Week 3 NFL odds favor the Falcons, Browns, and Patriots

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Early kickoffs have been tough for the Atlanta Falcons and Matt Ryan, while the New Orleans Saints and Drew Brees tend to show the third time’s the charm against the spread. The Falcons are 3-point favorites against the Saints with a 53-point total on the Week 3 NFL odds for Sunday, according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.

The Falcons are 2-6 against the spread in their last eight games in the early afternoon, although they are 10-2 straight-up in their last 12 games against divisional opponents, according to the OddsShark NFL Database. The Saints have yet to cover this season, but they are 6-0 ATS in their last six games after consecutive ATS losses.

The total has gone UNDER in seven of the Saints’ last nine games on the road against the Falcons. The total has gone UNDER in eight of the Falcons’ last nine games, with an average combined score of 35.78.

The Cleveland Browns are 3-point favorites against the New York Jets with a 39-point total in the Thursday night matchup. The Jets are 6-14 SU in their last 20 games at night. The Browns, who went down to the wire against the Saints in Week 2, are 4-15-2 ATS in their last 21 games after an ATS win. The total has gone UNDER in 11 of the Browns’ last 14 games at home, with an average combined score of 37.07.

The Green Bay Packers are 3-point road favorites against the Washington Redskins with a 46-point total. The total has gone OVER in 11 of the Packers’ last 12 games on the road, with an average combined score of 53.75. The Redskins, who will be idle in Week 4, are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games before a bye.

The Miami Dolphins are 3-point favorites against the Oakland Raiders with a 44-point total. The Raiders are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games on the road in September. The Dolphins are 11-1 SU in their last 12 games when hosting a West Coast team.

The Seattle Seahawks are 1-point betting favorites against the Dallas Cowboys with a 44.5-point total. The Cowboys are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games against the Seahawks. The Seahawks are 4-13-1 ATS in their last 18 games in the late afternoon.

The Los Angeles Rams are 6.5-point favorites against the Los Angeles Chargers with a 48-point total. The Chargers are 7-1 SU and 6-2 ATS in their last eight games in the late afternoon. The Rams are 8-1 SU and 7-2 ATS in their last nine games as a favorite. The total has gone UNDER in six of the Rams’ last eight games at home, with an average combined score of 42.88.

The New England Patriots are 6.5-point road favorites against the Detroit Lions with a 51.5-point total on the Sunday Night Football odds. The Patriots are 14-2 SU and 12-4 ATS in their last 16 games on the road. The Lions are 0-5 SU and 1-4 ATS in their last five games as an underdog.

And the Pittsburgh Steelers are 2-point road favorites against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a 53.5-point total for Monday night. The Steelers are 12-0 SU in their last 12 games at night. The total has gone UNDER in 18 of the Steelers’ last 23 games on the road, with an average combined score of 39.57.

For more odds information, betting picks and a breakdown of this week’s top sports betting news check out the OddsShark podcast with Jon Campbell and Andrew Avery. Subscribe on iTunes or listen to it at OddsShark.libsyn.com.

Winston throws late TD pass, Buccaneers beat Saints 31-24

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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Jameis Winston threw for 363 yards, including a 39-yard scoring pass to Chris Godwin with nine seconds remaining, to help the Tampa Bay Buccaneers snap a five-game losing streak with a 31-24 victory over the New Orleans Saints.

The playoff-bound Saints (11-5) entered the day hoping to clinch their first NFC South championship in six years. They wound up winning the title anyway, with Carolina (11-5) losing its regular season finale at Atlanta.

Trailing 24-23 with 1:58 remaining, Winston moved the Bucs (5-11) 95 yards in 11 plays for the winning TD.

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He converted a fourth-and-10 from his own 5 yard line with a 12-yard completion to Cameron Brate and threw 9 yards to Mike Evans on third-and-1 to keep the drive going at the Tampa Bay 35.

The fourth-year pro, who was intercepted three times, found Godwin racing up the right sideline just ahead of Saints cornerback Ken Crawley to put the Bucs ahead for good.

Alvin Kamara scored on a 106-yard kickoff return and had a second touchdown rushing for the Saints, who took a 24-20 lead midway through the fourth quarter when Zach Line caught a 3-yard TD pass from Drew Brees.

Patrick Murray, whose missed an extra point in the second quarter was the difference on the scoreboard when Winston launched the winning drive, made a 42-yard field goal to help the Bucs pull within 24-23 with four minutes left.

Kamara, who’s teamed with Mark Ingram to give New Orleans the only tandem in NFL history 1,500-plus scrimmage yards and more than 10 TDs in the same season, wiped out an early 7-0 deficit with his kickoff return.

The rookie’s 7-yard TD run on the Saints’ first offensive possession made it 14-7.

The touchdowns were the 13th and 14th of the season for Kamara, who has eight rushing and five receiving in addition to the second 100 yard-plus kickoff return for a TD allowed by Tampa Bay in two weeks.

Winston led a pair of 75-yard scoring drives in the opening half, but was also intercepted twice before halftime.

Brees turned one of the mistakes into the Saints’ first touchdown, throwing 43 yards to Michael Thomas to set up Kamara’s TD run that finished a 65-yard drive. The New Orleans finished 22 of 30 for 245 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.

Godwin has seven receptions for 111 yards. Adam Humphries had seven catches for 102 yards.

INJURIES

Saints: None reported during the game.

Buccaneers: S T.J. Ward left with a knee injury and did not play in the second half. … T Caleb Benenoch injured an ankle during the first half but returned. He limped off for good a sore knee in the second half.

UP NEXT

Saints: First playoff appearance since 2013.

Buccaneers: Coach Dirk Koetter, who’s 13-18, was told before the finale that he will return for a third season.

For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

Panthers clinch playoff spot with 22-19 win over Bucs

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Cam Newton scored on a 2-yard touchdown run with 35 seconds remaining to lift the Carolina Panthers to a 22-19 win over the upset-minded Tampa Bay Buccaneers and clinch a spot in the NFC playoffs.

The Panthers (11-4) trailed most of the second half, but Newton drove the Panthers 59 yards completing 4 of 7 passes for 52 yards in the final 3 minutes before scoring on a what could have been a disastrous play. Newton fumbled the snap from the shotgun, alertly picked it up and then raced across the goal line for the go-ahead score.

Newton celebrated the score by using the football as a prop, pretending to light a candle on a cake in celebration of his son Chosen’s 2nd birthday.

Carolina can clinch the NFC South championship with a win over Atlanta and a New Orleans loss to Tampa Bay.

The Panthers sealed the game when Kawann Short sacked Jameis Winston on Tampa Bay’s final drive, and forced a fumble that Julius Peppers recovered. Winston threw for 367 yards and a touchdown but was sacked six times and fumbled three times. The Bucs are 4-11.

The Panthers offense struggled all day.

Newton threw for just 160 yards and ran for 52 yards on 14 carries. Carolina’s only touchdown in the first three quarters came on a 103-yard kickoff return by Damiere Byrd.

Tampa Bay’s defense set the tone early, limiting the Panthers to just 78 yards in the first half – the fewest in an opening half since Newton took over as Carolina’s starting QB in 2012.

SLOW START: The Panthers finished the first quarter with 7 yards of offense – their fewest yards in a 1st quarter since gaining 5 total yards in a 38-17 loss to the Packers in Week 7, 2014.

ALL IN THE FAMILY: Danielle Kalil, the sister of Panthers offensive linemen Ryan and Matt Kalil, sang the national anthem. The crowd gave her a huge ovation and she was greeted by hugs from her brothers as she walked off the field.

UP NEXT

Buccaneers: Host Saints next Sunday.

Panthers: Visit Falcons next Sunday.

For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL