NFL Week 3 Live Betting Weekend & MNF Preview At Bovada
There are only six teams in the NFL entering Week 3 with a 0-2 mark. Should backers be concerned about the New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders? Yes, considering that historically only slightly more than 12 percent of clubs to start 0-2 make the playoffs. Of that group, Cleveland has the longest odds to win Super Bowl XLVII on the board at Bovada at 400/1.
Open a betting account at Bovada and grab an instant 50% Free Bet Bonus on your first deposit.
That leaves 26 teams with either a 2-0 or 1-1 record entering Week 3. Since 2002 when the NFL went to eight divisions, 70 of 120 teams to start a year with either of those marks have advanced to the postseason. Last season's Giants started 1-1 and won the Super Bowl. The 2006 G-Men were the last team also to start 0-2 and win the Super Bowl.
If it seems there are a ton of 1-1 teams, it's because there are an NFL-record 20 of them. The .500 club with the shortest Super Bowl odds is New England, which dropped to the third overall favorite at 13/2 behind unbeatens San Francisco (5/1) and Houston (6/1). The Patriots' 20-18 home loss to Arizona in Week 2 was one of the biggest NFL upsets in recent memory with Arizona a 13-point dog.
It was Tom Brady's first home opening loss in his career and just his second regular-season home loss overall in the past 37 games. To make matters worse, New England lost star tight end Aaron Hernandez for up to a month to injury.
Arizona was one of just two road teams to win in Week 2 - the 14 home wins are tied for the most in NFL history in any week. The Cardinals are one of the surprising 2-0 clubs, but they may have foreshadowed this success by winning seven of their final nine games of 2011. Overall, the Cardinals are 9-3 ATS in their past 12 games. Arizona is still a 60/1 long shot to win the Super Bowl, 30/1 to win the NFC Championship and +600 to win the NFC West.
Weekend & MNF Live Betting Matchups
Buccaneers at Cowboys (-7, 46.5): These two clubs looked completely different from Week 1 to Week 2. Tampa Bay's defense was dominant in an opening 16-10 win over Carolina, holding the Panthers to a total of 10 yards rushing. But on Sunday, the Bucs allowed Eli Manning to throw for 510 yards and lead the Giants from a 27-13 late third-quarter deficit to a 41-34 win.
That was easily the highest-scoring game in Week 2, which saw 765 points go on the board, the seventh-most all-time. The combined 1,556 points scored in the first two weeks is the most of any two-week span in NFL history.
Dallas looked tremendous in winning at the Giants in Week 1 but laid an egg in losing 27-7 at Seattle on Sunday as a 3-point favorite. The Cowboys were held to 49 rushing yards on 16 attempts as running back DeMarco Murray was a non-factor. Dallas did win easily at Tampa Bay last December, 31-15, behind three touchdown passes and a rushing score from Tony Romo. He could have another big day as Tampa Bay ranks last against the pass in 2012.
Texans at Broncos (+3, 46): It could be an AFC Championship Game preview in Denver as the Broncos look to bounce back on a short week after losing 27-21 in Atlanta on Monday night. Peyton Manning looked great in Week 1 but rusty vs. the Falcons in throwing three first-quarter interceptions on his first eight attempts - that's the fewest attempts No. 18 has ever needed for three picks. Manning owned Houston while in Indianapolis. He was 16-2 vs. the Texans, completing 70.4 percent of his passes with 42 touchdowns and a rating of 110.6.
Houston has won its first two games by a combined margin of 57-17 but it has played arguably two of the worst teams in the NFL: Miami and Jacksonville. The Texans do rank No. 1 against the pass, but again consider the inexperienced quarterbacks they have faced so far.
Patriots at Ravens (-3, 49): It's rematch of the AFC Championship Game that Ravens fans won't forget, and for all the wrong reasons. Baltimore lost 23-20 in Foxboro thanks to a Lee Evans drop in the final minute of the potential winning touchdown pass and then kicker Billy Cundiff inexplicably missing a 32-yard field goal that would have sent the game into overtime. Cundiff, incidentally, was waived in August by the team.
The 2012 Ravens enter off a 24-23 loss at Philadelphia on Michael Vick's 1-yard touchdown run with under two minutes remaining. Joe Flacco couldn't lead a drive toward a game-winning field goal. He had a rough day, completing 22 of 42 for 232 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
Baltimore is 0-6 all-time vs. New England in the regular season and 1-7 counting playoffs.
Packers at Seahawks (+3, 47): The Monday night game is the first meeting between the franchises since late in the 2009 season. Green Bay will be plenty rested after beating the Bears 23-10 at Lambeau last Thursday. Will this be the week the Pack have a 100-yard rusher? They haven't in 29 straight regular-season games, easily the longest current streak in the NFL. Seattle ranks No. 2 against the run, allowing just 46.0 yards per game.
Seattle's Russell Wilson was one of three rookie quarterbacks to win in Week 2 after the five rookies went a combined 1-4 in Week 1. Wilson was a solid 15-for-20 for 150 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions in the win over Dallas. Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch will be gunning for his sixth straight 100-yard rushing game at home.
Since 2009, the Packers are 9-3 overall (.750) in prime-time games. But Seattle is unbeaten ATS in its past five Monday night games.
Earn bonuses when you bet on NFL parlays at Bovada.
Raise Your Game.
