Close games, VFLs in the endzone, battles of unbeatens and Vince’s Week 3 NFL predictions

Browns WR Cedric Tillman / Credit: Browns Media Website

Here are my Week 3 NFL Game Predictions, both straight-up and against the spread and my results from last week and the season.

You’ll also find an array of fantastic notes down below for Week 3 and the 2025 season courtesy of NFL Communications press releases.

Vince’s Picks Results

Week 2: 13-3 straight-up & 10-6 spread

Week 1 & Season 24-8 straight-up & 18-14 spread

There are 28 VFLs on 53-player rosters in the NFL. There are 4 more on practice squads. See how each did in Week 2 here. Look for a VFL in the NFL, ex-Vol and local player update blog soon on this feed and website, 991TheSportsAnimal.com.

Winners are in bold. Pick against the spread selection is listed to the side.

Week 3

Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025

8:20pm

Miami at Buffalo (-12.5) – Buffalo -12.5

Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025

1pm

Atlanta (-5.5) at Carolina – Atlanta -5.5

Green Bay (-8) at Cleveland – Green Bay -8

Houston at Jacksonville (-1.5) – Houston +1.5

Cincinnati at Minnesota (-3) – Minnesota -3

Pittsburgh (-1.5) at New England – Pittsburgh -1.5

LA Rams at Philadelphia (-3.5) – Philadelphia -3.5

NY Jets at Tampa Bay (-6.5) – Tampa Bay -6.5

Indianapolis (-4) at Tennessee – Indianapolis -4

Las Vegas at Washington (-3.5) Las Vegas +3.5

4:05/4:25pm

Denver at LA Chargers (-2.5) – LA Chargers -2.5

New Orleans at Seattle (-7.5) – Seattle -7.5

Dallas (-1) at Chicago – Dallas -1

Arizona at San Francisco (-2.5) – San Francisco -2.5

8:20pm

Kansas City (-6) at NY Giants – Kansas City -6

Monday, Sept. 22, 2025

8:15pm

Detroit at Baltimore (-4.5) – Detroit +4.5

NEW YORK — September 16, 2025 — Entering Week 3, close, high-scoring games have been the norm around the NFL, and the dynamic kickoff is living up to its name.

Seventeen games have been decided by a touchdown (six points) or less, the most at this point in 12 years, and second-most all-time (20, 2013). Last week, teams combined to score 797 points, the highest scoring week in the NFL since Week 18, 2021 (817 points).

As for the dynamic kickoff, the kickoff return rate of 76.9 percent (256 of 333) is the highest through the first two weeks of a season in 16 years (77.7 percent in 2009, 241 of 310) and the average of 201.4 kick return yards per game is the most through Week 2 since 1970.

For Week 3 capsules, click here.

Here’s a look at a few interesting storylines entering Week 3:

• 2-0 teams: 10 teams have begun the season 2-0 (with at least one undefeated team in each division for the third time since 2002), including four teams – Arizona, Cincinnati, Indianapolisand San Francisco – that missed the postseason in 2024. For the second consecutive season, at least four teams started 2-0 the season after missing the playoffs.
  • A. Rams (2-0) at Philadelphia (2-0) (1 p.m. ET, FOX): In last season’s NFC Divisional playoffs, the Eagles defeated the Rams, 28-22, as running back Saquon Barkleybecame the sixth player ever with at least 200 rushing yards (205) and two rushing touchdowns in a postseason game. The teams also met in Los Angeles in Week 12 last season, a 37-20 Philadelphia victory in which Barkley became the fourth running back in the Super Bowl era with at least 300 scrimmage yards in a regular-season game [302 scrimmage yards – 255 rushing (ninth-most in a game in NFL history), 47 receiving].
    • Los Angeles can begin 3-0 for the fourth time since head coach Sean McVaywas hired in 2017 (2018-19, 2021) while Philadelphia can begin the season with three consecutive victories for the third time in five seasons under head coach Nick Sirianni (2022-23).
    • In five of the past 10 seasons (2015-24), the reigning Super Bowl champion has begun 3-0 (2024 and 2020 Kansas City Chiefs, 2019 and 2015 New England Patriots, and 2016 Denver Broncos).
    • Last week, Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurtsrecorded his 45th career game with a rushing touchdown (including the playoffs), surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer Steve Young (44 games) for the third-most such games by a quarterback in NFL history, including the postseason. Only Cam Newton (65 games) and Josh Allen (58) have more.
    • Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adamsrecorded his 33rd career game with at least 100 receiving yards and a touchdown reception last week, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson (33 games) and Reggie Wayne (33) for the fifth-most such games since 1970.
  • Arizona (2-0) at San Francisco (2-0) (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX): Since 1970, the Cardinals have begun 3-0 on five previous occasions (1974, 2012, 2014-15 and 2021). San Francisco has begun a season with three straight wins five times since 1990 (1990, 1995, 1998, 2019 and 2023).
    • Cardinals defensive lineman Calais Campbell, appearing for Arizona for the first time since 2016, had two sacks in the team’s Week 2 win and became the fourth player age 39-or-older since 1982 to record multiple sacks in a game, joining James Harrison, Clay Matthewsand Pro Football Hall of Famer Bruce Smith (three times).
    • San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey, with a touchdown reception in Week 2, became the third player in NFL history with at least 50 rushing touchdowns and 30 touchdown receptions, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Marshall Faulkand Lenny Moore. McCaffrey is one of three running backs (James Cook and Bijan Robinson) with at least 100 scrimmage yards in each of the first two weeks of the season.
  • Miami (0-2) at Buffalo (2-0) (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video): Buffalo can win their first three games for the second-consecutive season and for the fourth time since 2017, when head coach Sean McDermottwas hired. The Bills have won 12 consecutive regular-season home games, the longest active home winning streak in the NFL.
    • Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen is 7-0 as a starting quarterback in Thursday games and can join Tom Brady (nine consecutive Thursday wins from 2002-15), Russell Wilson (nine from 2013-20) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (eight from 2004-13) as the only quarterbacks ever to win eight consecutive Thursday starts.
  • Green Bay (2-0) at Cleveland (0-2) (1 p.m. ET, FOX): Green Bay can begin 3-0 for the third time (2019-20) since head coach Matt LaFleurwas hired in 2019.
    • Packers running back Josh Jacobshas a rushing touchdown in 11 consecutive games (including the playoffs) since Week 11 of the 2024 season. On Sunday, he can become the fifth player all-time with a rushing touchdown in 12 straight games, including the postseason, and the first since Pro Football Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson (12 consecutive games in 2004).
    • Browns defensive end Myles Garrettis one of two players (Carl Granderson) with at least 1.5 sacks in each of the first two weeks. Since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, only four players have recorded 1.5-or-more sacks in each of their team’s first three games of a season: Mark Gastineau (1984 with the N.Y. Jets), Pro Football Hall of Famer Kevin Greene (1998 with Carolina), DeMarcus Lawrence (2017 with Dallas) and Haason Reddick (2021 with Carolina).
  • Cincinnati (2-0) at Minnesota (1-1) (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Cincinnati can begin a season with three consecutive wins for the first time since 2015. Among players with at least 50 career games played, Minnesota wide receiver Justin Jefferson(95.7 receiving yards per game).
    and Cincinnati wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase (87.8 receiving yards per game) have the two highest receiving yards per game averages in NFL history.
    • Jefferson recorded his 500th career reception last week and tied Larry Fitzgerald(26 years and 90 days old) as the youngest player in NFL history to reach 500 career receptions.
    • Chase had 14 receptions for 165 yards and one touchdown in the Bengals’ Week 2 win and became the fourth player in NFL history with at least 14 receptions in three career games, joining Keenan Allen(six games), Antonio Brown (four) and Jason Witten (three).
  • Y. Jets (0-2) at Tampa Bay (2-0) (1 p.m. ET, FOX): Tampa Bay, who began 2-0 for the fifth consecutive season, look to win their first three games of a season for the first time since 2005. The Buccaneers are the first team since the 1970 merger to score a game-winning touchdown in the final minute of each of their first two games of a season.
  • Indianapolis (2-0) at Tennessee (0-2) (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Indianapolis looks to start 3-0 for the first time since 2009. In the first two weeks, the Colts became the first team in NFL history to score on each of their first 10 offensive possessions of a season and the first team in the Super Bowl era to not punt in either of their first two games in a season.
    • Indianapolis quarterback Daniel Jonesis one of four players in NFL history with at least 270 passing yards, a touchdown pass and a rushing touchdown in each of his team’s first two games of a season, joining Jack Kemp (1965 with Buffalo), Kyler Murray (2021 with Arizona) and Cam Newton (2011 with Carolina).
  • Denver (1-1) at the Los Angeles Chargers (2-0) (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS): The Los Angeles Chargers can begin the season with three straight wins for the first time since 2002. With divisional wins over Kansas City and Las Vegas in the first two weeks, the Chargers can become the third team since realignment in 2002 to defeat division opponents in each of their first three games of a season, joining the 2006 Chicago Bearsand 2003 Minnesota Vikings.
• High powered offenses meet on Monday night: When the Detroit Lions visit the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC), the two highest scoring teams from Week 2 and two of the most consistently prolific offenses will take the field. Last season, Detroit (409.5 yards per game) and Baltimore (424.9) had the top-two offenses in yards per game while the Lions ranked first (33.2 points per game) and the Ravens ranked third (30.5) in scoring average.
  • Since 2021, when the Lions acquired quarterback Jared Goff, Detroit ranks third in points per game (26.7) and fourth in yards per game (376.8).
  • With the Lions scoring an NFL-high 52 points in Week 2, Goff now has five career starts in which his team scored at least 50 points, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning(five) for the fourth-most such starts by a quarterback since 1950, trailing only Tom Brady (eight starts), Drew Brees (six) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Len Dawson (six).
  • Since 2018, when the Ravens selected quarterback Lamar Jacksonin the NFL Draft, Baltimore ranks second in the NFL in both points per game (27.2) and yards per game (379.0).
  • Since Week 12 of the 2024 season and including the playoffs, Jackson has 10 consecutive games with at least two touchdown passes and a passer rating of 90-or-higher. In NFL history, only five quarterbacks have recorded longer such streaks, including the postseason: Aaron Rodgers(14 consecutive games from 2010-11), Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (13 in 2004), Philip Rivers (13 from 2017-18), Tom Brady (12 from 2014-15) and Patrick Mahomes (11 in 2018).

STAR QUARTERBACKS IN PRIMETIME

Of the five quarterbacks since 2000 with a winning percentage of .700-or-higher in primetime starts (minimum 10 primetime starts), all four active players – Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson (Monday night), Buffalo’s Josh Allen (Thursday night), Detroit’s Jared Goff (Monday night) and Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes (Sunday night) – will be appearing in primetime in Week 3.

The quarterbacks with the highest winning percentage in primetime starts in NFL history:

LAMAR JACKSON

Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson had four touchdown passes and no interceptions for a 128.6 rating in Week 2, after recording three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) with a 144.4 rating on Kickoff Weekend.

On Monday Night Football against Detroit (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC), Jackson can become the fourth quarterback ever with a passer rating of 125-or-higher in each of his team’s first three games of a season, joining John Hadl (1973 with the Los Angeles Rams), Patrick Mahomes (2019 with Kansas City) and Russell Wilson (2020 with Seattle).

In Week 3, Jackson can become the sixth quarterback in NFL history to record at least two touchdown passes and a passer rating of 90-or-higher in 11 consecutive games, including the postseason, joining Tom Brady (12 games from 2014-15), Patrick Mahomes (11 games in 2018), Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (13 games in 2004), Philip Rivers (13 games from 2017-18) and Aaron Rodgers (14 games from 2010-11).

JOSH ALLEN

Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen is 7-0 as a starting quarterback in Thursday games and with a win against Miami on Thursday Night Football (8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video) in Week 3, he can join Tom Brady (nine consecutive Thursday wins from 2002-15), Russell Wilson (nine from 2013-20) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (eight from 2004-13) as the only quarterbacks ever to win eight consecutive Thursday starts.

Allen enters Week 3 with 298 touchdowns in 126 career games, including the postseason – 222 touchdown passes, 74 rushing touchdowns and two touchdown receptions. With two offensive touchdowns (passing, rushing and receiving combined) on Thursday, he can become the fastest player ever to reach 300 career offensive touchdowns (including the postseason), surpassing Patrick Mahomes (128 games).

Allen has 197 touchdown passes in 113 career regular-season games and with three touchdown passes against Miami, can tie Kirk Cousins (114 games), Dak Prescott (114) and Russell Wilson (114) as the sixth-fastest quarterback ever to reach 200 career regular season touchdown passes.

Since entering the NFL in 2018, Allen has an 85-40 record in 125 career starts, including the postseason. With a win in Week 3, Allen can surpass Joe Flacco (85 wins) for the fifth-most wins by a quarterback in his first eight seasons, including the playoffs, in NFL history.

The quarterbacks with the most wins in their first eight seasons, including the postseason in NFL history:

JARED GOFF

In the Lions’ Week 2 win, quarterback Jared Goff recorded 334 passing yards and tied a career-high with five touchdown passes, his 43rd career game with at least 300 passing yards since entering the NFL in 2016.

With 300 passing yards at Baltimore on Monday Night Football (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC), Goff can tie Drew Brees (44 games) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino (44) for the third-most such games by a player in his first 10 seasons in NFL history, trailing only Patrick Mahomes (48 games, in his ninth season) and Matt Ryan (45).

The players with the most games with at least 300 passing yards in their first 10 seasons in NFL history:

PATRICK MAHOMES

Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who turns 30 years old today (September 17, 2025), recorded more regular-season wins (89), postseason wins (17) and touchdown passes (247) than any quarterback before his 30th birthday in NFL history.

Mahomes enters Week 3 with 106 career wins, including the postseason, and can tie Russell Wilson (107 wins) for the most wins by a starting quarterback in his first nine career seasons, including the playoffs.

Mahomes has 293 career touchdown passes, including the playoffs, and can surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (293 touchdown passes) for the most touchdown passes by a player in his first nine seasons, including the postseason, in NFL history.

Mahomes has 247 career regular-season touchdown passes and can surpass Aaron Rodgers (121 games) for the fastest player in NFL history to reach 250 career touchdown passes.

Mahomes can also become the fourth player in NFL history with at least 250 regular-season touchdown passes in his first nine seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Peyton Manning (275 touchdown passes) and Dan Marino (266) as well as Russell Wilson (267).

AARON RODGERS

Pittsburgh quarterback Aaron Rodgers enters Week 2 with 508 career touchdown passes and with a touchdown pass at New England on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS), will surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer Brett Favre (508 touchdown passes) for the fourth-most in NFL history.

The players with the most touchdown passes in NFL history:

JUSTIN HERBERT

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, since Week 16 of the 2024 season, has five consecutive regular-season games with a passer rating of 110-or-higher.

With a passer rating of 110-or-higher against Denver (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS), Herbert can become the fifth player in NFL history to reach the mark in six consecutive games (minimum 15 attempts in each game), joining Aaron Rodgers (11 consecutive games in 2011), Tom Brady (six in 2010), Patrick Mahomes (six in 2018) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Steve Young (six in 1994).

The quarterbacks with the most consecutive regular-season games with a passer rating of 110-or-higher (minimum 15 attempts in each game) in NFL history:

Herbert, who has 1,989 completions since entering the NFL in 2020, can become the fourth quarterback all-time with at least 2,000 completions in his first six career seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (2,128 completions), Derek Carr (2,120) and Matt Ryan (2,093).

JOSH JACOBS

Since Week 11 of last season, Green Bay running back Josh Jacobs has recorded a rushing touchdown in 11 consecutive games, including the playoffs.

With a rushing touchdown at Cleveland (1 p.m. ET, FOX), Jacobs will become the fifth player ever (sixth occurrence) with a rushing touchdown in 12 consecutive games, including the playoffs, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers John Riggins (15 consecutive games in 1983), Emmitt Smith (14 in 1995 and 13 from 1994-95) and LaDainian Tomlinson (12 in 2004) as well as George Rogers (13 in 1985-86).

The players with a rushing touchdown in the most consecutive games, including postseason, in NFL history:

MYLES GARRETT

Cleveland defensive end Myles Garrett – with two sacks in Week 1 and 1.5 sacks in Week 2 – ranks tied for first with 3.5 this season entering Week 3.

Garrett, along with New Orleans’ Carl Granderson, can join Pro Football Hall of Famer Kevin Greene (first four games in 1998), Mark Gastineau (first three in 1984), DeMarcus Lawrence (first three in 2017) and Haason Reddick (first three in 2021) as the only players since 1982 with at least 1.5 sacks in each of their first team’s first three games of a season.

With two sacks against Green Bay (1 p.m. ET, FOX), Garrett – who has 106 career sacks and turns 30 years old on Dec. 29, 2025 – can surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer Reggie White (108 sacks) for the most sacks by a player under the age of 30 since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic.

Additionally with two sacks, Garrett – set to appear in his 120th career game in Week 3 – can tie T.J. Watt (108 sacks) for the third-most sacks by a player in his first 120 career games since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famers Reggie White (123 sacks) and DeMarcus Ware (108.5).

The players with the most sacks in their first 120 career games since 1982:

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