NFL Week 3 Picks by Otherwise’s Adrian Patrick
Adrian Patrick of the band Otherwise has signed on to make his weekly NFL picks for Loudwire. Every Thursday, Adrian checks the odds and lets you know which teams he thinks will beat the spread. Check out his third week’s picks below:
After a tough Week Two, we’re back at it with Bobby Khash for Week Three. I once played Russian Roulette with my soul in Tijuana with my boy Lil' Rob and me won, so I'm not too worried about bouncing back! This week we have some really intriguing matchups and we will be able to get a better gauge on how good these teams really are. In the NFL you are never as good or as bad as you looked in the previous week.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons
Thursday night’s game gives us two teams trending in different directions. Even though the Falcons lost to the Bengals on Sunday, I believe that they are much better than they showed. With the weapons on offense and an adequate defense I have a tough time believing that the Buccaneers will offer much resistance in the dome down in Atlanta. Matty Ice excels in the dome on the turf and I am looking for the wideouts on Atlanta to have a huge day and impact the game. The Bucs are very far off from being competitors for a playoff spot. They have questions all over the field and with Doug Martin banged up, they will really be up against it on Thursday night.
The Pick: Falcons -6
San Diego Chargers at Buffalo Bills
First game on the Sunday docket is the Bills vs. Chargers. Both teams are coming off huge victories with the Bills dismantling their rivals, the Dolphins and the Chargers handing the defending champion Seahawks their lunch and their first loss of the season. The Chargers are bipolar. When they show up and compete they are one of the best teams in the league. The problem is, that team rarely shows up. They have had issues holding leads in the second half and they are not at home with the 12th man to give them that push this week. The Bills on the other hand are playing like world beaters. The crowd in Buffalo is re-charged after the news of the team being sold and the players are feeding off of the energy. The Bills have a very well balanced attack and a defense that likes to get after it. When all the factors of this game are added up I have to give the nod to the Bills in a very good game.
The Pick: Bills -2.5
Dallas Cowboys at St. Louis Rams
The Cowboys and the Rams is one of those games where you take a look at the line (Cowboys -1) and scratch your head. The Cowboys looked great against the Titans while the Rams won in ugly fashion against the Bucs on the road. They will be facing a different kind of team in the Cowboys. The Cowboys have weapons all over the field and should be able to impose their will on the Rams in the trenches. If the Cowboys can give Romo time to throw and DeMarco Murray sets the pace on the ground, it’s going to be a long day for the Rams.
The Pick: Cowboys -1
Washington Redskins at Philadelphia Eagles
In our next game we have a classic NFC East matchup between the Eagles and the Redskins. These teams and fan bases do not like each other. Same goes for the players on the field. These games are always smash mouth affairs with lots of big hits and emotion on display for all to see. The Eagles are a team that plays on fast forward. They keep a pace that has defenses scrambling and they do it well. Nick Foles is a playmaker and LeSean McCoy in the backfield is among the league’s best. Never mind the fact that Darren Sproles is also in the mix. This is going to be a long day for the Redskins. Even though RG3 is hurt, Kirk Cousins has proven he can play in this league and play well. The problem is he won’t have the supporting cast to keep up with the high powered Chip Kelly offense. This will be a long night the City of Brotherly Love.
The pick: The Eagles -7
Houston Texans at New York Giants
The New York Giants have proven to be a bad football team through the first two weeks. Eli Manning is a shell of his former self and the running game is non existent. Add to that shoddy defensive play and bad playcalling and you have the recipe for another disastorous year. The Giants need this victory like a cake needs frosting. Unfortunately, I don’t think they will be able to achieve their goal. The Texans are playing great football under coach O’Brien. The offensive unit is hitting on all cylinders and they play stout defense. The Texans will look to exploit the mistakes the Giants are bound to make and with pitiful running game of the Giants you have to think the Texans will pin their ears back and look to get after it.
The pick: The Texans -2.5
Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints
The Saints are the best 0-2 team in the league. This team can play football but for some reason they haven’t been able to close the deal the last two weeks. Coming back to the dome in Lousiana is exactly what the doctor ordered and the serving up of the Vikings is just gravy. The Vikings got completely exposed by the Patriots last week and I would not be surprised to see it again, Adrian Peterson or not. I look for Drew Brees to have a huge day against Minnesota. All signs point to the Saints breaking out of their 2 game slide in a big way here. This game has blowout potential.
The pick: The Saints -10
Tennessee Titans at Cincinnati Bengals
The Titans are in a tough spot. Coming off a big loss against the Cowboys they have another tall task on their hands as they visit hostile Cincinnati. The Bengals are playing great football on both sides of the ball and Andy Dalton has proven to be a guy you can rely on. The coaching staff has used their weapons to great success this year and I see them keeping it up come Sunday. The Titans need to address some holes. They were exposed by Tony Romo and company on Sunday and if they think it’s going to be any easier going into Bengal country, they are in for a rude awakening. The Bengals are looking to change the face of the division and I don’t see them letting up against the Titans.
The Pick: The Bengals -7
Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns
The Browns are looking to make it two in a row when the Ravens come in for a visit. The Browns looked great against the Saints last week and scored the huge upset. I look for them to keep the train rolling come Sunday. The Ravens are an overrated team that has played above their heads so far this season. They don’t have the defense they once had and I’ve never been a big fan of Joe Flacco. Add to that the fact that they are going into Cleveland and the dog pound and it looks like a long day is in store for the Birds. If the Browns can continue to score points and if their defense continues to stand tall before the wagon, the Browns should come out of this one with a W as a small home dog.
The pick: The Browns +1
Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions
The Packers and Lions are our next serving of NFL action and this should be a good one. The Packers looked like they were dead in the water against the Jets before Discount Double Check decided to turn from Pedestrian Clark Kent into Superman. He lit the Jets secondary up like a Christmas tree and used his deadly accuracy and rocket cannon arm to claw and fight back and get a much needed victory. Now they go into Detroit to play one of their most heated rivals and it should be a game full of fireworks. The Lions got mauled on the road in Carolina but that was to be expected with it being Cam Newton’s first start of the year and the excitement that generated from the crowd. This week they will be in the friendly confines of their dome and look for Stafford and Megatron to take advantage. This one has the makings of a back and forth affair with both teams scoring almost at will. I think that Megatron will be too much for the Packers in the end though and I think that the Lions steal a victory here.
The Pick: The Lions -1
Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars
The Colts came up short againt the Eagles last Monday night and it could prove costly down the road. However, don’t expect that result again here. The Colts are going into Jacksonville with a chip on their shoulder and Andrew Luck is not the kind of guy who needs extra motivation. The Colts were able to match the Eagles pace in the first half but the constant rush of Foles and the Eagles proved a little bit too much for the Colts as the Eagles stole one with a last second field goal. The Jaguars on the otherhand are just bad. Maybe the worst team in the league bad. There are few brightspots to even discuss on the Jaguars. It’s a sad franchise in a sad state. You have to play the Colts here.
The pick: The Colts - 7
Oakland Raiders at New England Patriots
In our next game we have another sad franchise -- the Raiders -- taking on one of the best franchises in the league -- the Patriots. The Patriots shook off the week one let down and came out to prove a point on Sunday. That they did. Tom Terrific is not the kind of guy that losses two games in a row. He is, however, the kind of guy that loves to win 2 in a row. This weeks match up should prove an easy one. The Raiders are coming into this game impotent. They can’t score, they can’t stop anyone from scoring and they haven’t shown any signs of turning that around. Expect more of the same this week.
The Pick: Patriots -14.5
San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals
We have the 49ers and Cardinals in a game that should prove rather interesting. The Cardinals have proven that they won’t go away easily this year and with the weapons they have on offense and defense they should not be taken lightly by anyone. There are questions at QB with Carson Palmer hurt but I think that Cardinals are the kind of team that will stick around in games no matter what. Unfortuantely for them, they are going to be running into a buzz saw in the 49ers. San Fran had things well in hand against the the Bears until the walls came tumbling down. Turnovers on offense, lapses on defense, very out of character for a San Fran team that usually plays to their potential. Look for them to turn it around this game and smack the Cardinals in the teeth.
The pick: 49ers – 2
Denver Broncos at Seattle Seahawks
In the marquee match up of the weekend we have a rematch of last years superbowl. Peyton Manning and co. travel to the wily confines of Seattle where the 12th man takes this to a completely different level. Manning loves to change the play at the line and to do so he has to communicate with the other players on the field. With how loud it gets in Seattle I see him having trouble changing the plays on a regular basis in the unfriendly confines of Seattle. Seattle on the other hand, feeds off the energy of the crowd like no other team in the league. The Seahawks are going to be a little on the grumpy side after the loss to the Chargers and look for the world champs to take out their aggression on the Broncos in a barnburner.
The Pick: Seahawks -4.5
Kansas City Chiefs at Miami Dolphins
The next game is one of the most interesting on the schedule for me. The Chiefs are coming off a very, very tough loss against the Broncos last week and the Dolphins are coming off a beating put on them by their rival, the Bills. I have to think that the Dolphins will get it together this week and find a way to win. The Chiefs are in danger of falling to 0-3. With that staring them in the face they will certainly come out fired up and ready to go. The thing is though, I don’t think they have the firepower to actually push it far enough to get the victory.
The pick: Dolphins – 4
Pittsburgh Steelers at Carolina Panthers
The last game on the docket before Monday night brings a clash of the Panthers and the Steelers. The Steelers have looked terrible this year. They can’t run, they can’t pass and they certainly can’t make a stop on defense. They are going to be up against it on Sunday going into Carolina to face Cam Newton and company. Cam is the kind of guy that changes games on his own and his presence is enough to rattle any defensive coordinator and cause restless nights. With good cause in this case. The Panthers are going to light the Steelers up. This game has beatdown written all over it.
The Pick: The Panthers – 3.5
Chicago Bears at New York Jets
Our last game of the week is the Bears and the Jets. Two teams that have played relatively well and both teams have a 1-1 record to show for it. The Bears looked dead in the water against the 49ers but turned things around behind a huge second half from Jay Cutler. When Cutler is focused and locked in he is one of the best in the game. He will make defenses pay for mistakes and blown coverages and he has no problem tucking the ball and running. The Bears defense showed moxie on Sunday and some young players stepped up. It’s a big loss losing Charles “Peanut” Tillman to injury again but the bears are deep enough at CB to take it in stride.
The polar opposite happened for the Jets last week. They jumped out to a huge lead against the Packers and looked like they would cost to victory. An untimely interception by Geno Smith at the end of the first half changed the whole dynamic of the game. The Jets gave up the lead but came storming back to tie the game up…almost. A bad time out called by the Jets before the play developed took away the game tying TD and deflated the Jets comeback attempt. I would look for the Jets to be more stingy with the ball on offense this week and I’d look for their defense to get after Cutler. With a banged up CB corp the Jets have to create havoc in the backfield or a guy like Cutler will eat them up.
The pick: The Jets -2.
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