Big Names on Week 3 NFL Injury Report



A look at key injuries for Week 3 of the NFL season, with betting angles with players sidelined.

Injuries to QBs and defensive stars affect the betting line

One of the top arguments against expanding the NFL season to 17 games was the health and safety of the players. Injuries are always a huge part of football, and one more game means one more opportunity to get hurt.

Turns out a Week 18 in January isn’t the issue — it’s getting a lot of these guys through September.

Tua Tagovailoa

For Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, it appears to be just bruised ribs. Tests didn’t reveal any structural damage, and so going forward it's a matter of how much pain he can tolerate, and can he throw the ball.

Tua injury DolphinsHe was replaced on Sunday by Jacoby Brissett, which does give Miami an experienced option to play quarterback behind their starter. But if you saw how things went in Miami’s 35-0 loss to Buffalo, there is no question that this offense needs Tua under center.

Up next is a game at the 2-0 Raiders, and Tua’s status is up in the air. The quarterback’s questionable status has kept the game off the BetUS NFL odds board so far this week.

Andy Dalton

There doesn’t appear to be any structural damage to the knee that knocked Bears quarterback Andy Dalton out of Sunday’s win over the Bengals. It’s being called a bone bruise, and officially he hasn’t been ruled out for the Week 3 matchup against Cleveland. However, this is the type of injury that does require players to miss Andy Dalton Bears injury Justin Fieldstime, and sometimes as much as a month.

The Bears say that when healthy, Dalton is still their starter. But all signs point to him not being healthy enough to play this Sunday, meaning that Justin Fields is likely to make his first NFL start against the excellent front-seven of the Cleveland Browns.

Regardless, betting markets are still jumping on the Bears as 7½-point underdogs. That number is now gone from the point-spreads at BetUS, with Chicago now catching just a touchdown.

Tyrod Taylor

The injured hamstring that Texans quarterback Tyrod Taylor suffered on Sunday could keep him off the field for as much as a month. Head coach David Culley has ruled out activating Deshaun Watson for Thursday’s game with Carolina, which means the Davis Mills era in Houston is underway.

One of the lesser heralded members of the 2021 quarterback draft class, Mills was a third-round pick out of Stanford. He played on Sunday after Taylor was hurt, and completed 8-of-18 passes for 102 yards.

Mills is now the starting quarterback in Houston, and Jeff Driskel will be his backup on Thursday. Taylor was placed on injured reserve Tuesday and will be out for at least the next three weeks. The Texans play on Thursday Night Football vs Carolina and this was certainly not the matchup that NFL Network executives had in mind when this one was scheduled. 

Carson Wentz 

Not one, but two sprained ankles knocked Colts quarterback Carson Wentz out for the final drive on Sunday, as Indianapolis fell short in its comeback bid against the Rams. He sprained his left ankle early in the game, and then more severely injured his right ankle late in the fourth quarter when he was taken to the ground by Aaron Donald.

Colts Wentz injury EasonThis Sunday, Indianapolis has a critical division game against the Titans, but Wentz’s status is up in the air. Head coach Frank Reich says that as a pocket passer, Wentz has a better opportunity to play. But if he can’t go, Jacob Eason will get the start. Eason played on Sunday against the Rams at the end of the game and threw an interception on his second pass.

The Titans, who bulldozed Seattle in an overtime win last Sunday, are six point favorites at home vs. the Colts. The line opened at 5, but the betting public doesn't believe Eason can get the job done, with 80+% of the point-spread bets on Tennessee.

Key defensive players out for Week 3

T.J. Watt

Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt missed the whole second half on Sunday against the Raiders because of a groin injury, and he may miss Week 3 against the Bengals.

The good news for the Steelers is that the injury isn’t serious, and if he does miss one game, that is expected to be the extent of his absence. The Steelers are three point favorites at home against the divison-rival Bengals. 

Brandon Graham

The news is less good for popular Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham. He suffered a torn Achilles on Sunday against the 49ers, and his season is over. A Pro Bowler last year, Graham has been a mainstay on the Eagles defensive front since his rookie season in 2010. 

Philadelphia Eagles injuriesThe 33-year-old Graham started all 16 games in each of the last three years, and he vows that this isn't the end of his career, or his presence with the team this season.

"I'm gonna come back stronger, but I’m gonna be even stronger for the players… make sure I get their back and let them know that I’m here for them. If we win, we all win."

Graham’s career highlight came in Philadelphia’s Super LII win, when he strip-sacked Tom Brady with two minutes left in the fourth quarter, securing the Eagles victory, arguably the greatest defensive play in Philadelphia Eagles history.

The Eagles head to Dallas on Monday Night Football. An uninspired loss to the 49ers last week has bettors backing the 'Boys, currently 3.5 point favorites at BetUS. As a dog of 3.5 to 9.5 points over the last three seasons the Eagles are surprisingly 8-4 ATS. For those looking to back the Cowboys, bet this game early, as several mainstream outlets have already moved the number on America's Team to 4.




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