Week 3 kicks off with Michael Penix Jr.’s return, as the Atlanta Falcons face Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers. From there, we jump into a packed Sunday slate that features some fascinating matchups that will help us learn more about what these NFL teams are all about in 2026. So, let’s jump right into the ClutchPoints NFL Week 3 picks, predictions, and odds column.
There were some shocking results in Week 2, as Deshaun Watson and the Cleveland Browns took down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Las Vegas Raiders jumped out to a 2-0 start to the season with a beatdown of the Los Angeles Chargers. We also saw some near-misses, as the Tennessee Titans and New York Jets nearly took down the Baltimore Ravens and Green Bay Packers, respectively.
Unfortunately, quarterback injuries also played a role in Week 2, with Caleb Williams, Jaylen Daniels, and Jaxson Dart also going down with varying degrees of long-term issues. That adds a layer of complications to our ClutchPoints NFL Week 3 picks, predictions, and odds prognostication.
For the NFL Week 3 slate, we start with a Thursday nighter, followed up by nine early-window Sunday games, four late-window showdowns (including one from Brazil), a Sunday night tilt, and a standalone Monday night affair.
We started off the 2026 NFL season pretty well here at the ClutchPoints NFL picks, predictions, and odds column. We went 9-7 straight up and 7-9 (53.3%) against the spread. That brings us to 22-10 (68.8%) straight up and 15-16-1 (48.3%) ATS on the season thus far.
Previous weeks: Week 1 | Week 2
So, let’s get right into the NFL Week 3 picks, predictions, and odds.
Courtesy of DraftKings, here are the NFL odds.
Atlanta Falcons at Green Bay Packers (-6)
The Packer and Falcons come into this Thursday Night Football game off a win and a loss, respectively, in Week 2, but feeling wildly different in terms of optimism. Falcons fans are optimistic due to the return of Michael Penix Jr., while Packers fans feel the opposite after they needed overtime to beat the Jets.
While neither of these teams has been good, there is a little more juice with the Falcons right now. Also, teams coming off an overtime game and then playing on Thursday night are historically terrible against the spread. We’ll take the Falcons to at least cover.
Pick: Packers 21-20
Carolina Panthers (-2.5) at Cleveland Browns
We’d love to just say that the Panthers are an improved team and the Browns stink, and leave it at that, but there are actual trends to back up a Panthers pick here. The Browns have been bad coming off a win the last few seasons, while under Dave Canales, the Panthers have almost always responded well after a loss.
All it will take is one Deshaun Watson misstep to turn the crowd against it’s own QB here (and maybe not even that), so we’ll take the Panther to cover in a hostile environment for the home team.
Pick: Panthers 23-16
New York Jets at Detroit Lions (-6.5)
The Jets are an improved team this season, and with the way their secondary is playing without Kirby Joseph and Brian Branch, the Lions' defense is atrocious. So, it wouldn’t be a shock if Gang Green again looked good and the home team struggled.
All that said, we’ll look back at last week and see that the Jets are coming off an overtime game, while the Lions have had extra rest after playing on Thursday. That’s enough for the ClutchPoints NFL Week 3 picks, predictions, and odds column to go with the home team.
Pick: Lions 30-21
New England Patriots at Jacksonville Jaguars (-3)
This is a big AFC showdown that could go either way, and should be one of the games of the week. We believe that the Jagurs are the better team here, and playing at home, in the heat, they should have an advantage.
The bigger belief, though, is that Drake Maye and the Patriots offense didn't have to go through young signal-caller growing pains last season because the schedule was historically bad. Now, playing actual starting QBs and NFL-caliber defenses, the losing lessons will come.
Pick: Jaguars 28-23
Houston Texans (-1.5) at Indianapolis Colts
The Texans can't catch a break, as they play another good offense in Week 3 after seeing the Bills and the Bengals to start the season. However, the Colts aren't quite in the class of those first two teams. C.J. Stroud has not been good thus far, and he does historically struggle early in the season.
However, with the Colts' overtime game on Sunday night and the Texans now 0-2 and facing a divisional foe, we'll take the Texans' D to win this one straight up.
Pick: Texans 17-16
Los Angeles Chargers at Buffalo Bills (-7)
The public is heavy on the Bills, and with good reason. Josh Allen looks like the NFL MVP through two games, and the offense overall looks like a juggernaut that can almost score at will. On the flip side, Justin Herbert and the Chargers look like the opposite of all that.
While the Bills should win this game at home, there are several things going in the Chargers' favor after a rough start. Teams that start the season 0-2 often do well in Week 3 against winning teams, as they need this game much more than their opponent. Plus, there are still concerns with the Bills' D, and injuries are piling up a bit.
Pick: Bills 35-31
Kansas City Chiefs (-11.5) at Miami Dolphins
Speaking of 0-2 teams playing teams with a winning record, here is another example of that. The public is also going big on KC, despite the fact that it is going to be hot and potentially rainy down in South Florida.
Overall, the ClutchPoints NFL picks, predictions, and odds column simply believes that this is just too big a spread for a home dog this early in the season, despite how bad the Dolphins are. So, we’ll take a late TD for the ‘Phins to cover.
Pick: Chiefs 24-14
Cincinnati Bengals (-3.5) at Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers are historically good as home dogs, coming off of losses, and playing divisional foes at home. However, the ClutchPoints NFL picks, predictions, and odds column is going to ignore those trends because those are Mike Tomlin stats, and Aaron Rodgers looks cooked.
Playing in potentially bad weather, Rodgers may look even worse against an improved Bengals defense. The Steelers D could always step up again and single-handedly keep this game close, but that’s a lot to bank on against what could be one of the most complete teams in the AFC.
Pick: Bengals 20-13
Seattle Seahawks (-7) at Washington Commanders
Sure, the Seahawks are going east to play a 1pm ET game with a backup quarterback. But they are the defending champs and have so much more talent than the Commanders, who also have their second-string signal-caller in place.
Seattle is excellent on the road under Mike McDaniel, and the championship-caliber defense should be enough to win this game easily, and do it by more than a touchdown in the end.
Pick: Seahawks 24-12
Tennessee Titans at New York Giants (-3)
There are a lot of trends going against the Giants here, as they take on their old head coach, Brian Dabol, and his Titans. Backup QBs starting on a short week have a rough record as does Jameis Winston as a favorite.
It’s going to be hard to hold your nose and bet on the Titans to cover here or even pull the upset, but that is what happens when you go with the trends sometimes instead of the prevailing narratives. Plus, this game could be played in the middle of a nor’easter, which means take the under, too.
Pick: Titans 10-6
Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers (-8.5)
The 49ers have looked like world-beaters so far, and the Cardinals have fallen a great deal after their Week 1 win over the Chargers. This should have all the makings of a blowout, but as Lee Corso would say, “Not so fast, my friend.”
San Francisco has struggled covering against NFC West rivals at home in recent years, especially when coming off a lopsided win. Additionally, over 80% of the public is on the Niners, so the ClutchPoints NFL picks, predictions, and odds column will take the Cards to at least cover.
Pick: 49ers 24-20
Minnesota Vikings (-1.5) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Last week, one of our reasons for taking the Buccaneers over the Browns (other than the Browns stinking) was that the Bucs have failed to cover now in 11 straight games under Todd Bowles, so they must be due.
Well, they were not “due,” and they cost a lot of people a place in their Survivor Pools. The Vikings' defense also looked great last weekend, so until further notice (or Bowles gets fired), we will continue to bet that Tampa Bay does not cover.
Pick: Vikings 17-14
Baltimore Ravens (-3) at Dallas Cowboys
This is going to be an odd one, with two teams playing on a pitch in Brazil that 160-pound soccer players are saying is not stable enough. What happens when 22 200-300-pound men get on that field? Chaos could ensue.
One thing we like here is that Lamar Jackson has played an international game before, while Dak Prescott has not. While that didn't work out so well for Matthew Stafford in Week 1 against Brock Purdy, we do think the experience will count here, since neither team will be at such a travel disadvantage.
Pick: Ravens 27-23
Las Vegas Raiders at New Orleans Saints (-3)
Lots of people are loving the Raiders this year, and understandably so. They are a solid team that now has a really good offensive coach and veteran players who know how to win. That is enough to like this team as a potential playoff contender.
That said, the reason Kirk Cousins is Kirk Cousins is that every time you think he is playing excellent football, he'll do something to make you question that notion. In this case, that something will be losing to the Saints on the road.
Pick: Saints 20-16
Los Angeles Rams (-2.5) at Denver Broncos
The Rams may have beaten up the Giants on Monday night, but they still don't look totally back to their Super Bowl-favorite form. Taking them to win on the road in Denver seems like it may be a bit of a reach for what we've seen so far.
As for the Broncos as home dogs, that doesn't often happen at Mile High Stadium, so when it does, we will take the Orange Crush to win the game outright.
Pick: Broncos 24-23
Philadelphia Eagles (-4.5) at Chicago Bears
This could be Case Keenum facing the Eagles on Sunday, which is worrisome for Bears fans and bettors alike. However, if Tyson Bagent clears concussion protocol or Caleb Williams sends meme-rs into a frenzy by playing on Sunday after his devastating-sounding injury, this could be pretty close to a full-strength game for both teams.
We've always seemed to have luck here at the ClutchPoints NFL Week 3 picks, predictions, and odds column picking the Eagles to win but not cover, so that's what we'll. do for this Monday night as well.
Pick: Eagles 28-27