It’s a battle to stay out of the cellar in the AFC South when the Houston Texans visit the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. This is the third consecutive week that the Jags are playing a team with an identical record, and they’ve lost the first two in discouraging fashion. If the Jags want to prove they are getting better, and remove coach Gus Bradley from the hot seat for a week, it’ll start with a win.
ODDS
Houston opened as a 1-point favorite with the total at 43. Both clubs are sitting in the basement of the AFC South with identical records and the line reflects just how close this game could be. It got even closer when the game was wagered down to a toss-up. The total fell a half-point to 42.5 and has some value given the lack of offense these teams have displayed.
KEY INJURIES
T.J. Yeldon – The Jags’ starting running back left last week’s game with a groin injury and is questionable to play on Sunday. Fellow back Bernard Pierce, who suffered a concussion, is likely out, leaving the Jags thin in the backfield. Toby Gerhart is in line to get more touches.
Cecil Shorts – Is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a dislocated shoulder suffered in Week 4, but still questionable to play Sunday against his former team. Keith Mumphrey has done a nice job as the Texans second receiver alongside DeAndre Hopkins.
KEY MISMATCH
This game really doesn’t set up well for the Jags. The strength of their offense is Blake Bortles throwing to Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns, which worked well last week against Tampa Bay. But the quarterback suffered a sprain in his throwing shoulder last week, and although he likely will play, the injury has to present some limitations. Jacksonville’s ground game could be slowed with injuries to running backs Yeldon, Pierce and Denard Robinson. If the Jags can’t run the football and Bortles is forced to chuck it more than he’d like, there’s a good chance he takes a hit on his sore wing. And he’ll be playing against J.J. Watt, who is always capable of making big plays on the quarterback, and a defense that is built on success but has had little so far. The Texans invested heavily on that side of the ball this offseason, but their regression from a dominant unit last season to a below average group this year is troubling.
KEY STAT
30.8 – Houston’s opponent third-down conversion rate. The Texans rank first in the AFC South and second in the NFL. Jacksonville converts on third down only 35.9 percent of the time.
BETTING ANGLE
Bradley has stood in front of a podium at a postgame presser explaining how and why his Jaguars lost a game 28 times during the past two-plus seasons. Apparently, No. 29 was the tipping point. What he saw last week finally got to the man who throughout his tenure as the Jags’ coach has been Mr. Positive. But he finally had enough. He lit into his team for the abundance of mistakes and what he called a lack of grit to overcome them. “Right now we’ve got too many mistakes. We’re not showing enough grit needed to sustain things.” That’s why Bradley lit into the players in the locker room. The bulk of the responsibility for turning things around lies with the players. Can they respond to the first serious challenge they’ve faced from Bradley, who might now be coaching to keep his job?
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
While the Texans showed signs of life offensively behind Brian Hoyer in their loss to Indy last week, it’s still Brian Hoyer. Coach Bill O’Brien went back to his opening day starter after Ryan Mallett couldn’t sustain anything. Of course Mallett took over for Hoyer in the opener after Hoyer struggled. Basically, Houston has a problem. But the offense wasn’t supposed to carry the Texans this season, it was the D that was going to be dominant, and the group has been far from it. The talent is in place but hasn’t put a complete game together. Houston was riddled by 40-year-old backup Matt Hasselbeck last week, something that shouldn’t happen to this group. And until that side of the ball gets figured out, the Texans will be in trouble. This game is as close as the oddsmakers predict, but the Jags get the nod with homefield advantage.
Jacksonville 22, Houston 20
The NFL odds for this Sunday game were first available at BookMaker Sportsbook. The Texans were pegged as 1-point chalk while the total opened at 43. Since this game can be seen by anyone with a TV, BookMaker will have a multitude of wagering options available for it. Outside of the normal lines, you can gamble on real-time odds and player props during the game. Live betting is open during every commercial break!
Need to fund your account before the big game but don’t have your computer? No problem, BookMaker Sportsbook now offers a mobile betting cashier so you can deposit money directly from your smartphone. Don’t miss out on getting paid because you couldn’t bet, click here and deposit at BookMaker now! The game between the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars is slated for Sunday, October 18, 2015, at 1 p.m. ET at EverBank Field. The matchup will be televised live on CBS.
