2013 NFL Picks Week 3: Expect Colin Kaepernick and 49ers to Bounce Back Against Colts

2013 NFL Picks: Week 3

With Thursday night's game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs right around the corner--it's time to look at the 2013 NFL Picks for Week 3.

Week 2 of the 2013 NFL season was filled with plenty of excitement as numerous teams came up with surprising wins thanks to late rallies in the fourth quarter. From E.J. Manuel throwing the game-winning touchdown pass to Steve Johnson with two seconds left to help the Buffalo Bills beat the Carolina Panthers to the Arizona Cardinals rallying in the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions, it may not have been easy to pick the winners for all the games from Week 2, but a new week starts on Thursday night.

This week's games should provide plenty of excitement for football fans as Andy Reid makes his return to Philadelphia and the San Francisco 49ers will look to bounce back against the Indianapolis Colts after an embarrassing loss to the Seattle Seahawks last Sunday.

After going 13-3 in picks last week, here's a look at the NFL picks for Week 3 of the 2013 season.

Last Week's Picks: 13-3

Season Picks: 23-9

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Philadelphia Eagles (1-1) Over Kansas City Chiefs (2-0)

There's a lot of pressure riding on both Andy Reid and Chip Kelly in this matchup as both head coaches have something to prove. While Reid wants to show the Philadelphia Eagles they made a mistake by letting him go, Kelly wants to prove he was the right man for the job.

The Kansas City Chiefs have looked impressive so far over the first two weeks, but expect Kelly's high-powered offense be too much to handle.

Green Bay Packers (1-1) Over Cincinnati Bengals (1-1)

Aaron Rodgers (480 passing yards and four touchdowns against the Washington Redskins in Week 2) looked like his old dominant self for the Green Bay Packers last week and based off how the Cincinnati Bengals looked on Monday Night Football against the Pittsburgh Steelers--he could be in for another big game. The Bengals' defense looked a bit shaky against the Steelers and with all of the weapons on offense for the Packers--they could be in for a long game.

Dallas Cowboys (1-1) Over St. Louis Rams (1-1)

The good news for the Dallas Cowboys is Dez Bryant returned to his old dominant self in Week 2 and should be in for another big game against the St. Louis Rams. While home field should work to the Cowboys advantage, keep in mind the Rams played well on the road in a very tough Week 2 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons--so let's hope the Dallas defense shows up and can contain Tavon Austin in the passing game.

Tennessee Titans (1-1) Over San Diego Chargers (1-1)

There was a little bit of hype in the offseason surrounding the Tennessee Titans in the offseason and if the first two weeks are any indication--this team could be a sleeper team to keep an eye on when it comes to making a playoff run. The Titans realize they should have won on the road against the Houston Texans and expect them to improve to 2-1 with a win at home against the San Diego Chargers--assuming they can keep Eddie Royal (five touchdowns over the first two games) out of the end zone.

Minnesota Vikings (0-2) Over Cleveland Browns (0-2)

Normally, it would be one of those weeks where nobody knows what to expect from the Cleveland Browns, but that is no longer the case now that Trent Richardson is a member of the Indianapolis Colts. It's still difficult to determine what exactly the Browns were thinking with this trade, but expect the Minnesota Vikings to finally pick up that first win of the season on Sunday.

New England Patriots (2-0) Over Tampa Bay Buccaneers

With the way the New England Patriots have been playing over the first two weeks, it wouldn't be a surprise if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers--who could easily have been 2-0 themselves--put up a fight in Foxboro. Brady may struggle with the passing game once again with Danny Amendola out of the lineup, but there's no reason why the Patriots shouldn't be able to win this game in front of their own fans.

New Orleans Saints (2-0) Over Arizona Cardinals (1-1)

There's no question the Arizona Cardinals appear to be a much better team with Carson Palmer under center. Unfortunately, the chances of this team coming out on top over Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints on the road seems unlikely for Week 3 as the offense may be too much to handle.

Detroit Lions (1-1) Over Washington Redskins (0-2)

After finishing with a disappointing 4-12 record last year, the Detroit Lions look like a much better overall team in 2013 and could have easily been 2-0 if it wasn't for a fourth-quarter rally by the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2. Matthew Stafford and company will be too much on offense for the Washington Redskins and don't be surprised if Robert Griffin III continues to struggle.

New York Giants (0-2) Over Carolina Panthers (0-2)

Unfortunately for the New York Giants and Carolina Panthers, Sunday's game is a must win for both teams--which will make this matchup fun to watch. While the Giants are coming off two tough losses to the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos, the Panthers realize they let both games against the Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills slip away.

Still, these are the types of games nobody should ever bet against Eli Manning in--so expect the G-Men to come out on top in this one.

Houston Texans (2-0) Over Baltimore Ravens (1-1)

Talk about too close for comfort as the Houston Texans have pulled off two miraculous last-second wins over the first two weeks of the regular season and they'll certainly have a tough matchup on the road against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. If the Texans really want to make a statement about being a strong contender in the AFC, they'll need to come up with the win on Sunday--which could happen with Ray Rice not being 100 percent.

Atlanta Falcons (1-1) Over Miami Dolphins (2-0)

This is one of the more surprising key matchups in Week 3 thanks to an impressive 2-0 start by the Miami Dolphins and they will be anxious to keep their undefeated record alive during their home opener. The Atlanta Falcons will rely more on the passing game with Steven Jackson out, but Matt Ryan has plenty of weapons to throw to in the passing game--which could make a long day for the Dolphins' defense.

Buffalo Bills (1-1) Over New York Jets (1-1)

As crazy as it sounds, the Buffalo Bills realize how close they were to being 2-0 after a close game with the Patriots in Week 1 and on paper--they should be able to win on the road against the New York Jets. An interesting matchup between two rookie quarterbacks, but through two weeks--E.J. Manuel has been playing at a different level than Geno Smith.

San Francisco 49ers (1-1) Over Indianapolis Colts (1-1)

Another one of those tough matchups that could go either way, but the San Francisco 49ers have the advantage in this one playing at home as Colin Kaepernick will be motivated more than ever to bounce back after an embarrassing performance against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2. As for the Indianapolis Colts, it will be interesting to see how well Trent Richardson fits in their ground game after acquiring the star running back from the Cleveland Browns on Wednesday.

Seattle Seahawks (2-0) Over Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2)

There really isn't much to say about this game other than this game should be a blowout as the Jacksonville Jaguars are no match for the Seattle Seahawks--especially after their impressive win over the 49ers last week. Expect the Seahawks to jump out to an early lead and never look back.

Pittsburgh Steelers Over Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears may be 2-0 to start the season, but this game has a completely different meaning for the Pittsburgh Steelers considering they're off to a 0-2 start. The Steelers' offense has been beyond awful over the first two weeks, but Ben Roethlisberger has proven to be a warrior throughout his career at quarterback and with this game being played in Pittsburgh--it's difficult to imagine the Steelers starting off a season with an 0-3 record.

Denver Broncos (2-0) Over Oakland Raiders (1-1)

Come on now--this game shouldn't even be close. If you thought Peyton Manning looked good during the Denver Broncos opener against the Baltimore Ravens, just wait and see what he has in store for Monday's game against the Oakland Raiders.