Week Three NFL Picks 

By: Matt Harmon

Kansas City Chiefs (2-0) at Philadelphia Eagles (1-1)
Matchup to Watch: DeSean Jackson vs. Brandon Flowers

• Everyone wants to talk about Michael Vick and LeSean McCoy and their success in this new Chip Kelly offense, and rightfully so, but outside of fantasy football circles Jackson’s impact has largely not been discussed. I have not been what you would call a “Jackson guy” for a long time, but he looks reborn. He is not just running go-routes all the time, he is going deep, but also fitting in perfectly with the underneath routes and mid-range elusive receiver routes Kelly loves to use. He might be the most improved player in the league thus far. My whole point here is that if the Chiefs plan on winning this short week game, stud corner, Brandon Flowers needs to shut out of this game. Flowers is the exact type of physical corner to give a player like Jackson trouble. I will have my eyes on this match up all game. 

My Pick: Chiefs

• Honestly, I hate picking road teams to win on these short week, Thursday night games. In general, these games are usually really sloppy and hard to predict; thanks NFL Network. However, all that being said, I really think the Chiefs are the better team and that is why I will be picking them to win. I think their defense will be able to keep the Eagles offense in check, and their offense will control the time of possession. Also, I really think the Chiefs want to get this win for Andy Reid. Star running back Jamal Charles recently said he thinks that Reid really wants to win this game, in spite of the fact that Reid wishes he was still coaching in Philly. I normally don’t buy into off the field factors like that, but I bet if the entire Chiefs’ team thinks in that vein they really, really want to win this game. We shall see, but I bet the Eagles make a few more mistakes than the Chiefs, but I have about zero confidence in this pick. Judge away! 
  

San Diego Chargers (1-1) at Tennessee Titans (1-1)
Matchup to Watch: Antonio Gates vs. Zach Brown

• Zach Brown is turning into a great player under the guidance of Gregg Williams, the secret defensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans. Brown is an extremely athletic player whose best attributes are his speed and playmaking ability. The speed that Brown possesses is a huge reason why he can be a really good coverage player in this defensive scheme. That skill will be especially helpful against Gates who looks reborn in this Mike McCoy offense. 
  

My Pick: Chargers

• Both of these teams have been much better than I expected them to be. While the Titans have won with defense thus far, the Chargers have been rolling on offense. In this game I am going to go with the Chargers almost simply because they have the better quarterback right now, and can certainly outscore the Titans.  
  

Cleveland Browns (0-2) at Minnesota Vikings (0-2)
Matchup to Watch: Mitchell Schwartz vs. Brian Robison

• Right tackle Mitchell Schwartz has been terrible for the Browns this year; flat out. He had a nice rookie year, and looked like he was well on his way to being a solid bookend with stud left tackle Joe Thomas. Robison is an underrated player who can give right tackles fits as a pass rusher. With Thomas doing battle with Jared Allen on the other side of the field, the Browns need Schwartz to hold up his end of the bargain, especially with Brian Hoyer starting at quarterback, and God knows what going on in the backfield. 
  

My Pick: Vikings

• The Browns showed us all that they do not believe they can be a consistent winner this year when they traded away Trent Richardson the other day. Unless Brian Hoyer shows us something special, this game has to be the first win for the Vikings. 
  

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-2) at New England Patriots (2-0)
Matchup to Watch: Stevan Ridley vs. the Bucs front seven

• We all saw last Thursday that the Patriots passing game is still, at best, a work in progress. With all that, it has gone unnoticed that Ridley has struggled to establish himself this year. The Buccaneers defense is very good all around, but is especially tough to run on. Ridley needs to go off in this game, and the Bucs need to shut him down if they have any hope of winning. Who breaks first? 
  

My Pick: Patriots

• I do believe the Bucs are a really bad team, but this game is not quite the given that everyone believes it is. Hey, if this game was in Tampa I may even feel better about picking them. However, the Patriots are just the much better team and the Buccaneers are in a complete tail spin. 
  

Houston Texans (2-0) at Baltimore Ravens (1-1)
Matchup to Watch: Ed Reed vs. Joe Flacco

• This matchup might be highlighted just for ceremonial purposes. Some people may believe that Reed, who should be making his season debut, knows Joe Flacco and will force him into a big mistake. I am highlighting this matchup because not only do I believe Reed is done, but I think he obviously is not healthy. I am betting that Flacco hooks up with someone like Torrey Smith for a big play at Reed’s expense. 
  

My Pick: Ravens

• I really am not too sure which team is better, but I am picking the Ravens to win this one. Ray Rice being out is a concern, but I have a feeling this is the week that their offense gets on track. The Texans have been playing with fire in close games so far this year, and this is the week they finally get burned.  
  

St. Louis Rams (1-1) at Dallas Cowboys (1-1)
Matchup to Watch: Dez Bryant vs. Cortland Finnegan

• Anyone watching Bryant in the first half against the Chiefs knows just how dynamic he can be at his best. There is a definite argument that he might be the second best receiver in the league. Cortland Finnegan has quietly been having a pretty poor season so far for the Rams. He needs to rebound right away or else Bryant could go off and ensure a victory for the Cowboys. 
  

My Pick: Rams

• I rolled with the Rams in an upset last week, and they let me down. Well, I am doing it again! Losing to the Rams in their building just feels like such a Cowboys thing to do. There are matchups that favor the Rams, and I just do not trust the Cowboys.
  

Arizona Cardinals (1-1) at New Orleans Saints (2-0)
Matchup to Watch: Rob Housler vs. Kenny Vaccaro

• For the Saints, their first round safety Kenny Vaccaro has been deployed all over the field by Rob Ryan. One thing that he can do really well is being the type of safety that helps his team out against dynamic tight ends. Is Housler that? Maybe he can be. Housler is a very athletic guy, making his season debut that we have all just been waiting to break out. Under Bruce Arians, and in his tight end friendly offense, this could be the time. 

My Pick: Saints

• You have to like what the Cardinals are building, but the Saints are just the much better team and playing at home. Carson Palmer has kept his mistake count at one per week, but I bet this defense doubles that at least.
  

Detroit Lions (1-1) at Washington Redskins (0-2)
Matchup to Watch: Calvin Johnson vs. Redskins corners

• This probably should read: Calvin Jonson vs. who ever he is torching on a particular play. This Redskins secondary might just be the worst in football, and none of these corners can possibly hope to matchup with the best receiver in football. Matthew Stafford, if he is well protected, should be able to locate Johnson all over the field on Sunday. 

My Pick: Redskins

• Man its got to happen for the Redskins soon right? I am having trouble with this pick because I could really see the Lions putting forty plus points on this terrible Redskins defense. However, I bet this is the week, at home, that the Redskins finally establish their offense, and limit mistakes. 

Green Bay Packers (1-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (1-1)
Matchup to Watch: Bengals defensive line vs. Packers offensive line

• The Packers are the better team, but their biggest weakness is the Bengals biggest strength. If the Packers linemen cannot hold up in pass protection against these impressive defensive linemen then they could be in for a long afternoon. Rodgers needs to do a good job of getting the ball out of his hands quickly to eliminate the pass rush against him. 

My Pick: Packers

• Like I said, I just think the Packers are the better team. The Bengals defense could do a solid job against the Packers offense, but I just cannot see a scenario where Andy Dalton outscores Aaron Rodgers.   
  

New York Giants (0-2) at Carolina Panthers (0-2)
Matchup to Watch: David Wilson vs. Panthers front seven

• I highlight the Panthers front seven seemingly every week, but it is about all they have got going for them right now. The Giants have had such a hard time running the ball, and it is clearly having an adverse affect on the rest of the offense. If the Giants fail to get Wilson going for a third straight week, we could see Manning throw some patented interceptions. The Panthers front seven needs to play well especially with the state of their banged up secondary. 

My Pick: Giants

• Tough game to pick, and you have to think whoever loses this game can just throw in the towel on the season. I could see Manning carving up this secondary, but the Giants defense is not much better. If there was ever a week for the Panthers offense to get going, this would be the week. I just do not see it.  
  

Atlanta Falcons (1-1) at Miami Dolphins (2-0)
Matchup to Watch: Matt Ryan vs. Brent Grimes

• The Falcons are very familiar with Grimes, and he is very familiar with them. So, who has the advantage here? I imagine it has to be Grimes, since he has a good group of pass rushers up front, and the Falcons already porous offensive line will be missing left tackle Sam Baker. Of course, we have seen Ryan and Julio Jones break some big plays and win the game. 

My Pick: Dolphins

• I feel really good about this pick. The Falcons are banged up all over the field, and they do not have the depth to overcome that. People do not realize how good this Dolphins team is yet, and this is their first home game, as both their first two wins came on the road. It is time for the nation to wake up to the Dolphins.  
  

Indianapolis Colts (1-1) at San Francisco 49ers (1-1)
Matchup to Watch: Trent Richardson vs. the 49ers front seven

• Everyone should keep their eyes on how Richardson is used, and how effective he is, coming over in the middle of the week. Indy is saying that the except him to play and be their primary ball carrier. Either way this is a bad matchup so lets hope the Colts are not counting on him here. This looks like another game where Luck will be called upon to do it alone, for at least one more week. 

My Pick: 49ers

• The 49ers have to be pretty salty with how they got beat down on national television by their hated rivals. I would bet that the Niners offense really gets back on track against this poor Colts defense. I am not saying that this will be a blow out, but I expect the 49ers to win this one pretty handedly. 
  

Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2) at Seattle Seahawks (2-0)
Matchup to Watch: Cecil Shorts vs. Richard Sherman

• Lets keep this short and sweet; see what I did there? Shorts is literally the only thing the Jags have on offense right now, and if they have any hope at all to even keep this game close, they need him to get deep for a few big plays. Of course, against Sherman, don’t bet on it. 

My Pick: Seahawks

• I won’t waste your time here. The Seahawks are arguably the best team in football, and the Jags are the worst. Lets not forget, the Seahawks are at home too, and this could get ugly. 
  

Buffalo Bills (1-1) at New York Jets (1-1)
Matchup to Watch: Stevie Johnson vs. Antonio Cromartie

• Johnson has not been a huge factor so far this year, but he has been a solid consistent performer. The thing that most remember about Johnson is that he almost always got the best of the Jets, and particularly Darrelle Revis. If he can have the same effect on Revis’ old running mate, Cromartie, we could see yet another solid outing from E.J. Manuel

My Pick: Jets

• Neither of these teams guided by rookie quarterbacks is any good. Manuel has played better than Geno Smith thus far, but I bet that Rex Ryan can get Manuel off the script he has played to with great success thus far. 
  

Chicago Bears (2-0) at Pittsburgh Steelers (0-2)
Matchup to Watch: Jay Cutler vs. Troy Polamolu

• Coming into this season, never would I have thought that this game would feel like such a sure thing. If the Steelers have any hope to win this game, they need their All-Pro safety to force Jay Cutler into some of his patented mistakes. Otherwise, I do not see much going in the Steelers favor.   

My Pick: Bears 

• Look, the Steelers just cannot move the football or score points. The Bears are the much better team, and they will show it in this game.   

Oakland Raiders (1-1) at Denver Broncos (2-0)
Matchup to Watch: Lamarr Houston vs. Chris Clark

• Clark is the replacement for Pro Bowl left tackle Ryan Clady, who was placed on injured reserve this week. Houston is an underrated player, but he has been a solid player and has really taken his game to the next level this year, and has graded out very well as a pass rusher. If he can get to Manning, maybe the Raiders can keep this close. 

My Pick: Broncos

• Once again, I won’t waste your time. The Broncos will win this game.