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Case of the Mondays: Ravens, Saints Among Winless Teams After Week 3

by - 9/28/2015

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger

Two teams engineered by Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks are winless through three weeks of the NFL season, as both Baltimore and New Orleans are 0-3. The Saints, however, were without signal-caller Drew Brees in their loss at Carolina on Sunday. Detroit and Chicago are also tied in the cellar, making it four squads still in search of a victory heading into Week 4.

Odds provided by BetOnline Sportsbook unless otherwise indicated.

0-3 teams . The most surprising 0-3 club is also the one that is by far the most unfortunate to be saddled with such a mark. Three Ravens' setbacks have come by a combined 14 points, with no margin more than six. New Orleans has already lost twice to NFC South rivals, and Brees has a shoulder injury. A Sunday night home loss to Denver dropped the Lions to 0-3. The Bears have been the worst team in the NFL with room to spare. They have given up the most points (105) and have scored more than only San Francisco (46 to the 49ers' 45). Bovada Sportsbook has Baltimore at +3300 to win the AFC.

Ben Roethlisberger . The Steelers picked up a much-needed win at St. Louis on Sunday, but they may have lost ground in the AFC North. They certainly did not gain any, what with undefeated and first-place Cincinnati's 28-24 win at Baltimore. Roethlisberger left Pittsburgh's 12-6 victory with a knee injury that is expected to sideline him for approximately four weeks. There is no fracture of any kind, so the Steelers hope it is just a sprained MCL and bone bruise. Whatever these case, it appears to be Michael Vick time in the steel town. Pittsburgh is a +3 home underdog against the Ravens on Thursday night.

Oregon . For the first time since 2009, the Ducks are not a part of the AP top 25. And they are thoroughly deserving of their plunge out of the rankings. A 31-28 loss at Michigan State was by no means disastrous, but things got out of control on Saturday in Eugene. Oregon gave up a whopping 62 points to visiting Utah in a humiliating 62-20 setback. The Utes even led 62-13 at one point before the home team scored a meaningless touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Even in two wins this season, the Ducks allowed 42 points to Eastern Washington and 28 to lowly Georgia State. They are -10.5 favorites at Colorado this weekend.

Washington Nationals . Washington has been so mediocre this season and the New York Mets have been so good throughout the second half that New York's clinching of the National League East was a mere formality long before Saturday. Still, grim reality could not have set well with the Nats when New York officially sealed the deal with a 10-2 rout of the Toronto Blue Jays. It is the Mets' first division title since 2006 and one that came maybe a year earlier than many expected, as Washington had been favored by just about everyone when the season started. Adding insult to injury, teammates Bryce Harper and Jonathan Papelbon got into a shouting match and then a physical altercation in the dugout during the Nationals' 12-5 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday. The Mets are +300 at Bovada Sportsbook to win the NL Pennant.

Kevin Harvick . Speaking of arguments and shoving matches, the first race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup resulted in Harvick going at Jeff Gordon. The Rainbow Warrior spun out Harvick in Chicago, causing the No. 4 car to finish in 42nd place. Week 2 in NASCAR's proverbial playoffs also ended badly for Harvick. He led 216 of the 300 laps in New Hampshire and was in front with three to go before running out of fuel and stumbling to 21st. His misfortune allowed Matt Kenseth to take home the checkered flag and book an automatic spot in the next round of the Chase. Harvick, who has two wins and 18 top-fives this season, will likely have to win in Dover this upcoming weekend in order to advance.

Lionel Messi . The Steelers were not the only team to lose while winning over the weekend. FC Barcelona took care of Las Palmas 2-1 during La Liga action on Saturday, but Messi was replaced just 10 minutes into the match because of a knee injury. The star striker was diagnosed with a tear in the internal collateral ligament, and he is expected to miss between seven and eight weeks. Thus, he will likely be sidelined from at least six La Liga contests and four in the Champions League. All in all it was a bad week for Barcelona, which lost its previous match 4-1 to Celta Vigo on Wednesday. Barca is a +300 favorite to win the Champions League.

Jason Day . Day lost a golf tournament, the FedEx Cup, and the No. 1 ranking in the world on Sunday. The red-hot Australian, who had won four of his last six starts in a stretch that included his first major at the PGA Championship and two playoff victories, finally cooled off at the Tour Championship. Still, Day played decently and finished tied for 10th at 2-under. He was no match for new No. 1 Jordan Spieth, who won the tournament and-deservedly-the FedEx Cup to cap off a year that included two major titles (the Masters and U.S. Open). Although Spieth ultimately ran away with things in Atlanta by finishing 9-under, there was some 18th-hole drama. With Day long finished, Stenson drained a 57-footer that propelled him into a tie for second at the Tour Championship. That putt made a $1 million dollar difference, as the Swede climbed to second in the FedEx Cup standings and dropped Day to third. Spieth and the rest of Team USA are -225 favorites to win next month's Presidents Cup.

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