Feeling like 0-2 heading into Week 3

Hello Week 3 of the National Football League! Technically, you started on Thursday night with the Dolphins beating the Jaguars where FitzMagic showed up and Minshew Magic went poof, but you end with some juicy elite team and quarterback matchups.  Sunday night we get the Packers and Saints (or Rodgers vs Brees, if you're into promoting players over teams), and Monday night well... read below.

As Tom Brady likes to tweet, LFG!!!

The Highlights of Week 3

We have two 2-0 vs 2-0 matchups this week.  The LA Rams (2-0) travel to Buffalo (2-0) to play the Bills at 1pm. and on Monday night, Kansas City (2-0) travels to Baltimore (2-0).  

The Rams are traveling from Los Angeles to the east coast for the second consecutive week (played at Philadelphia) for a 1pm. If the Rams buck the time travel trend of West Coast teams traveling to East for an early game two consecutive weeks, I'll move them into my Top 3 because THEY. ARE. LEGIT. 

The Rams and Bills have good defenses. I don't expect Josh Allen to put up 300+ yards passing with multiple touchdowns, but the MVP-hype will be huge if he duplicates his success from the last two weeks.

Chiefs-Ravens Monday Night Matchup is most people's AFC Championship preview, and we get a MVP quarterback matchup between 2018 MVP Patrick Mahomes and 2019 MVP Lamar Jackson. Will this game equal the Monday night game we had a couple of seasons ago between Chiefs and Rams where each team was throwing heavyweight body shots at the other team? I hope so. and I'm sure the NFL is hoping so as well. I'm going to have to take a nap when I get home from work just to make sure I stay awake for the second half.

There are four 2-0 vs 0-2 matchups this week - Tennessee (2-0) at Minnesota (0-2), Houston (0-2) at Pittsburgh (2-0), Chicago (2-0) at Atlanta (0-2), Detroit (0-2) at Arizona (2-0). Why do I spotlight those games? Well, there are 11 winless teams and there chances of making the playoffs for teams that start 0-2 is somewhere between 10-12%. So, the intrigue is there, at least for me, to see if the motivation to avoid 0-3 outweighs the happy feelings of the undefeated teams.  

Who Do You Love

My ATS (Against The Spread) picks versus my Straight Up picks is like a 0-2 vs 2-0 matchup.  I'm 2-9-1 ATS and 21-10 straight up. The numbers are stinky this week in several matchups, so I'm holding my noise and closing my eyes on these six ATS picks.

Buffalo (-2) > LA Rams... I've seen bad Bills teams over the past few years win these type of games and this year's Bills team might be the best in over a decade. I can't get over the Rams traveling West to East for a 2nd week. Close game, but Bills find a way to win by a field goal.

Giants (+3) > Niners... The Niners are playing in Met Life Stadium in New York for a second week. The same turf and stadium that wiped out their starting QB, RB, DE and DL. Add those injuries to a team already missing their starting TE, WR1, and the RB2 is hurt. San Fran may not have traveled back to California after last week's lost, excuse me, win over the Jets, but it felt like it. Giants almost stole a win outright against the Bears last week. Today's as good a day as any to kick a team while they're down. Hope they take advantage.

Titans (-2.5) > Vikings... Vikings are home underdogs coming off very bad loss. TRAP! Yes it is, but the weather conditions are too good in the dome for the Titans, who have survived two straight weeks on field goals late in the 4th quarter, to not win by another field goal.

Falcons (-3) > Bears... My PAY THE MORTGAGE PLAY OF THE DAY! Coming off the embarrassment of losing to Dallas I expect the Falcons to be sharp in every aspect of the game this week. Offense hasn't been a problem ATL. Plus, I think Mitch Trubisky turns back into a pumpkin this week.  Falcons by double-digits!

Steelers (-4) > Texans... Another 2-0 vs 0-2 matchup. The NFL schedulers treated the Texans like they were Nebraska complaining to the world about how unfair not playing football is to them. NOBODY has as tough as schedule as Houston, who played KC and Baltimore last two week. They have competed in those game, and will probably do so again. But, Big Ben plays really well at home and the Steelers defense is still healthy and playing great ball. Texans may have a first-half lead, but I expect the Steelers to outscore them in the second half.

Cardinals (-5.5) > Lions... my fourth 2-0 vs 0-2 game is the HOLD THE NOSE AND CLOSE THE EYES PICK. The number is not clean and the Lions get their WR1, Kenny Golladay back so Matthew Stafford and the offense should be able to keep up the Cardinals. I can see Detroit getting a back door cover with a late TD on their final drive of the 4th, but I'm going to hope I didn't speak that into existence and ride with the hot Cards.

I played the first 5 games in my 5-game ATS Picks Contest after talking myself out playing the Cardinals, as well as the Packers (+3) who travel to New Orleans for Sunday Night. Call me a coward, and I'll accept that if I go 5-0 or 4-1 today.

Straight Cash Homie

Here are the Week 3 picks, straight up, for the rest of Week 3:

BILLS > RAMS

PATRIOTS > RAIDERS

TITANS > VIKINGS

STEELERS > TEXANS

49ERS  > GIANTS

FALCONS > BEARS

BROWNS > WASHINGTON

BENGALS > EAGLES

COLTS > JETS

CHARGERS > PANTHERS

SEAHAWKS > COWBOYS

BUCS > BRONCOS

CARDINALS > LIONS

PACKERS > SAINTS

CHIEFS > RAVENS

Maybe next week I'll find some time to add some fantasy football thoughts. Let me know what you think about your week 3 picks and favorite storylines heading into the weekend.

Good luck and health to your team and fantasy players this week.