami hasn't won in Foxboro since Sept. 21, 2008, losing nine straight trips. The Patriots are 7-2 ATS during the nine-game home win streak against the Dolphins, including covers in each of the past six meetings in New England. The 'over' is 3-1 in the past four meetings in Foxboro, too.
-- The Cardinals and Seahawks meet in Arizona, and the home team has really struggled in this series. Arizona is 0-4-1 SU/ATS across their past five home games against Seattle with the 'under' cashing in each of the past three meetings in the desert. In this series, the home team is just 1-8-1 SU across the past 10 meetings.

-- The Steelers will host the Ravens in Week 4, and there has been a huge home-field advantage in this series. The home team has won eight of the past 10 meetings in this series, although Pittsburgh is 0-2-1 ATS in the past three at Heinz Field. The 'over' has also cashed in three of the past four meetings at Heinz Field.