September 22, 2026

NFL Predictions for Week 3

Team Ratings for Week 3

The basic method is described on my Department home page.
Here are the team ratings prior to this week’s games, along with the ratings at the start of the season.

Current Rating Rating at Season Start Difference
Seahawks 12.80 12.03 0.80
Patriots 9.53 8.11 1.40
Bills 6.80 4.81 2.00
Rams 5.49 6.16 -0.70
Vikings 4.88 2.79 2.10
Jaguars 4.22 4.17 0.10
49ers 4.13 0.63 3.50
Broncos 3.34 4.07 -0.70
Texans 3.07 5.51 -2.40
Lions 2.94 5.20 -2.30
Ravens 2.65 2.53 0.10
Bengals 2.26 0.39 1.90
Bears 2.05 1.18 0.90
Chiefs 0.91 -1.34 2.30
Packers -0.56 1.72 -2.30
Eagles -0.64 0.73 -1.40
Steelers -0.87 -0.43 -0.40
Saints -1.06 -3.38 2.30
Colts -2.11 -0.74 -1.40
Chargers -2.12 1.16 -3.30
Cowboys -2.82 -3.42 0.60
Raiders -2.82 -5.72 2.90
Giants -2.94 -2.38 -0.60
Panthers -3.28 -4.66 1.40
Browns -3.54 -2.50 -1.00
Buccaneers -4.73 -3.95 -0.80
Falcons -5.10 -1.39 -3.70
Commanders -5.75 -4.65 -1.10
Cardinals -6.56 -7.49 0.90
Dolphins -6.74 -3.99 -2.80
Jets -7.71 -9.84 2.10
Titans -9.24 -8.81 -0.40

 

Performance So Far

So far there have been 32 matches played, 20 of which were correctly predicted, a success rate of 62.5%.
Here are the predictions for last week’s games.

Game Date Score Prediction Correct
1 Bills vs. Lions Sept 18 41 – 31 1.50 TRUE
2 Falcons vs. Panthers Sept 21 3 – 34 3.90 FALSE
3 Ravens vs. Saints Sept 21 17 – 24 6.20 FALSE
4 Bears vs. Vikings Sept 21 3 – 9 -1.60 TRUE
5 Texans vs. Bengals Sept 21 6 – 20 4.10 FALSE
6 Patriots vs. Steelers Sept 21 20 – 3 7.80 TRUE
7 Jets vs. Packers Sept 21 17 – 20 -8.80 TRUE
8 Buccaneers vs. Browns Sept 21 19 – 23 -0.10 TRUE
9 Titans vs. Eagles Sept 21 20 – 24 -10.40 TRUE
10 Broncos vs. Jaguars Sept 21 20 – 13 -3.90 FALSE
11 Chargers vs. Raiders Sept 21 14 – 26 3.60 FALSE
12 Cardinals vs. Seahawks Sept 21 7 – 31 -17.60 TRUE
13 Cowboys vs. Commanders Sept 21 37 – 20 -0.20 FALSE
14 49ers vs. Dolphins Sept 21 35 – 13 8.30 TRUE
15 Chiefs vs. Colts Sept 21 33 – 30 3.00 TRUE
16 Rams vs. Giants Sept 22 28 – 6 5.40 TRUE

 

Predictions for Week 3

Here are the predictions for Week 3. The prediction is my estimated expected points difference with a positive margin being a win to the home team, and a negative margin a win to the away team.

Game Date Winner Prediction
1 Packers vs. Falcons Sept 25 Packers 4.50
2 Bills vs. Chargers Sept 28 Bills 8.90
3 Browns vs. Panthers Sept 28 Panthers -0.30
4 Lions vs. Jets Sept 28 Lions 10.70
5 Colts vs. Texans Sept 28 Texans -5.20
6 Jaguars vs. Patriots Sept 28 Patriots -5.30
7 Dolphins vs. Chiefs Sept 28 Chiefs -7.70
8 Giants vs. Titans Sept 28 Giants 6.30
9 Steelers vs. Bengals Sept 28 Bengals -3.10
10 Commanders vs. Seahawks Sept 28 Seahawks -18.60
11 49ers vs. Cardinals Sept 28 49ers 10.70
12 Buccaneers vs. Vikings Sept 28 Vikings -9.60
13 Cowboys vs. Ravens Sept 28 Ravens -5.50
14 Saints vs. Raiders Sept 28 Saints 1.80
15 Broncos vs. Rams Sept 28 Rams -2.10
16 Bears vs. Eagles Sept 29 Bears 2.70

 

avatar

David Scott obtained a BA and PhD from the Australian National University and then commenced his university teaching career at La Trobe University in 1972. He has taught at La Trobe University, the University of Sheffield, Bond University and Colorado State University, joining the University of Auckland, based at Tamaki Campus, in mid-1995. He has been Head of Department at La Trobe University, Acting Dean and Associate Dean (Academic) at Bond University, and Associate Director of the Centre for Quality Management and Data Analysis at Bond University with responsibility for Short Courses. He was Head of the Department of Statistics in 2000, and is a past President of the New Zealand Statistical Assocation. See all posts by David Scott »

Add a comment

First time commenting? Please use your real first name and surname and read the Comment Policy.