It really would be nice if we could get through just one full week without another star player being lost for the season due to injury, wouldn’t it?
Dallas Cowboys star defensive back Trevon Diggs tore his left ACL while practising Thursday, which means he joins the likes of Aaron Rodgers, Nick Chubb, J.K. Dobbins, Jack Conklin and Shaq Thompson as the latest prominent player whose 2023 campaign is most likely finished.
Here’s hoping that list doesn’t grow in Week 3, which features an unbalanced Sunday slate of games with nine early contests and only three late matchups.
Week 3 began with the 49ers making a strong case they are the best team in the NFC thanks to a dominant Thursday win over the Giants. San Francisco became the first team to get to 3-0 this season; six others can keep pace this week, while nine teams aim to pick up their first victory of the season.
The week concludes with another double Monday-nighter capped off by a Super Bowl LVI rematch that features plenty of questions surrounding one of the star quarterbacks from that matchup.
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SPREADS & TOTALS
– TEN (+3.5) at CLE (-3.5) | O/U: 39.5 (1 p.m. ET)
– ATL (+3.0) at DET (-3.0) | O/U: 46.5 (1 p.m. ET)
– NO (+1.5) at GB (-1.5) | O/U: 42.5 (1 p.m. ET)
– DEN (+6.5) at MIA (-6.5) | O/U: 48.0 (1 p.m. ET)
– LAC (+1.0) at MIN (-1.0) | O/U: 54.0 (1 p.m. ET)
– NE (-2.5) at NYJ (+2.5) | O/U: 36.5 (1 p.m. ET)
– BUF (-6.5) at WAS (+6.5) | O/U: 43.5 (1 p.m. ET)
– HOU (+8.5) at JAX (-8.5) | O/U: 44.0 (1 p.m. ET)
– IND (+8.0) at BAL (-8.0) | O/U: 44.0 (1 p.m. ET)
– CAR (+5.5) at SEA (-5.5) | O/U: 42.5 (4:05 p.m. ET)
– CHI (+12.5) at KC (-12.5) | O/U: 48.0 (4:25 p.m. ET)
– DAL (-12.5) at ARI (+12.5) | O/U: 43.0 (4:25 p.m. ET)
– PIT (+2.5) at LV (-2.5) | O/U: 43.0 (8:20 p.m. ET)
– PHI (+5.0) at TB (-5.0) | O/U: 46.0 (7:15 p.m. ET Monday)
– LAR (+2.5) at CIN (-2.5) | O/U: 43.5 (8:15 p.m. ET Monday)
The Patriots have defeated the Jets 14 consecutive times dating back to 2015 and oddsmakers are projecting they will extend that to 15. New England at New York has the lowest total of any single game so far this season at just 36.5 points.
At the other end of the totals spectrum we’ve got Chargers at Vikings, two 0-2 teams projected to put up some points Sunday afternoon. The Chargers have scored the sixth-most points through two games but have also blown fourth-quarter leads in both of their losses.
Four teams are projected to win by more than a converted touchdown, including the Cowboys who are 2-0 against the spread so far and 12.5-point road favourites this week.
PROP WATCH: WILL BIJAN KEEP GETTING MORE TOUCHES?
Falcons rookie Bijan Robinson has shown glimpses of his elite talent early this season and enters Week 3 ranked second behind only Christian McCaffrey in total rushing yards. This week Atlanta visits the Detroit Lions in what sets up as an entertaining all-NFC matchup.
Robinson had 19 rushing attempts in Week 2 after being eased into the Falcons offence with 10 carries in Week 1. In a game that could feature plenty of offence with all that skill on the field, Robinson’s totals and other props should be fun to keep track of this weekend.
Robinson rushing yards: Over 69.5 (-110) | Under 69.5 (-110)
Robinson rushing attempts: Over 84.5 (-110) | Under 84.5 (-110)
Robinson receiving yards: Over 22.5 (-110) | Under 22.5 (-110)
Total rushing and receiving yards: Over 97.5 (-115) | Under 97.5 (-115)
Longest rush: Over 16.5 yards (-120) | Under 16.5 yards (-110)
Anytime touchdown +105 | two or more TDs +550 | three or more TDs +2500
First quarter anytime TD +750 | First half anytime TD +275 (odds via Bet365)
The eighth-overall pick from the 2023 draft has caught 10 of his 11 targets for an additional 75 yards and his lone NFL touchdown, so look for his reception totals whenever they are posted. Oh, and if style points were quantifiable he’d easily definitely be among the league leaders in that category too.
I mean, just look at how he can glide through a defence…
WEEK 3 STORYLINES TO FOLLOW
Can the Bengals be more aggressive through the air? Cincinnati ranks 30th in net passing yards and Ja’Marr Chase wants to see that change. The Bengals have started 0-2 for a second consecutive season and Joe Burrow’s passing totals have left much to be desired (4.2 yards per attempt). Clearly, some of that can be attributed to Burrow’s lingering calf injury, which could play a huge role in Monday’s home game versus a 1-1 Rams team that is allowing only 150.5 net passing yards against per game through the first two weeks.
Chase had five catches in each of his first two games but they only resulted in 39 yards Week 1 versus the Browns and 31 Week 2 against the Ravens. He wants to see his offence get more aggressive.
“I mean, we really haven’t took that many shots downfield,” Chase told reporters this week when talking about what his team can do to spark the offence. “You look at the past two games, you don’t really see that many shots downfield. Got to take more shots downfield. I mean, that’s why we got deep-threat guys. Take a chance.”
Burrow missed his team’s Thursday practice but returned to the field in pads Friday. If the star quarterback can start Monday, how effective will he be at avoiding an oncoming Aaron Donald-led Rams defence? Reid Sinnett was signed to Cincinnati’s practice squad this week and if Burrow can’t go come kickoff or is forced to leave the game the team will turn to backup Jake Browning.
Is Micah Parsons the best overall football player in the NFL? It’s a fair question based on how the Dallas Cowboys star has performed early this season. The All-Pro linebacker is the most versatile and talented player on a defence that has allowed a league-low 10 total points, forced a league-high seven turnovers and sacked opposing QBs 10 times. Parsons himself already has seven combined tackles, four tackles for a loss, six QB hits, three sacks, plus one forced fumbled with a recovery. Parsons and his 2-0 Cowboys head to Arizona for a favourable matchup with the 0-2 Cardinals but they do so without Trevon Diggs, whose injury comes relatively soon after signing a five-year, $97 million contract extension.
Parsons and his Cowboys teammates all have some added motivation now that Diggs is done. It’s hard to imagine Parsons playing any better than he already does but if that somehow happens then his name should be mentioned in the MVP conversation instead of just the Defensive Player of the Year debate.
Which skill players can keep at a 2,000-yard pace? There are four wide receivers through two weeks on track to surpass the vaunted 2,000 receiving yards milestone that no player has previously reached.
1. Justin Jefferson 154.5 Y/G (on pace for 2,626 yards)
2. Puka Nacua 133.0 Y/G (on pace for 2,261 yards)
3. Tyreek Hill 127.5 Y/G (on pace for 2,167 yards)
4. Mike Evans 118.5 Y/G (on pace for 2,014 yards)
Meanwhile, McCaffrey is the lone running back on pace to become the first player since Derrick Henry in 2020 to amass 2,000 rushing yards. McCaffrey was averaging 134 rushing yards per game prior to his 85-yard outing Thursday versus the Giants so now the 49ers star is pretty much exactly at a 2,000-yard pace averaging 117.7 rushing yards through three games.
Multiple backups getting the start: Andy Dalton will get his first start with the Carolina Panthers with No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young out with an ankle injury. Dalton, 35, started 14 games for the Saints in 2022 where he went 6-8, completing 66.7 per cent of his pass attempts for 2,871 yards, 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions for a 95.2 passer rating.
Another rookie QB is banged up this week with Anthony Richardson of the Colts sitting out his team’s road game in Baltimore. Gardner Minshew II will take Richardson’s spot behind centre for Indianapolis. Minshew completed 19 of 23 pass attempts for 171 yards and a touchdown in Week 2 after Richardson left with a concussion after scoring two first-half touchdowns. Minshew started four games in his two seasons with the Eagles from 2021 to 2022 after starting 20 games with Jacksonville (12 in 2019 and eight in 2020).
(Betting lines and totals listed above via Covers as of Friday unless otherwise noted and subject to change)
