While it feels like the 2025 NFL preseason just started, it’s already wrapping up this weekend with Week 3 action spanning from Thursday to Saturday. It’s the last chance for those players on the roster bubble to make an impact, and it’s also a real strategic decision for teams on whether to play any starters with the regular season this close.
Traditionally, when the NFL had 4 preseason games, Week 4 was the one where almost no starters played at all after putting their highest snap counts in for Week 3 (the “dress rehearsal” game). But that’s changed with the shortened schedule, so most of our favorite NFL picks for Week 3 of the preseason stem from which teams we think may put in a low-scoring effort with the under looking good.
Just call some runs and get to Week 1 as healthy and as quickly as possible at this point.
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Carolina Panthers
Thursday, August 21, 2025 – 07:00 PM EDT at Bank of America Stadium
Nothing used to signal the end of the NFL preseason quite like Steelers vs. Panthers. They used to match up almost every single August, and it has often been in the final game of the preseason. But this will actually be the 1st time they’ve met since 2021, a 34-9 win by the Panthers.
Mike Tomlin’s Steelers are 1-1 this preseason after a 17-14 home loss to the Buccaneers on Saturday. Given that new quarterback Aaron Rodgers hasn’t played in either game, it feels unlikely he’ll suit up for Thursday’s game in Carolina. The Steelers are also thin at linebacker after Nick Herbig was banged up in the game, but rookie Derrick Harmon notched a sack in his best showing yet.
As for the Panthers (0-2), they haven’t shown much of anything this preseason, losing 30-10 to the Browns a week ago and falling 20-3 to the Houston Texans over the weekend. Head coach Dave Canales has already said that the team is unlikely to go with starters against Pittsburgh despite being dissatisfied with how the team is executing right now in what is the last chance before a crucial season for quarterback Bryce Young in Carolina.
With a couple of teams not trying to do much in the passing game right now, we’ll take the under in points at BetMGM for this one.
Minnesota Vikings vs. Tennessee Titans
Friday, August 22, 2025 – 08:00 PM EDT at Nissan Stadium
The Vikings and Titans are teams we’ll see new quarterbacks from this season in J.J. McCarthy and No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward. It feels like we’ve seen more from Ward already, as he came out slinging the ball deep against Atlanta on Friday night while the Vikings rested McCarthy in a 20-12 loss to the Patriots.
McCarthy only played in 1 preseason game last year before his meniscus surgery, so perhaps Kevin O’Connell is just ready to shut him down and get to Week 1 in September so he can see what he has in the Michigan prospect. The Vikings (1-1) are only averaging 16 points per game this preseason and haven’t really tried pushing the ball much. It’s not like they’re going to put Justin Jefferson out there in Week 3 of the preseason.
As for the Titans, they closed late for a 23-20 win in Atlanta with a couple of veteran quarterbacks (Brian Allen and Trevor Siemian) backing up Ward. But the defense got the scoring started early with a pick-6.
While Brian Flores is still likely to call some basic defenses in the preseason for Minnesota, his unit should be sound enough not to give up many big plays to the Vikings. This feels like another game that could end under 32 points for the Vikings this preseason. We’ll take the under.
Denver Broncos vs. New Orleans Saints
Saturday, August 23, 2025 – 01:00 PM EDT at Caesars Superdome
If anyone should feel comfortable returning to the Superdome, it’s Denver coach Sean Payton, who has been there far more times than rookie coach Kellen Moore. Payton’s Broncos are having one of the best preseasons with a 2-0 record and both wins by 20-plus points over the 49ers and Cardinals.
Payton isn’t afraid to play starters in these games, but he didn’t even have to against the Cardinals on Saturday in a 27-7 win. Backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham knows the offense well and executed with 240 yards and 2 touchdown passes in a good showing. Rookie back R.J. Harvey did play, and the 2nd-round pick scored a touchdown.
Troy Franklin caught 2 touchdowns in the game, and he’s a former college receiver for full-time starter Bo Nix. The Broncos are really solid at most positions, so they come into this game with a considerable roster depth advantage over the Saints, who are in bit of a rebuilding phase.
The Saints are also in a quarterback competition with 2nd-year pro Spencer Rattler and 2nd-round rookie Tyler Shough. It wasn’t the greatest debut for Shough when he threw a pick-6 against the Chargers last week, but he bounced back with a long touchdown too. Given his age (he turns 26 next month), the Saints should try to get him on the field as quickly as possible, but doing well against a well-coached Denver defense would be a good way to settle the competition with Rattler.
Still, given the mismatch here in roster talent and coaching experience, we’ll back the Broncos to cover the spread and complete a perfect 2025 preseason as they look to dethrone the Chiefs in the AFC West for the 1st time since 2015.
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