NFL odds, lines, picks, spreads, best bets, predictions for Week 3, 2021: Model loving Ravens, Raiders

SportsLine's advanced model has locked in its Week 3 NFL picks for every game on the NFL schedule

By CBS Sports Staff

Sep 26, 2021 at 11:34 am ET • 3 min read

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The New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints are in the process of replacing legendary quarterbacks, and both teams will meet on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. The Patriots and Mac Jones are three-point home favorites against Jameis Winston and the Saints, according to the latest Week 3 NFL odds at Caesars Sportsbook. Tom Brady, the quarterback Jones is hoping to replace, visits Los Angeles, where his Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 1.5-point favorites against the Rams. At less than two points, it's one of the slimmest NFL spreads on Sunday.

Patriots vs. Saints is one of four Week 3 NFL Vegas lines at or under three points, according to Caesars. Should you go in on one of those close matchups or steer your Week 3 NFL bets toward the bigger numbers? All of the NFL lines are listed below, and before making any NFL picks on these games or others, be sure to see the Week 3 NFL predictions from the proven computer model at SportsLine.

The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up almost $7,800 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception six-plus years ago. It went a sizzling 24-14 on top-rated NFL picks last season, returning more than $800. The model also enters Week 3 of the 2021 season on an incredible 122-81 run on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season.

The model also ranked in the top 10 on NFLPickWatch four of the past five years on straight-up NFL picks and beat more than 94 percent of CBS Sports Football Pick'em players four times during that span. Anyone who has followed it is way up.

Now, it has turned its attention to the latest Week 3 NFL odds from Caesars and locked in picks for every NFL matchup. Head here to see every pick.

Top Week 3 NFL predictions

One of the top Week 3 NFL predictions the model recommends: The Ravens (-7.5) cover the spread on the road against the Lions. The Ravens are coming off the biggest win of the week, finally getting past Kansas City in a 36-35 decision. Quarterback Lamar Jackson helped Baltimore deal Patrick Mahomes his first loss in the month of September. Jackson rushed for 107 yards and two touchdowns, ensuring that all four NFC North teams have 1-1 records.

The Ravens have played a pair of close games thus far, so they will be looking for a comfortable win on Sunday. Detroit is coming into this game on short rest after falling apart in the second half of Monday's loss at Green Bay. Quarterback Jared Goff threw an interception and fumbled twice in that game. The model has Baltimore covering this spread in almost 60 percent of simulations, while the under (50.5) is cashing at a similar rate.

Another one of the top Week 3 NFL picks from the model: The Raiders (-3.5) cover the spread at home against the Dolphins. The Raiders are 2-0 after outlasting the Ravens in a delirious Monday Night Football game in Week 1 and defeating the Steelers in Week 2.

Both of those opponents expect to figure in the AFC playoff picture, and the Raiders were able to light them up through the air. While Miami appears to have exited the rebuild stage and entered contention, the Dolphins suffered a setback in a 35-0 loss to the Bills in Week 2 that exposed their issues on offense, as quarterback Tua Tagovailoa exited with an injury. What comes next for them might not be pretty. In simulations from SportsLine's model, the Raiders cover well over 50 percent of the time. The point total of 45 also goes over in almost 60 percent of simulations.

How to make Week 3 NFL picks

The model has also made the call on who wins and covers in every other game on the Week 3 NFL schedule, and it's calling for a Super Bowl contender to go down hard. You can only get every pick for every game at SportsLine.

So what NFL picks can you make with confidence? And which Super Bowl contender goes down hard? Check out the latest NFL odds below, then visit SportsLine to see which teams win and cover the spread, all from a proven computer model that has returned almost $7,800 since its inception, and find out.