Picks are in! Seahawks vs Falcons and other NFC West previews for Week 3

Week 3 is here, and the picks are rolling in! The Los Angeles Rams (-3.5) are traveling to Glendale to take on the Arizona Cardinals (+3.5) in what will be the first NFC West matchup of the season for these two teams. The San Francisco 49ers (-1.5) are coming off a Pyrrhic victory that saw them beat the Seattle Seahawks but lose their highly-drafted QB Trey Lance in the process; as a result, Jimmy Garoppolo will be leading this team on Sunday Night Football against a familiar opponent in Russell Wilson, but in an unfamiliar locale. And of course our Seattle Seahawks (-2) are back in the Emerald City following an uninspiring performance in the Bay Area, where they will host the 0-2 Atlanta Falcons (+2). All three upcoming matchups are expected to be close, with only the Rams favored to win by more than a field goal by DraftKings Sportsbook. This should make for some exciting football in Week 3, so let’s look at the matchups!

Los Angeles Rams (-3.5) at Arizona Cardinals (+3.5) — Over/Under: 48.5 — 1:25 PM on FOX

The Rams and Cards match up for the first time this season, and while both had had some early season struggles and sit at 1-1, both of these teams can put points on the board. The Rams ultimately have the better roster in this one and should be able to control the pace of the game. Still, they very nearly allowed the Atlanta Falcons to mount an improbable comeback in Week 2, and suffered an absolute drubbing from the Buffalo Bills in Week 1. Still, Kyler Murray has one career victory over the Rams, and in his six games against the LA team, he has had three performances where threw zero TDs, and has six interceptions to boot, per StatMuse. I’ll take the Rams, but I think it stays interesting.

The pick: Over 48.5 points, Rams win straight up but Cardinals cover

Atlanta Falcons (+2) at Seattle Seahawks (-2) — Over/Under 42 — 1:25 PM on FOX

The Atlanta Falcons offense has over-performed, according to Pro Football Focus, and the Seahawks have under-performed. As a result, this is a tricky matchup to predict. On paper, Seattle wins this one, but a lot is going to depend on how this offense adjusts after six straight quarters of going scoreless. I’m not overly high on Seattle, but a home game may be just enough for them to pull out a much-needed victory after last week.

The pick: Under 42 points, Seahawks straight up and cover the spread

San Francisco 49ers (-1.5) at Denver Broncos (+1.5) — Over/Under 45 — 5:20 PM on NBC

The 49ers are obviously heartbroken to see Trey Lance’s first season as QB1 end so soon, but they also look like the smartest team in the room right now for having kept Jimmy G around. The Broncos, on the other hand, had to mount a comeback to beat the lowly Houston Texans, and Russell Wilson is already feeling the heat in Denver. Russ has a history with the Niners, but I think that a matchup with a strong defense is the opposite of what he needs to get going after coming off two consecutive 16-point performances.

The pick: Under 45, 49ers win straight up and cover the spread

Our Field Gulls staff on Tallysight is not deterred by last week’s loss, and everyone except Lyle Goldstein is picking the Seahawks over the Falcons. Full picks below: