Dougherty's NFL Week 3 'Beat the Line' picks

Philadelphia Eagles @ New Orleans Saints

Sunday, Sept. 22, 1 p.m. ET
 
This is a mistake of an opener. We wrote off the Saints' dominant win against the Panthers in Week 1 because — well, it's the Panthers, but they backed it up in a big way with a 44-19 victory against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2. This start is no fluke. Derek Carr has been fantastic, Alvin Kamara looks like his old self and the defense ranks No. 2 in the NFL in DVOA. 

As for the Eagles, they still have to play the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night without A.J. Brown. Brown was ruled out due to a hamstring injury, which is an ailment that typically lingers for more than a week. There's no way the Saints close as underdogs in this matchup if the Eagles lose to the Falcons or rule Brown out for Week 3. The bet to make: Saints +2.5 (-108 DK)

Carolina Panthers @ Las Vegas Raiders

Sunday, Sept. 22, 4:05 p.m. ET

We have a quarterback change! The Panthers are benching Bryce Young in favor of veteran signal-caller Andy Dalton for Sunday's game against the Raiders, and this spread is already on the move. That's likely because Young isn't a functional NFL quarterback, and Dalton is a huge upgrade at the most important position in the sport. 

The Panthers have looked terrible through two weeks, but the biggest reason for that has been Young's incompetence. Dalton understands how to play at this level, and he can get the ball in the hands of Diontae Johnson, Xavier Legette and Jonathan Mingo. One win against a better team isn't enough to make the Raiders favored by nearly a touchdown against any team in the league, so lock in the Panters now. The bet to make: Panthers +6 (Bet365)

About the author

Jack Dougherty has been writing professionally since 2015, contributing to publications such as GoPSUSports.com, Centre Daily Times, Associated Press, and Sportscasting.com. He also spent more than a year working at a casino sportsbook, where he learned the ins and outs of the betting world and witnessed the grave mistakes casual bettors make every day. Now, Jack wants to use his expertise and experience in the industry to make you a more disciplined and more profitable bettor.

Twitter/X: @jackdoc13