Best NFL Picks and Predictions Today for Week 3 (Must-Bet Plays for Sunday's Slate)

Dec 8, 2020; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) runs away from Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith (54) in the first quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-Imagn Images | Evan Habeeb-Imagn Images

13 games across the NFL are set to take place today. There are plenty of teams still seeking their first win of the season and a handful of others who are looking to remain undefeated.

With kickoff just a few hours away, it's time to place your bets. Instead of searching through every possible play today, let us help you out with some of our favorite wagers for Sunday's action. The SI Betting Team has been breaking down their favorite bets all week long and in this article, I'm going to give you the plays I like the most.

Let's dive into it.

Top NFL Picks and Predictions Today (NFL Week 3)

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

• Chargers +114 vs. Steelers
• Bears vs. Colts UNDER 43.5
• Ravens -1.5 vs. Cowboys

Chargers +114 vs. Steelers

Despite Justin Herbert being questionable for the game, the Chargers are still my upset pick of the week. The Steelers continue to baffle me as they win games they don't deserve to win year after year. Pittsburgh is 2-0, but the Steelers have a Net Yards per Play of -0.7, which ranks 24th in the NFL.

Good coaching and an average turnover margin per game of +2.5 have led them to their current record, but now they take on a team that has also been strongly coached through the first two weeks of the season in Los Angeles.

The Steelers simply can't continue to win games scoring just 15.5 points per game. Jim Harbaugh and company will be able to do enough to get the win in Pittsburgh on Sunday.

Bears vs. Colts UNDER 43.5

I correctly predicted the Bears' offense to stumble out of the gates this season. It's too much to ask for their offense to be rolling on all cylinders considering how many new faces, including rookies, are playing in a new scheme with new teammates. Through the first two games, they have averaged only 3.0 yards per play, last in the NFL by half a yard.

With that being said, the Colts offense hasn't been good enough for me to trust either. Anthony Richardson has completed just 49.1% of his passes and he has already thrown four interceptions. if you take out his deep shots in Week 1 against the Texans, he's been one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL to start the season.

Instead of trusting either team to score many points, I'm going to sit back and bet in the UNDER in what I expect to be a low-scoring affair.

Ravens -1.5 vs. Cowboys

The Ravens have some questions in their secondary, but I'm not ready to push the panic button for Baltimore quite yet. They're 11th in the NFL in Net Yards per Play at +0.5, well above the Cowboys who are -0.4 despite having a win on their record.

The Cowboys have had issues stopping the run the past number of seasons and it seems to be a cause for concern for them again in 2024. Through the first two weeks, they're 23rd in opponent yards per carry, giving up 4.9 yards per rush. A game against the high-powered rushing offense of the Ravens is bad news for the Dallas defense.

I'll take Baltimore to get in the win and cover today.

---

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

You can check out all of Iain's bets here!