NFL Odds: Colts, Ravens, Bengals Slim Favorites on NFL Week 3 Betting Lines
Narrow spreads are emerging as the story in Week 3 of the NFL season, with no fewer than six teams favored by three or fewer points, including the Indianapolis Colts who host the San Diego Chargers as 2.5-point betting favorites at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Indianapolis returns home following a discouraging 34-20 loss in Denver that leaves the club winless, straight up and against the spread, on the campaign ahead of Sunday afternoon’s Chargers vs. Colts betting matchup at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Colts’ defense has now allowed 31.6 points per game over their past seven contests and must face a Chargers squad that’s coming off a 38-14 thrashing of Jacksonville.
Little was expected from the Chargers, who opened the season at a distant +7500 on the Super Bowl LI odds. However, San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers was at his best last weekend, throwing four touchdown passes in the team’s win over the Jaguars and pushing the point total OVER in the Chargers’ third straight outing.
The Jaguars are also searching for their first SU win of the season as they entertain the resurgent Baltimore Ravens as narrow 1-point underdogs.
Jacksonville has lost five straight SU, 1-4 ATS, despite some impressive offensive performances, tallying over 340 total yards in four of their past five games. However, they have received no help on defense, allowing over 31 points per game during the same stretch.
The undefeated Ravens used stingy defense to beat Buffalo 13-7 in Week 1 but needed to erase a 20-2 first-half deficit in last week’s 25-20 victory over Cleveland. Baltimore has also struggled against the Jaguars, suffering SU and ATS losses in its past three visits to Jacksonville.
The Broncos are betting underdogs for the fourth time in their past five games as they visit the Cincinnati Bengals, who are perched as 3-point chalk. The reigning Super Bowl champions’ victory over Indianapolis extended their SU win streak to seven games. The Broncos have also covered in their past four, twice as 3-point underdogs.
Cincinnati returns home following a 24-16 loss in Pittsburgh as 3-point underdogs and are 1-5 SU in its past six games against the Broncos, according to the OddsShark NFL Database. But the Bengals have covered in seven of their past 10 meetings.
In other NFL Week 3 betting action, the Tennessee Titans look to follow up on their 16-15 win over Detroit as they host the Oakland Raiders as 1.5-point favorites at the sportsbooks.
The Kansas City Chiefs hope to rebound from a sloppy performance in their 19-12 loss to Houston as they battle the New York Jets as 3-point chalk, while the New Orleans Saints clash with division rivals Atlanta Falcons on Monday night as 3-point home favorites.
Thumbnail photo via Aaron Doster/USA TODAY Sports Images
