The Bearded Talisman's Week 3 NFL picks

1. Bengals +3.0 at Vikings – The talk all week is Cincy is missing Joe Burrow, but Minnesota is missing their starting QB also, and Aaron Jones, AND their starting center Ryan Kelly is out.   Minnesota has played 1 good quarter of football this year, and it was against the Bears.    Cincy is 2-0, and while missing Burrow, Browning is one of the best backup QBs in the league…and Cincy is GETTING 3 points.

2. Chargers -2.5 vs Broncos – The offseason talk was that the Broncos would upend the Chiefs for the top spot in the West, but through two games it’s looking like that team may be the Chargers. Justin Herbert’s highest gear is MVP.   I don’t have the same feeling about Bo Nix, and that Broncos defense was not all that great last week against Indy.    

3. Patriots +1.5 vs Steelers – Pittsburgh’s defense surrendered 394 yards in Week 1 to the Jets and 395 yards in Week 2 at home to the Seahawks.   They are still missing 2 starting defensive backs, and Alex Highsmith is out at linebacker.  The Patriots win in Miami last week looks more impressive given the Dolphins performance in Buffalo Thursday.  

4. Rams +3.5 at Eagles – The Rams were one play away from beating the Eagles in the playoffs last year in Philly.   Both teams are off to 2-0 starts and I feel like this game is a coin flip, and the Rams are getting 3.5 points.  The Rams have improved offensively, and the 439 yards offense last week is evidence of that.   Philly with only 2 touchdowns in the last 6 quarters, and those were aided by short fields after a long field goal miss and an interception.

5. Ravens -4.5 vs Lions -  Baltimore is arguably the best team in the league, and while the Lions offense more than stabilized last week against the Bears, that game was in Detroit, and the truth is, at least for the first half the Lions defense struggled against Caleb Williams.    The Lions D is not the same without Alim McNeill (out until at least October).   How do you go against Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry at home on a Monday Night against a suspect D?

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