NFL Week 3 Tips and Predictions: Why Texans and Packers are a Smart Choice
Lorenzo Reyes is well prepared for Week 3 in the NFL and provides us with the smartest tips of the weekend.
Sportpuls
Week 3 of the 2024 NFL season will see the first “Monday Night Football” doubleheader of the year, ending with the Washington Commanders (1-1) versus the Cincinnati Bengals (0-2).
Washington earned its first win of the Dan Quinn era in Week 2 despite not scoring a touchdown. The Commanders kicked six field goals and beat the New York Giants 21-18. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels entered Week 3 with the third-best completion percentage (75.5%) among starting quarterbacks. The Commanders also boast the fifth-best rushing attack in the league, thanks in part to Daniels’ mobility.
Which 0-2 NFL teams still have hope? Ranking of all nine players by playoff chance
Cincinnati is a surprise 0-2 after losses to New England in Week 1 and Kansas City in Week 2. This continues the Bengals’ September slump; they are 3-7 in September since the start of the 2022 season. Wide receiver Tee Higgins could be back in the lineup after missing the first two games with a hamstring injury. On the other side of the ball, Cincinnati’s pass defense has improved so far in 2024, ranking second in the league in yards allowed per game (128.5).
Effects of a hip drop tackle: The trigger for Ja’Marr Chase’s outburst was the controversial new NFL rule
This will be the first game since 1981 to feature two former LSU Tigers as quarterbacks. Washington won the last time these teams met in Week 11 of the 2020 season, 20-9. Here’s everything you need to know about Commanders-Bengals.
On their first drive, the Commanders also ran the entire length of the field before running back Brian Robinson scored a touchdown at the 1-yard line.
Robinson’s touchdown was set up by a great pass from Jayden Daniels to Luke McCaffrey on a fourth-and-2 attempt at the Cincinnati 32-yard line. McCaffrey caught the ball for the first down and carried it to the 2-yard line before being forced out of bounds.
The Commanders moved the ball well on their first drive against the Bengals and Ekeler is a key part of the offense. He impressed on his third touchdown of the game when he caught a screen pass in the backfield and was able to turn it into a 14-yard gain and a first down despite looking like he was going to be brought down in the backfield and thus suffer a loss of yardage.
The Bengals got off to a fast start on Monday Night Football. Burrow took a long look at Chase after Cincinnati methodically advanced the ball, and he easily connected with his college teammate.
Chase had two catches for 42 yards and the first score on the first drive.
- Date: Monday, 23 September 2024
- Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
The Commanders vs. Bengals game will conclude the first Monday Night Football doubleheader of the 2024 NFL season at 8:15 p.m. ET.
The Bills and Jaguars also play on Monday night, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
- TV: ABC
- Live stream: ESPN+
The second game of the doubleheader between the Washington Commanders and the Cincinnati Bengals will be broadcast on ABC.
Joe Buck (live commentary), Troy Aikman (color commentary) and Lisa Salters (sideline reporter) will be on the phone for the ABC broadcast.
The Bengals get wide receiver Tee Higgins back for their game against the Commanders, a huge reinforcement for their receiver squad.
Here is the list of players inactive in the game against Washington:
The Commanders are still waiting for the return of cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, who is dealing with a thumb injury. Here is the list of inactive Commanders players against Cincinnati:
Here are the USA TODAY Sports editors’ predictions for the second matchup in Week 3 on Monday Night Football:
- Lorenzo Reyes: Bengals 30, Commanders 13
- Tyler Dragon: Bengals 26, Commanders 20
- Richard Morin: Bengals 27, Commanders 20
- Jordan Mendoza: Bengals 22, Commanders 15
Robert Griffin III currently holds the record for most rushing yards by a quarterback in his rookie season. He accomplished this feat with Washington in 2012 and was named Offensive Rookie of the Year. RGIII had 120 rush attempts and led the NFL with 6.8 yards per rush. Jayden Daniels is on pace to have over 220 rush attempts and over 1,100 rushing yards. That would surpass Lamar Jackson’s 147 rushing attempts for the most in a rookie season.
- Robert Griffin III (Washington, 2012): 815 rush yards
- Cam Newton (Carolina, 2011): 706 rush yards
- Lamar Jackson (Baltimore, 2018): 695 rush yards
- Josh Allen (Buffalo, 2018): 631 rush yards
- Vince Young (Tennessee, 2006): 552 rush yards
- Kyler Murray (Arizona, 2019): 544 rush yards
- Billy Kilmer (San Francisco, 1961): 509 rush yards
- Russell Wilson (Seattle, 2012): 489 rush yards
- Justin Fields (Chicago, 2021): 420 rush yards
Higgins is expected to make his season debut against the Commanders on “Monday Night Football.” He missed the first two weeks of the season with a hamstring injury, but Bengals coach Zac Taylor indicated the veteran wide receiver would be at 100 percent for Monday’s game.
Higgins had 42 catches, 646 yards and five touchdowns in 12 games for the Bengals last season. He missed five games with rib and hamstring injuries.
Who are the highest paid NFL players at each position?
We have a complete list for each position:
The Bengals are the only winless team in the AFC North, but a Sunday Night Football win over the Commanders could move them into a three-way tie for second place. The Steelers have gotten off to a surprising start, joining the Chiefs, Seahawks and Vikings as the only undefeated teams through three weeks.
Steelers 3:0
Ravens 1-2
Brown tones 1-2
Bengals 0-2
With a win on Sunday Night Football, the Commanders can tie the Eagles for first place in the division. The Cowboys have been disappointing, losing two straight home games to the Saints and Ravens.
Eagles 2-1
Commanders 1-1
Giants 1-1
Cowboys 1-2
The weather could affect the Bengals’ game against the Commanders early on. The temperature should be perfect during the game, staying above 20 degrees. However, there is a possibility of rain and thunderstorms in the Paycor Stadium area between 6 and 8 p.m.
According to the Weather Channel, winds will reach a maximum of 5 miles per hour, but there is a chance of storms early on.
The Commanders-Bengals game features something NFL fans haven’t seen in decades: a duel between two former LSU quarterbacks. Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow won the Heisman Trophy and national championship with the Tigers in 2019. Washington rookie Jayden Daniels won the Heisman Trophy in 2023 before being selected No. 2 in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Do you like football? Then you’ll be happy to receive our NFL newsletter in your inbox. 📲
Get the latest NFL news, expert analysis, game information and key moments delivered to your email inbox. Sign up now!
Check out the latest issue…
The 18 highest-paid players in the NFL are all quarterbacks, according to OverTheCap.com. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott became the league’s highest-paid player on Sunday morning when he signed a four-year, $240 million contract. Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is the first non-quarterback on the list of highest-paid players after signing a four-year, $140 million contract extension in the offseason.
The Cincinnati Bengals and Washington Commanders dined in style before their Monday Night Football game at Paycor Stadium.
Several Bengals and Commanders players, including quarterbacks Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels, visited Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse on Sunday night, according to an X-post from the local restaurateur. The Bengals and Commanders coaching staff, owners, general managers, former players and the ESPN broadcast team also dined at the local steakhouse, according to Ruby’s post.
Ruby did not provide any information about which places the teams visited or whether they ate dinner together or separately.
“As a restaurant owner, it is a great pleasure to have both the Commanders and Bengals dine with us tonight,” Ruby wrote. “Thank you all. Our guests were happy to see you.”
According to BetMGM NFL odds, the Bengals are the favorites to defeat the Commanders. Want to bet? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps that offer NFL betting promotions in 2024, including the ESPN BET app and Fanatics Sportsbook promo code.
- Spread: Bengals (-7.5)
- Money line: Cincinnati (-375); Washington (+290)
- Over/Under: 47
Not interested in this game? Our guide to NFL betting odds, tips and spreads has you covered with the odds for Thursday Night Football and Monday Night Football.
New to sports betting? USA TODAY readers can get exclusive promo and bonus codes at the best online sportsbooks and sports betting sites.
DO YOU FEEL HAPPY? Here are the best combination bets and odds for NFL games this week
OUT OF
- DE Clelin Ferrell (knee)
QUESTIONABLE
- CB Emmanuel Forbes (thumb)
OUT OF
- TE Tanner Hudson
- DT Sheldon Rankins
DOUBTABLE
QUESTIONABLE
- S Vonn Bell
- DT Kris Jenkins
The first game between these teams took place in the 1970 NFL season, when Washington won 20-0. In total, they played 11 games against each other and achieved a perfect record of 5-5-1.
We occasionally recommend products and services of interest. If you make a purchase through one of the links, we may receive an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this does not influence our reporting.
