Chargers QB to play vs. Steelers despite high ankle sprain; backups both active

It’ll be a battle of Justins today in Pittsburgh between the Chargers and Steelers in Week 3. Justin Fields will continue to be the Steelers’ starting quarterback as Russell Wilson continues to deal with a calf injury. For the Chargers, Justin Herbert is active and set to start after initially being questionable with a high ankle sprain. Tracy Wolfson of NFL on CBS reports reports both Easton Stick and Taylor Heinicke are active as well.

Herbert worked out his ankle extensively during pregame warmups. He had been reportedly pushing to play today after sustaining the injury during last Sunday’s win over the Carolina Panthers.

Herbert doing drills to test that ankle @KDKA pic.twitter.com/4LmZVO0bmf

— Rich Walsh KDKA (@RichieWalsh) September 22, 2024
Given his injury, Herbert is expected to be pretty stationary on Sunday. The Steelers will surely look to take advantage of this by applying pressure, led by former Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt. Look for the Chargers to offset the Steelers’ pressure with trick plays, screens, misdirections, and a heavy dose of running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards.

For the Steelers, Fields is hoping to lead the Steelers to more points after the offense scored just one touchdown in their first two games. Making that more challenging is the recent injury to offensive tackle Troy Fautanu, the Steelers’ first-round pick who will be replaced today in the starting lineup by 2023 first-round pick Broderick Jones.

Expert reveals exact scores for 15 remaining games

Nine teams will try to avoid an 0-3 start this weekend during the Week 3 NFL schedule. There are also a pair of 2-0 teams squaring off Sunday, including the Steelers vs. Chargers. Los Angeles decided to stay on the East Coast after playing in Charlotte last week, picking up a 26-3 win over the Panthers under first-year head coach Jim Harbaugh. His defense leads the league in run stop win rate, which bodes well against a Pittsburgh offense that relies heavily on its rushing attack. The Steelers are 1.5-point favorites in the Week 3 NFL odds, so which team should you back with your Week 3 NFL bets and NFL score predictions?

The other matchup between unbeaten teams pits the Vikings vs. Texans at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Houston has one of the most potent offenses in the NFL, but the Vikings lead the league in sacks, so that could be an intriguing matchup to consider with your Week 3 NFL predictions. Before you make any Week 3 NFL picks, be sure to see the exact NFL score predictions from SportsLine expert Eric Cohen.

Cohen, a SportsLine NFL expert and host of the Friday “Early Edge NFL Props Show” on SportsLine’s YouTube page, evaluated the entire Week 2 NFL slate and delivers score predictions and analysis for each matchup. He finished last season on a 39-28 roll on NFL picks and was profitable for bettors. His exact score predictions were a hit on social media last year and he even hit an exact score in the playoffs, Kansas City’s 27-24 upset victory in Buffalo in the AFC Divisional Round. Anyone who followed Cohen’s NFL predictions was profitable. You can only see Cohen’s Week 3 NFL exact score predictions at SportsLine.

Top Week 3 NFL picks
After diving into all 16 games from the NFL’s third week, Cohen is high on the Ravens (-1) to beat the Cowboys in Dallas, 27-24. Baltimore came up a toe short in its season opener at Kansas City before blowing a 10-point fourth-quarter lead against the Raiders last week. The Ravens are just a few plays from entering this game with a 2-0 record, which would likely put this spread closer to a field goal.

MVP Lamar Jackson covered the spread in every game following a Baltimore loss last season, and he is facing a Dallas defense that allowed 190 rushing yards in a 44-19 loss to the Saints last week. Saints running back Alvin Kamara rushed for 115 yards and scored four touchdowns, making this an ideal spot for new Baltimore running back Derrick Henry to have a breakout game. The Ravens are on a nine-game winning streak against NFC opponents, and Cohen expects them to push that streak to double digits on Sunday. See his other Week 3 football score predictions at SportsLine.

How to make Week 3 NFL score predictions
In addition, Cohen is picking one exact score that pays a colossal 180-1. Nailing this result is key to making winning Week 3 NFL picks. You can only see it at SportsLine.

Model shares 2024 Week 3 NFL predictions

Two undefeated teams square off in an NFL Week 3 showdown when the Minnesota Vikings host the Houston Texans on Sunday on CBS and Paramount+. Sam Darnold and the Vikings are coming off of a big win against the San Francisco 49ers, holding off the defending NFC West champions 23-17. Meanwhile, C.J. Stroud and the Texans are coming off of two tight victories, narrowly defeating the Chicago Bears 19-13 in Week 2. You may be able to stream Sunday’s game live on Paramount+, which you can now try free for the first seven days and get 50% off your first year when you sign up here (expires 9/23/24).

Kickoff from U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis is at 1 p.m. ET. The Texans are 1.5-point favorites in the latest Vikings vs. Texans odds via SportsLine consensus, and the over/under for total points scored is 46.5. Sunday’s game will be streamed live on Paramount+ with their must-have Paramount+ with SHOWTIME plan, which you can now get for 50% off your first year plus a 7-day free trial.

Paramount+ is the only place to watch every minute of every NFL on CBS game this season. A subscription also gives you access to other sports content including the UEFA Champions League and Europa League, NWSL, Serie A, and countless movies and shows. You can now get 50% off one year of Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, plus a free 7-day trial. The offer is valid until 9/23/24, so sign up right here.

How to watch Texans vs. Vikings
Vikings vs. Texans date: Sunday, Sept. 22
Vikings vs. Texans time: 1 p.m. ET
Vikings vs. Texans TV channel: CBS
Vikings vs. Texans streaming: Paramount+
Week 3 NFL picks for Texans vs. Vikings
Before tuning into Sunday’s Vikings vs. Texans game, you need to see the NFL picks from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up well over $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. The model enters Week 3 of the 2024 NFL season on an incredible 187-130 run on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season. It is also on a 41-22 roll on top-rated NFL betting picks since Week 7 of 2022.

For Vikings vs. Texans, the model is choosing Houston to cover the spread on the road. One issue Minnesota could face in Week 3 is that Justin Jefferson (quad) may not be 100% healthy. Houston’s defense will also be ready to make Jefferson’s job more difficult after he has a very good game against a solid 49ers defense.

Stroud has yet to throw an interception this season and Stefon Diggs is fitting into his role with his new team. Fellow wideout Nico Collins leads the league with 252 receiving yards through two games and now he’ll go against a Vikings secondary that gave up 319 passing yards last week. In addition, the Texans have won four of their last six games on the road, while the Vikings are 1-4 in their past five games when playing as the underdog. You may be able to stream the game here.