- KSL Pick 'em returns for NFL Week 3 with key matchups on Sept. 21.
- Atlanta faces Carolina; Houston seeks first win against Jacksonville; Cincinnati meets Minnesota.
- Dallas challenges Chicago; Arizona and San Francisco clash as undefeated NFC West rivals.
SALT LAKE CITY — KSL Pick 'em returns for Week 3 of the NFL season with a couple of teams searching for their first win of the season while undefeated division rivals face off.
Atlanta Falcons (1-1) vs. Carolina Panthers (0-2)
Sunday, Sept. 21, 11 a.m. MDT – Bank of America Stadium (FOX)
Two NFC South rivals face off in Carolina as the Panthers look to grab their first win of the season.
Why Atlanta will win:
The Falcons got a big road win on Sunday night, defeating the Vikings 22-6. Atlanta's offense struggled in the red zone but new kicker Parker Romo managed to make five field goals. A five yard rushing touchdown from Tyler Allgeier with 3:22 left sealed the win for the Falcons.
Despite their offensive struggles, Atlanta's defense held Minnesota's offense in check all night, preventing J.J. McCarthy to replicate his fourth quarter heroics from Week 1. They now take on a Panthers team that has struggled through two games and whose offense was non existent until late in the team's loss to Arizona last week.
If the Falcons defense can play at the level they did on Sunday night, they'll make life hard for quarterback Bryce Young and the rest of Carolina's offense. Michael Penix Jr. and Bijan Robinson should be able to lead a bounce back performance for this high powered offense.
Why Carolina will win:
Divisional matchups in the NFC South are hard to predict and with the Panthers looking for their first win as they take on the Falcons in their home opener, nothing should be off the table. The offense came to life against the Cardinals and nearly pulled off an improbable comeback. That should give Carolina fans hope after they looked lifeless in Week 1.
This is a make or break year for Young, who is now in his third season in the league, and the pressure to perform and win games is mounting. With the Falcons offense sputtering in Minnesota on Sunday night football, this is th perfect time for head coach Dave Canales to get his team back on track while picking up a critical division win.
Line: ATL -5.5
Over/Under: 43.5
Houston Texans (0-2) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1)
Sunday, Sept. 21, 11 a.m. MDT – EverBank Stadium (CBS)
The Texans and Jaguars square off for an AFC South showdown in Jacksonville.
Why Houston will win:
There's no way the Texans fall to 0-3 right? After back-to-back close losses to two of the top teams in the NFC, Houston travels to Jacksonville searching for their first win. The offense hasn't performed at a high level yet but it is hard to count out quarterback C.J. Stroud.
He gets to face a Jaguars defense that let the game slip away in Cincinnati last week even after Joe Burrow went down due to injury. Burrow's replacement Jake Browning came in and was able to light up the Jacksonville secondary. Stroud and his array of weapons could be poised to break out this early season slump.
As for the Texans' defense, head coach Demeco Ryans has been one of the best defensive minds since he was the defensive coordinator of the 49ers. His defense will take on the challenge of slowing down some explosive Jaguar wide receivers in Brian Thomas Jr., Travis Hunter, and Dyami Brown. Houston cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. is one of the best in the league and he'll have the chance to show off his elite coverage skills this Sunday.
Why Jacksonville will win:
Coming off a disappointing loss to the Bengals, Jacksonville will be looking for a full 60 minute performance from their team. First year head coach Liam Coen will need to get the run game going early to help take some pressure off of Trevor Lawrence as they face a tough Texans' defense.
Houston's offensive line has struggled this year after the team traded away tackle Laremy Tunsil so the Jaguars could have the opportunity to get pressure on Stroud. Their main focus will have to limiting Stroud's favorite target Nico Collins, who can break open the game with their deep pass connection.
Jacksonville has already shown improvement from last season but there is still much to work on if they are going to be in the playoff hunt this season. Getting a win against the AFC South champion of the last two years would be a great step in that direction.
Line: JAX -1.5
Over/Under: 44.5
Cincinnati Bengals (2-0) vs. Minnesota Vikings (1-1)
Sunday, Sept. 21, 11 a.m. MDT – U.S. Bank Stadium (CBS)
The Bengals and Vikings will face off after each team lost their starting quarterback to injury in last week's contests.
Why Cincinnati will win:
Despite Joe Burrow going down with turf toe, Jake Browning was still able to lead the Bengals to a win over the Jaguars. Browning threw for 241 yards and two touchdowns and instantly had a connection with superstar receiver Ja'Marr Chase. However, Browning did throw three interceptions so he'll need to take care of the ball better in this one.
Cincinnati will be taking on a Vikings team that will also be without their starting quarterback as veteran Carson Wentz fills in for J.J. McCarthy. This will be Wentz's sixth team he has started for in as many years and he hasn't been an effective starter in a couple of seasons.
If the Bengal defense, led by Trey Hendrickson, can continue to play at a high level, they should have a chance to steal a road win.
Why Minnesota will win:
With both teams starting backup quarterbacks, there is a lot of unknown in this one. Browning has already seen the field but struggled to protect the football after a three interception game. That could favor Minnesota in this one as defensive coordinator Brian Flores has his unit playing like one of the best in the league.
Despite taking the loss against the Falcons, the Vikings held the Atlanta offense in check in the red zone, only allowing one touchdown all game. If Wentz can keep the offense on the field and put points on the board, Flores' defense should be able to create turnovers and get stops to help pick up an offense that may struggle.
Minnesota head coach Kevin O'Connell has made many journeyman quarterbacks look good in his system and revitalized the career of Sam Darnold last season. If he's able to do the same with Wentz, the Vikings should feel good about their chances for as long as McCarthy is sidelined.
Line: MIN -2.5
Over/Under: 41.5
Dallas Cowboys (1-1) vs. Chicago Bears (0-2)
Sunday, Sept. 21, 2:25 p.m. MDT – Soldier Field (FOX)
The Cowboys travel to Chicago to take on the winless Bears.
Why Dallas will win:
The Cowboys are coming off of a 40-37 overtime win over the Giants last week and they'll need a better defensive performance this week. The good news is that the Dallas offense looked better than they did in that second half against Philadelphia in Week 1. Dak Prescott threw for 361 yards while connecting with his top receivers for big plays.
They are facing a Chicago team that has struggled to begin the 2025 season and they will have to assume that the winless Bears won't just roll over in this one. Chicago's offense has struggled but they possess the weapons to go off at any moment. The Cowboys have the most to lose in this one and can't underestimate the Bears.
Why Chicago will win:
Bears head coach Ben Johnson fared well against the Cowboys during his time as offensive coordinator of the Lions. His team has struggled through it's first two games and second-year quarterback Caleb Williams has been criticized for his play to begin the year. They have a chance to right their wrongs and give Bears fans some hope.
Dallas allowed Russell Wilson to throw for 450 yards in last week's game, a week after Russell struggled against Washington. New York may have given Johnson the blueprint of how to attack this Cowboy defense. This could be the perfect spot for Williams to restore some belief among the national media and show why he was taken number one overall in last year's NFL draft.
Line: DAL -1.5
Over/Under: 50.5
Arizona Cardinals (2-0) vs. San Francisco 49ers (2-0)
Sunday, Sept. 21, 2:25 p.m. MDT – Levi's Stadium (FOX)
Two undefeated NFC West rivals square off in Week 3 as Brock Purdy potentially returns from his injury.
Why Arizona will win:
The Cardinals are looking to establish themsevles in the NFC playoff mix as they look to reach the playoffs for the first time since the 2021 season. A road win over San Francisco would not only mean the team remains undefeated but it would also show that this Arizona team is legit.
49ers quarterback Brock Purdy returned to practice this week after missing their last game versus New Orleans. Mac Jones filled in nicely, tossing three touchdown passes. The Cardinals need to be ready to stop this offense no matter who starts at quarterback. This will easily be the best offense they have faced this season and stopping Christian McCaffrey should be the priority.
Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray must take better care of the football and avoid costly turnovers if he's going to give his team a chance in this one. The matchup between tight end trey McBride and All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner should be one to watch for in this one.
Why San Francisco will win:
The status of Purdy should be something to watch for but Jones performed well last week, albeit against the lowly Saints. Kyle Shanahan knows how to get the most out of his players and should have a well crafted gameplan no matter who starts on Sunday.
Arizona's run game has struggled to get going, with Trey Benson leading the way with 83 yards through the team's first two games. If they can't get going, more pressure will be on Murray to make more plays which could be hard against this 49ers defense.
The Cardinals are 2-0 but their wins have come against teams who are combined 0-4 so questions still remain about how good this team actually is. San Francisco still has their own questions surrounding their team but trusting Shanahan and this team at home is usually a good idea.
Line: SF -2.5
Over/Under: 45.5
