NFL Week 3 trend plays
The Patriots took care of business as massive favorites in Week 2, while the Ravens kneeled away their chances of doing the same.
Each week, we'll highlight the best betting trends and angles. Here are some of the more notable ones to watch for Week 3:
Trends from Sports Database unless noted otherwise
Chicago Bears at Washington Redskins
Line: Bears -4.5
Conventional wisdom says not to overreact after a team endures two consecutive bad weeks, and the betting market agrees. Clubs coming off 0-2 starts are 26-14 (65%) against the spread since 2014 and 12-4 (75%) ATS in the last two years. Nine teams fit the bill this week, but the Redskins are the only one getting more than three points at home - a spot that has produced a 7-1 ATS run for 0-2 sides since 2012.
Trend play: Redskins +4.5
Miami Dolphins at Dallas Cowboys
Line: Cowboys -21.5
There's little precedent for the exact spot Miami is in: Since 1989, no team has ever lost consecutive games by at least 40 points. That said, clubs coming off back-to-back 30-point losses are 6-3 ATS and 4-5 straight up, and none lost by more than 14 points. Interestingly, the under went 7-2 in those contests, with Sunday's total sitting at 47.5. Teams giving at least 21 points are also 0-5 ATS since 1989.
Trend play: Dolphins +21.5
Carolina Panthers at Arizona Cardinals
Line: Panthers -2.5
Cam Newton's health complicates the line on this game, but if the Panthers remain road favorites in this one, they'd be in a historically rare and unfavorable spot. Road teams with 0-2 records have only been favored nine times in the last 20 seasons, going 2-7 ATS and 4-5 SU. Defense has largely been the culprit: Those teams are allowing 27.7 points per game, helping the over go 7-2.
Trend play: Cardinals +2.5
Oakland Raiders at Minnesota Vikings
Line: Vikings -8
Minnesota hardly looked the part of an NFC contender in its loss to Green Bay on Sunday, but bettors know better than to doubt Mike Zimmer as a big favorite. In his past five years with the Vikings, Zimmer is 10-2-2 (83.3%) ATS laying at least six points with a 13-1 SU record. On the other side, Jon Gruden is 10-18 (35.7%) ATS as a six-point 'dog or worse and 6-14 (30%) ATS / 3-17 SU when his team is getting at least a touchdown.
Trend play: Vikings -8
C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.