Week 3 serves up a strong slate for Australian NFL fans, beginning with Atlanta's trip to Green Bay on Friday morning before six more televised games on Monday. Buffalo and San Francisco will be looking to maintain unbeaten starts, while the Ravens-Cowboys clash in Rio shapes as one of the games of the round.
Atlanta Falcons @ Green Bay Packers
10:15 am AEST | TV: ESPN / Kayo / Disney+ / 7mate | See the market
Green Bay returns to Lambeau at 1-1 after scraping past the Jets, but there are some concerns around an offensive line that has already allowed Jordan Love to take seven sacks. That could give Atlanta a way into the contest, with the Falcons generating plenty of pressure and boasting one of the league's better run defences through two weeks.
Michael Penix Jr. returning at quarterback should also help Atlanta get more from Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts after an ugly start to the season. Green Bay still looks the more settled side, though, particularly at home, and Atlanta will be without top corner A.J. Terrell against a Packers receiving group featuring Christian Watson and Matthew Golden.
The Packers have the home advantage and the stronger overall setup, while Atlanta remains winless and has plenty to prove offensively.
Los Angeles Chargers @ Buffalo Bills
3:00 am AEST | TV: ESPN / Kayo / Disney+ | See the market
Buffalo has started 2-0 behind a red-hot Josh Allen, who has already accounted for nine touchdowns and helped the Bills score at least 36 points in both games. The contrast with the Chargers is significant.
Los Angeles is 0-2 and still searching for rhythm under its new offensive system. Justin Herbert has looked uncomfortable, his receivers have battled injuries and costly drops, while running back Omarion Hampton has lost a fumble in each game. Buffalo's defence hasn't been flawless, so Herbert should get opportunities, but the Chargers need to find another gear offensively to keep pace. Another big Buffalo scoring performance looks firmly on the cards, making this a tough assignment for a struggling Chargers side on the road.
Allen and the Buffalo offence are firing, while the Chargers haven't shown enough consistency to suggest they can match them for four quarters.
New England Patriots @ Jacksonville Jaguars
3:00 am AEST | TV: 7 | See the market
This shapes as one of the tighter games of the early window. Both teams sit 1-1 and there are genuine questions on each side of the ball.
Jacksonville needs improvement from its offensive line, particularly through the middle, where New England has the personnel to cause problems. The Patriots, however, have injury concerns of their own after taking some hits to a defence that has started the season strongly, while guard Mike Onwenu has landed on injured reserve.
The quarterback battle between Drake Maye and Trevor Lawrence could ultimately decide it. Jacksonville has home-field advantage, but there isn't much separating these teams and this has all the makings of a one-score game.
The Jaguars are short favourites, but this looks close enough to leave alone.
Arizona Cardinals @ San Francisco 49ers
6:05 am AEST | TV: 7mate | See the market
San Francisco has been one of the standout teams through the opening fortnight, moving to 2-0 with convincing wins over the Rams and Dolphins. Brock Purdy is playing excellent football and now gets another favourable matchup at home.
Arizona's Week 1 victory over the Chargers was followed by a heavy defeat against Seattle, and another powerful NFC West opponent awaits. The 49ers have been extremely difficult to throw against and should make life difficult for the Cardinals offence, while Purdy has plenty of weapons capable of stretching Arizona the other way.
Trey McBride remains Arizona's most reliable receiving threat, but the broader matchup strongly favours San Francisco. The key question for punters is simply whether the 49ers can turn that superiority into another comfortable margin.
San Francisco has dominated its opening two games and the matchup points towards the 49ers controlling this from the outset.
Minnesota Vikings @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
6:05 am AEST | TV: ESPN / Kayo / Disney+ | See the market
Minnesota heads to Tampa unbeaten, while the Buccaneers are 0-2 and still trying to find their feet offensively. Baker Mayfield hasn't looked completely comfortable in the new system, and facing Brian Flores' aggressive Vikings defence isn't an ideal spot to rediscover rhythm.
There is an interesting counterpoint: Mayfield has actually handled the blitz well through the first two games, so Minnesota can't simply expect pressure to solve everything.
The Vikings should also have more to offer offensively with Kyler Murray back under centre and Justin Jefferson heading a dangerous receiving group. Tampa's defence has been disappointing through two weeks and could again be tested. Even so, there may be very little between these sides.
Minnesota has the stronger early-season form, but there isn't enough between the teams to confidently take them at the current line.
Baltimore Ravens @ Dallas Cowboys
6:25 am AEST | TV: ESPN / Kayo / Disney+ | See the market
One of Week 3's headline games takes the NFL to Rio, with two explosive offences capable of turning this into a shootout.
Dak Prescott has started strongly for Dallas, while CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens give him a dangerous receiving combination. Baltimore counters with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, whose rushing threat creates an entirely different problem for the Cowboys defence. Henry has already scored four touchdowns through two games.
The big question for Baltimore is the availability and effectiveness of Zay Flowers, while its secondary also faces a serious test against Dallas' receivers. There isn't much separating these teams, so the Ravens' favouritism isn't enough on its own to make them an automatic bet.
With the matchup looking close and Dallas carrying plenty of offensive firepower, getting more than a field goal with the Cowboys provides some protection in what could go down to the wire.
Los Angeles Rams @ Denver Broncos
10:20 am AEST | TV: ESPN / Kayo / Disney+ | See the market
Both teams responded to disappointing opening-week performances with victories in Week 2, setting up an intriguing Sunday Night Football matchup in Denver.
The Rams' ground game could be crucial. Kyren Williams and Blake Corum have combined for 259 rushing yards through two games at better than five yards per carry, and Denver's run defence has already shown signs of vulnerability. That gives Sean McVay a potential route to controlling the game without putting everything on Matthew Stafford.
Denver will have to generate enough offence against a talented Rams defence, and Bo Nix faces a difficult matchup. Puka Nacua remains the major danger through the air for Los Angeles, but this feels like a game where the Rams' balance on both sides of the ball could prove decisive.
The Rams' running game provides a clear matchup advantage, while their defence can make things difficult for Nix and Denver's offence.
Editorial at The Daily Punt, covering Australian racing and sport with an eye for where the value sits.
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