expert picks – Page 3 – Syndication Server

Experts seem cautiously optimistic about Notre Dame over Louisville

While not every expert is picking Notre Dame this week, a decent amount feel cautiously optimistic about the Fighting Irish over Louisville.

It’s almost certainly not hyperbole to suggest that Notre Dame’s home game against Louisville this weekend could determine the Fighting Irish’s postseason fate.

Even before Notre Dame suffered a shocking loss to Northern Illinois, the matchup against the Cardinals was considered one of the biggest tests for the Irish, along with the season opener at Texas A&M and the tilt with Florida State — at least until the Seminoles fell apart.

Notre Dame Nation is likely nervous about this game, both because it’s the first true test since the NIU debacle and because the Cardinals effectively ended the Irish’s postseason bid last season.

There is one key difference from 2023 — this year’s game is in South Bend. Maybe the green jerseys will help

Can the Fighting Irish beat Louisville? Some experts think so. — Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price runs the ball up the field during a NCAA college football game between Notre Dame and Northern Illinois at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in South Bend.

With that in mind, the experts have their picks in, and it’s a mixed bag, though some pundits are leaning towards the Irish.

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NFL expert picks: Almost no one gives the Commanders a chance to beat the Bengals

Almost no one thinks the Commanders have a chance.

The Washington Commanders (1-1) are looking for their second consecutive win on Monday night as they head to Cincinnati to face the winless Bengals (0-2).

Washington opened the week as a 7.5-point underdog to the Joe Burrow and the Bengals. Cincinnati looked like it would pick up its first win last week over the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs, but a fourth-down penalty kept a late drive alive before a last-second field goal took down the Bengals.

So, the Bengals come into Monday night looking to avoid starting 0-3 and also received some good news as wide receiver Tee Higgins returns to action. He missed the first two games with a hamstring injury. Now, the Commanders’ struggling secondary must worry about defending Ja’Marr Chase and Higgins.

Few believe the Commanders can pull off the upset. According to NFL Pickwatch, 97% of the expert picks believe Cincinnati will defeat Washington.

If you’re looking for hope, remember in 2022 when the Commanders strolled into Philadelphia on a Monday night and took down the then-undefeated Bengals?

This Washington team has a dynamic young quarterback in Jayden Daniels.

Who are the experts picking in Panthers vs. Raiders?

Has a new QB sparked some faith in the Panthers ahead of their Week 3 trip to Las Vegas?

Even with an 0-2 start and a surprising switch under center, the Carolina Panthers seem to have some experts in their corner this week.

Here are the Week 3 picks for Sunday’s matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders . . .

USA TODAY: Raiders (5-1)

Panthers (1): Nate Davis

Raiders (5): Jarrett Bell, Chris Bumbaca, Tyler Dragon, Mike Middlehurst-Schwartz, Lorenzo Reyes

NFL.com: Raiders (9-1)

Panthers (1): Eric Edholm

Raiders (9): Colleen Wolfe, Maurice Jones-Drew, Adam Rank, Marcas Grant, Bucky Brooks, Grant Gordon, Daniel Jeremiah, Nick Shook, Kevin Patra

ESPN: Raiders (10-1)

Panthers (1): Dan Graziano

Raiders (10): Stephania Bell, Matt Bowen, Mike Clay, Jeremy Fowler, Kalyn Kahler, Kimberley A. Martin, Eric Moody, Jason Reid, Lindsey Thiry, Seth Wickersham

CBS Sports: Raiders (8-0)

Panthers (0):

Raiders (8): Pete Prisco, Will Brinson, Jared Dubin, Ryan Wilson, John Breech, Tyler Sullivan, Dave Richard, Jamey Eisenberg

Bleacher Report: Panthers (5-3)

Panthers (5): Gary Davenport, Ian Hanford, Vince Michelino, Wes O’Donnell, Brent Sobleski

Raiders (3): Brad Gagnon, Kristopher Knox, Maurice Moton

Pro Football Talk: Raiders (2-0)

Panthers (0):

Raiders (2): Mike Florio, Chris Simms

Overall

Panthers: 8

Raiders: 37

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Here’s what the experts are saying about Miami of Ohio at Notre Dame

Here’s how the experts are picking Notre Dame vs. Miami of Ohio.

With Notre Dame looking to avoid a second letdown at home against a Mid-American Conference team in the first month of 2024, the Fighting Irish should be ready for any challenge presented by the Miami of Ohio Redhawks.

So, what do the experts think?

Irish Illustrated’s Kevin Sinclair has the Fighting Irish walking away with a 34-7 victory.

“Notre Dame will continue its evolution offensively while the defense won’t give up points until the reserves roll onto the field in the second half,” he wrote. “Look for another strong rushing day from the Irish offense and a deep shot that will develop over increased play-action.”

His colleague John Brice aka Football Scoop has the Irish tallying a 38-13 win over the Redhawks.

“The Irish win the turnover battle for the second-straight week and third time in four games. They win the lines of scrimmage,” he wrote. “They win the game.”

Unit strength #GoIrish☘️ | Game 4 | @MyCreditUnion1 pic.twitter.com/n7aEWe4oK1

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) September 20, 2024

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Experts remain split on Steelers vs Chargers

The Steelers host the Chargers this week in an old-school matchup of undefeated teams.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Chargers are two of the nine remaining undefeated teams in the NFL and they square off this week in the Steelers home opener this week.

This week’s game is a showdown between the two best defenses in the NFL and two teams who play smash-mouth football on offense. It’s going to be a game old-school fans will love.

This is also a game of two teams who match up very well with each other making this one a tough call despite the game being in Pittsburgh. The experts shared this sentiment as well. We looked to our friends at NFL Pick Watch to see which way they are leaning. NFL Pick Watch aggregates picks from all over the internet and puts them all in one spot.

According to NFL Pick Watch, 46 percent of the experts are taking the Steelers with 54 percent leaning toward the Chargers. It doesn’t get much closer than that.

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NFL Week 2 picks: The experts overwhelmingly believe the Commanders defeat the Giants

The picks are in: Experts believe Commanders finally beat the Giants.

The Washington Commanders (0-1) host the New York Giants (0-1) on Sunday in the home opener. There’s a lot of new for the Commanders in this game. It’s the first home game for quarterback Jayden Daniels and head coach Dan Quinn.

It’s also the first game at Washington’s longtime home stadium under the Northwest Stadium moniker. The former FedEx Field was briefly called Commanders Field until the franchise reached a naming rights agreement with Northwest Federal Credit Union.

So, can Washington’s recent luck against the Giants change? New York has won eight of the previous 11 meetings. The Commanders head into this game as a slight betting favorite.

The betting odds favor Washington, and so do the experts. According to NFL Pickwatch, 81% of the expert picks favor the Commanders. It’s a different position for Washington, which was a significant underdog last week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tampa defeated Washington 37-20.

Do you agree with the experts? Will the Commanders finally beat the Giants this week?

Here’s what the experts are saying about Notre Dame at Purdue

Here’s what the experts say as Notre Dame looks to win a bounce-back game.

Last week, the experts (and your author) all expected Notre Dame to cruise over Northern Illinois. Well, we all have some egg on our faces after the 16-14 upset by the Huskies.

So what are the experts saying about the Fighting Irish as they prepare to play Purdue in a game that could determine their College Football Playoff fate?

CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah has the Irish winning a close game in which Purdue will cover the spread. Why? In part because Boilermakers quarterback Hudson Card could play well if the Irish can’t get pressure, and in part because the Irish might be rattled by the loss to NIU.

“Many successful coaching tenures at Purdue were highlighted with historic wins over Notre Dame, and this certainly appears to be a fallible version. If the Boilermakers can protect quarterback Hudson Card, he represents one of the best quarterbacks the Fighting Irish will defend this season. Notre Dame will pull away for a victory, but Purdue will give the Irish their best shot,” he writes.

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Who are the experts picking in Panthers vs. Saints?

Who do the experts think will draw first blood on the season in Sunday’s matchup between the Panthers and Saints?

Unfortunately, the football world won’t be too high on the Carolina Panthers right now. Between last year’s NFL-worst 2-15 record and this year’s step into a new direction, it’s fair not to put too much of an expectation on 2024.

But do at least a few folks think they can sneak one out of New Orleans to kick off the campaign?

Here are the expert picks for Week 1’s matchup between the Panthers and Saints:

USA TODAY: Saints (5-1)

Panthers (1): Chris Bumbaca

Saints (5): Jarrett Bell, Nate Davis, Tyler Dragon, Mike Middlehurst-Schwartz, Lorenzo Reyes

NFL.com: Saints (8-2)

Panthers (2): Daniel Jeremiah, Eric Edholm

Saints (8): Colleen Wolfe, Maurice Jones-Drew, Adam Rank, Marcas Grant, Bucky Brooks, Grant Gordon, Nick Shook, Kevin Patra

ESPN: Saints (8-3)

Panthers (3): Jeremy Fowler, Dan Graziano, Kimberley A. Martin

Saints (8): Stephania Bell, Matt Bowen, Mike Clay, Kalyn Kahler, Eric Moody, Jason Reid, Lindsey Thiry, Seth Wickersham

CBS Sports: Saints (5-3)

Panthers (3): Will Brinson, Jared Dubin, Tyler Sullivan

Saints (5): Pete Prisco, Ryan Wilson, John Breech, Dave Richard, Jamey Eisenberg

Bleacher Report: Saints (5-3)

Panthers (3): Brad Gagnon, Vince Michelino, Brent Sobleski

Saints (5): Gary Davenport, Ian Hanford, Kristopher Knox, Maurice Moton, Wes O’Donnell

Pro Football Talk: Saints (2-0)

Panthers (0):

Saints (2): Mike Florio, Chris Simms

Overall

Panthers: 12

Saints: 33

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NFL Week 1 picks: The experts overwhelmingly believe the Bucs will beat the Commanders

Can the Commanders upset the Bucs?

The Washington Commanders begin the 2024 NFL season on the road Sunday against the defending NFC South champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Buccaneers opened as a 3.5-point favorite over the Commanders. Tampa Bay signed quarterback Baker Mayfield to an extension in the offseason after the 2018 No. 1 overall pick had his best NFL season in his first year with the Bucs.

Conversely, Washington begins a new era with No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels under center. There is a lot of excitement surrounding Daniels in new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s offense. However, Daniels faces a stiff test against Todd Bowles’ defense.

So, who wins?

According to NFL Pickwatch, 85% of expert pickers believe the Buccaneers will defeat the Commanders.

Washington was often a huge underdog last season and would go on to lose. However, this is a different group. The Commanders have a new coaching staff, and over half of the roster is new. Can the Commanders shock the NFL world on Sunday?

Florida football seen as ‘underrated’ by CBS Sports expert

This CBS sports expert views the Gators as one of the more underrated teams in the SEC.

With the Florida football season just a little over a week away, head coach Billy Napier and his staff are putting together their final preparations as they open their season against the 19th-ranked Miami Hurricanes in the Swamp.

Despite the spotlight often shining on its SEC counterparts, the Gators can make a case as one of the conference’s most underrated teams according to CBS sports writer Richard Johnson.

Johnson predicts the Gators will finish as the eighth-best team in the SEC which is higher than where the other experts predict Florida will finish. The majority have the Gators as the 12th-best team in the SEC just behind the Auburn Tigers.

You can view CBS Sports’ SEC expert picks for the 2024 season here.

What Johnson said about the Gators

“The most popular refrain in preseason analysis this summer has been that Florida’s schedule is the hardest in college football history,” Johnson wrote. “But … what if it’s not? In a sport where top 15 teams finish unranked every single year, the odds are that we will not consider Florida’s schedule as much of a murderers row in December that we think about it as in September.”

Johnson went on to add, “Florida will also be improved enough on the line of scrimmage to be dangerous in at least some of its hardest run. They aren’t a 10-win team, but the Gators aren’t a five-win team either.”

Florida’s season opener for 2024

The Florida Gators and No. 19 Miami Hurricanes square off on Aug. 31 in Gainesville, Florida to open their schedule for the 2024 season. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ABC Sports.

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