NFL Week 3 produced the sweatiest Sunday of the young season, delivering heart-pounding endings that delighted and disappointed both bettors and sportsbooks.
Key Takeaways
- Eagles’ Jordan Davis saves the spread and moneyline bettors
- The Browns shock Green Bay and the world with an operator-friendly comeback
- Monday Night Football is setting up to be a key game for the week
A flurry of late miracle covers and upsets dominated the early slate, and led to mixed results but a thrilling weekend for the NFL.
Sunday featured seven NFL games in which the game-winning score came within the final three minutes of the fourth quarter, the most such games in a single day since the 1970 merger, per the Elias Sports Bureau.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 22, 2025
No game was bigger for bettors than the Philadelphia Eagles, who rallied from a 26-7 deficit to take a late lead. It looked like the reigning Super Bowl champs were going to fail to win and cover, falling to +2,000 on an in-game moneyline at ESPN BET.
However, the Eagles' 336-pound defensive lineman Jordan Davis blocked the game-winning field goal attempt with three seconds left, picked up the ball, and rumbled for a touchdown that sealed the game and the cover for the 4.5-point favorite.
“Significant, crazy endings 99 times out of a hundred usually benefit the customers, and you could hear the hearts pounding of Eagles spread ticket holders while they cheered a mountain of a man carrying their millions move like lightning for 74 yards, a thrilling way to cash a winning ticket,” Joey Feazel, Caesars Sportsbook’s head of football, said.
EAGLES BLOCK THE KICK AND JORDAN DAVIS SCORES A TOUCHDOWN BECAUSE WHY NOT pic.twitter.com/XNcYthVUMm
— NFL (@NFL) September 21, 2025
Other wins for the public
Caesars reported that the operator took and paid out a $160,000 wager on the Eagles (-195) moneyline.
ESPN BET reported on Monday that 83% of the moneyline bets and 81% of the handle were on Philadelphia. However, the Rams held over 50% of the spread tickets and 59% of the money. The Colts’ 3-0 start with an easy 41-20 win over the Titans was a win for the public as Indy was the third most-bet team by tickets at BetMGM.
Caesars reported that the Chargers, Eagles, Steelers, and Vikings were the biggest winners for bettors. Minnesota thrashed the Bengals 48-10 and covered the 41.5-point total by itself.
Browns shock traders
One of the wildest wins for the sportsbooks came as a huge surprise.
The Browns were down 10-0 in the fourth quarter, but they rallied to tie the game late before blocking a go-ahead Packers field goal. Cleveland then nailed one of their own at the buzzer to upset previously unbeaten Green Bay. Tampa Bay looked like it was going to choke away a sure home win, only to put one through the uprights at the last second.
“A crazy 10 minutes basically decided the morning, with last-second field goals in Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, and Cleveland pretty much all at the same time,” Feazel said. “Philadelphia’s Block-Six got the cover for the Eagles faithful, and the Bucs’ comeback again late were great results for the customers. The big two shocks on the moneylines went against the customers with the Panthers and Browns pulling upsets that swung the morning slightly against the public.”
The Browns, a touchdown underdog, killed a lot of parlays and teasers backing a Packers team that surged in the Super Bowl odds last week. Cleveland was a +340 underdog pregame and fell as low as +3,000 in-game at ESPN BET, giving operators a rare Browns win.
“What drew the biggest shock after years of being their biggest fans each week was that we fully expected the Browns to miss the game-winning field goal,” Feazel said. “Instead, there were cheers on the trading floor, as we were stunned that this was not the Browns we were used to cheering for over the years.”
The Packers were the most-bet team by tickets on Sunday at BetMGM, but the Browns had the second-highest handle. Green Bay’s loss eliminated 1,817 entries in the Circa Sports Survivor contest, the most of any team in Week 3.
#CircaSurvivor 2025 🏈🏆Week 3 Selections
— Circa Sports (@CircaSports) September 21, 2025
PDF: https://t.co/2AZ3TTKSOC pic.twitter.com/DuYddBEL4L
Books bounce back
It was not a great first couple of weeks for operators, but Sunday provided some key NFL games that went against the public.
The Cowboys were the second most-bet team on the day, but Dallas rewarded the books with a flat 31-14 loss at Chicago.
Carolina got in the winning column with a surprising 30-0 shutout of the 5.5-point favored Falcons that really helped the books and knocked out over 1,000 Circa Survivor entries. ESPN BET said 93% of the moneyline handle was on the Falcons.
In the later slate, the 49ers and Chargers came back as favorites to win on late field goals. The Cardinals still got the cover as a 1.5-point underdog vs. San Francisco, and the Chargers, who won by three points, were anywhere from -3.5 to -2.5, but they were getting nearly 90% of the moneyline handle at ESPN BET.
“The afternoon games were a push with the bettors,” Feazel said. “The Chargers covering -2.5 from the opening lines was the result of the day for the customers, and the Bears topping the Cowboys was the one highlight of the afternoon for the book.”
Bettors got one back on Sunday night as the Kansas City Chiefs got their first win of the season with a 22-9 victory over the now 0-3 New York Giants.
MNF preview
The final game of Week 3 is setting up to be a deciding factor in which side of sports betting gets the last laugh. The Baltimore Ravens are getting 85% of the money and 65% of the bets as a 4.5-point favorite over the Detroit Lions on Monday Night Football at ESPN BET.
DraftKings and BetMGM have reported handles over 70% backing the home favorite as well. Tickets at both sportsbooks are closer to 60%. BetMGM has also seen 84% of the money and 72% of the wagers come in on the over 50.5.
The leading ticket holders in the anytime touchdown market at BetMGM is no surprise. Bettors are all over Amon-Ra St. Brown (+130), Derrick Henry (-225), Jahmyr Gibbs (-120), and Lamar Jackson (+135). DeAndre Hopkins is getting the fifth-most bets with odds of +350. Fellow Ravens receiver Rashod Bateman leads the player prop ticket count with his under 2.5 receptions in the game.
