NFL Week 3
By the Numbers
It was a
wild Week 3 in the NFL, with only nine of 16 betting favorites winning their
games outright. Eight were able to cover the spread, but the Titans (-3.0) only
won 31-30 over the Vikings.
Ten teams
began the week with perfect 2-0 records, and a pair of games matched undefeated
teams. The Bills got a late penalty against the Rams, then scored with 15
seconds left to win 35-32. Kansas City was able to shut down Ravens quarterback
Lamar Jackson on its way to a 34-20 victory.
AMERICA’S
BOOKIE WEEKLY FOOTBALL SQUARES CONTEST IS BACK
Over/Under
Trends
In what is
now a trend for the NFL, total points scored have far outdistanced the
over/under betting lines. In Week 3, nine of the games had totals over the
line, with one game ending in a push. Overall, the total points scored exceeded
the cumulative over/under totals by 69 points.
Four of the
games had totals that were double digits above the over/under line. The
Rams-Bills game had a line of 47 points, but the teams combined for 67. Could
this be a sign for future free
NFL picks? The Packers-Saints game exceeded the
over/under by 14, the third week in a row for Green Bay.
For the
season, 28 games have returned wins for the over bet, with 18 for the under and
two pushes. The Week 4 total for the over/under is up two points a game from
last week, so oddsmakers are adjusting. In case you’re wondering, the Green
Bay-Atlanta game has the highest total for Week 4 at 57.5 points.
Before we
move on, take a look at last week’s NFL Week
2 By the Numbers.
Surprise
Undefeated Teams
The Chicago
Bears have had a difficult time earning respect, despite a 3-0 record and
sporting a stingy defense. They went into Atlanta as a 2.5-point underdog and
came away with a last-minute 30-26 victory. All three of their wins have come
by the same four-point margin.
Although
the Packers finished 13-3 and played in the NFC Championship Game last year,
the consensus was for a drop in 2020. With early games on the road at Minnesota
and New Orleans, a 2-1 start would have been good. Instead, they lead the
league in scoring by four points a game and resemble a Super Bowl contender
again.
Teams Off
to a Disappointing Start
The Vikings
came into the 2020
season as the team to beat in the NFC North but currently stand at 0-3.
After Sunday’s heartbreaker, they find themselves staring up at the undefeated
Packers and Bears in their own division.
The
percentage of teams starting 0-3 and making the playoffs is around 3% since
1980.
They Lost,
But Are Still Looking Good
The Los
Angeles Rams went into Buffalo to play an early game against the Bills as
two-point underdogs at online
sportsbooks. After getting behind 28-3 midway through the
third quarter, the West Coast Rams awoke and took a 32-28 lead. Even with the
loss in the wild finish, the Rams still look like a factor in the NFC West.
In a much
anticipated Monday night contest, Baltimore hosted Kansas City in a battle of
2-0 teams. Quarterback Lamar Jackson had early success but then struggled as
the Chiefs defense stiffened. Despite losing 34-20, the Ravens could be back in
Kansas City later this season for the AFC Championship Game.
