The Jacksonville Jaguars need to show improvement for head coach Gus Bradley to keep his job and the team has the talent to do better than its three wins last season.
The Steelers will actually field a team for what they call their first preseason game, even though they showed up for Sunday’s Hall of Fame snooze-fest.
ODDS
It’s always important for a young team like the Jaguars to get a taste of winning, even if it is the preseason. The game opened as a toss-up with a total of 36.5.
QUARTERBACK ROTATION
After sitting out Sunday’s Hall of Fame game, Ben Roethlisberger will see his first preseason action when the Steelers take on the Jaguars. Head coach Mike Tomlin said Big Ben will likely see 10-12 snaps in a series or drive before giving way to Landry Jones, who went the distance on Sunday completing 16 of 32 attempts for 135 yards. Tajh Boyd and rookie Tyler Murphy will pick up the scraps. Those two will be on their way out once Bruce Gradkowski returns from his shoulder injury.
Jacksonville is firmly committed to Blake Bortles as their starting quarterback, as they should be even with his struggles at times last season. Chad Henne, who was replaced by Bortles as the starter in Week 3 last season, is back in place as No. 2 on the depth chart and barring something completely unforeseen will not face significant competition for that role. Stephen Morris and Jeff Tuel will compete for the third spot on the depth chart. Bortles would benefit from seeing more action than a starter typically sees during the preseason, but coach Gus Bradley hasn’t outlined a rotation.
COACHES' MOTIVATION
Jacksonville head coach Gus Bradley appears to be on solid ground but still concerning is to hear general manager David Caldwell say the team “needs to show improvement” in order to secure his position. Still, Bradley has amassed a good base of talent and the Jags look to be headed in the right direction as the coach enters his third year of a four-year deal. But seven wins over the first two years with the league’s worst offense in terms of yards per game in each is cause for concern. The Jags have surrounded quarterback Blake Bortles with talent, strengthened the offensive line and redesigned their game plan to better utilize the talents Bortles’ possesses. Bradley and second-year offensive coordinator Greg Olson must improve the woeful numbers and the Jags will indeed show improvement.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“You can just see his confidence. Accuracy, decision-making, timing, those things are key factors for a quarterback and I thought he showed some of those components.” – Jacksonville head coach Gus Bradley talking about quarterback Blake Bortles.
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH
The Jaguars lacked a ground game last season – they lacked any kind of game on offense – and drafted running back T.J. Yeldon in the second round to address that issue. Yeldon is listed at the top of the depth chart with last year’s leading rusher Denard Robinson and both will see action as they battle for the No. 1 spot. Add a healthy Toby Gerhart to the mix and the Jags suddenly have endless possibilities in their backfield. Developing a consistent run game behind an improved offensive line will take some pressure off Bortles and give the Jags a more balanced attack.
INJURIES
Jaguars receiver Marquise Lee is unlikely to play in the preseason opener due to a right hamstring injury suffered in practice Wednesday. Lee, a second-round pick from USC in 2014, missed all OTAs and a three-day minicamp because of a knee injury.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The Steelers have a preseason game under their belts already after sleep walking through Sunday’s Hall of Fame game. Coach Mike Tomlin held several of his regulars out of that contest, including quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who will play against the Jags. Blake Bortles and Jacksonville’s offense needs to establish an identity other than being the worst in the NFL. There are some new toys for the QB to work with and you can expect the Jags to air it out in an attempt to create some excitement in the stands and the locker room.
Jacksonville 26, Pittsburgh 20
The NFL odds for this Friday game were first available at BookMaker sportsbook. The Jaguars and Steelers opened as a pick em while the total opened at 36.5. 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!
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