It’s more NFL spread week 3 picks breakdowns from Bodog sportsbook.
The only matchup of unbeaten teams on Sunday takes place in Tampa, when the Pittsburgh Steelers – on yet another starting quarterback – face the surprising Bucs. Pittsburgh is a 3-point favorite on Bodog’s NFL Odds.
Charlie Batch gets the start for Pittsburgh with Ben Roethlisberger still suspended, Dennis Dixon hurt and Byron Leftwich still not 100 percent from a preseason knee injury, although Leftwich, a former Buc, will be the No. 2 quarterback. Batch, who hasn’t started a game since the end of the 2007 season, played the final three quarters in last week’s win over Tennessee but went just 5-for-11 for 25 yards. The Steelers haven’t even scored an offensive touchdown yet in regulation.
The Bucs are easily one of the surprise teams in the NFL after registering just three wins a year ago. An opening home win over Cleveland wasn’t shocking but last week’s road win at Carolina was certainly unexpected. Josh Freeman has been very solid in his second year with just one pick. This is Tampa Bay’s first 2-0 start in five years.
This should be an incredibly low-scoring game. Pittsburgh’s defense is ranked sixth overall and just shut down Tennessee’s Chris Johnson last week, not to mention forced seven Tennessee turnovers. The Steelers are tied for the NFL lead in allowing just 10 points per game. Meanwhile, in the eight games since head coach Raheem Morris also took over as defensive coordinator, the Bucs are allowing an average of only 15.9 points and no opponent has scored more than two touchdowns. That Tampa Bay defense, which is allowing 10.5 points this season, did lose starting free safety Tanard Jackson this week to a one-year suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.
Pittsburgh leads the all-time series 7-1 but the teams haven’t played since 2006. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was the defensive backs coach for Tampa Bay from 2001-05.
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Now Bodog takes a look at the Titans vs. Giants. Despite the fact that Vince Young got yanked from last week’s loss to the Steelers, he will start Sunday at the Giants. But will coach Jeff Fisher have a short leash? New York is a 3-point favorite on Bodog’s NFL Odds and there will be live betting on this game.
Neither Tennessee nor New York looked very good last week in losing to AFC powers. The Titans had a whopping seven turnovers – their most since 2000 – and only 238 total yards in a 19-11 loss to Pittsburgh. The big stunner was that Chris Johnson rushed for just 34 yards on 16 carries, although he did have an 85-yard TD run wiped away by a penalty. That ended his streak of consecutive 100-yard games at 12. Young was pulled after his third turnover (two picks, a fumble). Kerry Collins led the Titans to their only TD but Fisher made it clear this week there’s no quarterback controversy and that he was simply looking for a spark.
The Giants were blown out by Indy in the Manning Bowl, 38-14. New York dared Indy to run and the Colts did, as their 43 rush attempts were the most in the Peyton Manning era and their 160 rushing yards their most since 2007. The Giants will no doubt flip that strategy this week and make Young beat them with his arm. Johnson, by the way, averages 98.7 rushing yards per game on the road in his career.
Eli Manning could have trouble Sunday as Tennessee has allowed just 171 passing yards, easily the fewest in the league. Manning has completed 33 of 54 passes for 424 yards with five touchdowns this season but has thrown four interceptions – he turned the ball over three times against the Colts. The Titans also have allowed just five of 29 third down conversions.
The Titans have won nine consecutive games against NFC opponents. The Titans and Giants have met just nine times, with Tennessee winning the past four meetings. But they haven’t met since 2006.
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