Two up-and-coming quarterbacks with a high ceiling will be on display when the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers face off in Week 2 of the NFL preseason. The teams’ fortunes could rest on the play of Blake Bortles and Jameis Winston, and while veteran signal-callers don’t play a lot in the preseason, this could be important for development as both are still young. Winston and Bortles will look to excite their fanbases even though this is just the preseason in NFL betting.
This Week 2 preseason duel will be held on Saturday, August 20th, 2016, at 7:30 p.m. ET at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +3
Jacksonville Jaguars -3
Odds Analysis
This point spread is true to the preseason form, which gives the home team three points because of the location advantage. The oddsmakers believe these teams are pretty evenly matched, and it’s hard to argue. The Jaguars might have a little bit more high-end talent among its starters, but they also have a lot of new pieces which are trying to mesh. This game is one that could really go either way, with Jacksonville making sense as the slight favorite.
Quarterback Rotation
Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston will aim to build on a rookie season which had its ups and downs, but showed off his potential. Winston was solid in his preseason debut, completing 7-of-9 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him make double-digit passing attempts in this game, which could improve the Buccaneers’ odds of winning after they fell 17-9 to the Eagles in their opener.
Backup quarterback Mike Glennon struggled in that game, completing 7-of-14 passes for 83 yards and an interception. He has more talent than a typical backup and could improve against the Jaguars. Ryan Griffin rounded out the quarterbacks who saw playing time in the first game, finishing 13-of-23 for 148 yards and two interceptions.
Jaguars starter Blake Bortles was impressive in the opener, finishing 6-of-7 for 105 yards in the team’s 17-13 loss to the New York Jets. He could also ramp up in playing time, and the winner of the Bortles-Winston duel will give his team an early leg up. Jaguars backup signal-caller Chad Henne was 8-of-9 for 94 yards in his time, while third-stringer Brandon Allen finished 10-of-19 for 138 yards and an interception,
Both teams have stable first and second-team quarterbacks, so this one could be in doubt until the end when a host of backups are fighting to help their team win the game.
Coaching History
Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Dirk Koetter has been the head man in college before but has only been an offensive coordinator previously in the NFL. He lost his debut but is an offensive guru, which could come into play when the over-under win totals are decided on moving forward.
Jacksonville Jaguars coach Gus Bradley is 4-9 in the preseason. His teams weren’t very good in the past, so it may not be indicative of what’s in store the rest of this exhibition slate.
Free ATS Pick
Both Bortles and Winston played well to begin the preseason, and they should be able to build upon that in the second week. Don’t be surprised to see some points early on, so keep an eye on the over-under point total when it is unveiled later in the week. The Jaguars might have a little bit more talent overall and get this game at home, so they are the pick to win this game outright as well as pull out a slight cover in NFL wagering.
NFL Odds: Jaguars 24, Buccaneers 20
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