The new-look Jacksonville Jaguars will make their national debut in a Week 3 preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals could be one of the better teams in the AFC in 2016 and have a good deal of stability from a season ago. Jacksonville, meanwhile, has undergone a bunch of change, and this regular season dress rehearsal could give a clue as to how much it will affect the team’s win-loss record. The Jaguars are slight favorites but it could be too much to ask to cover that spread in NFL gambling.
This Week 3 preseason matchup will be held on Sunday, August 28th, 2016, at 8p.m. ET on NBC at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Cincinnati Bengals +1.5
Jacksonville Jaguars -1.5
Over/Under 43.5
Odds Analysis
The oddsmakers are giving a lot of respect to Jacksonville. Even though this is still the preseason and there will be plenty of backups playing in the second half, the start of the game could resemble a regular season matchup. The Bengals have one of the best rosters in the NFL, and even though they are on the road, could race out to a lead. This game is currently being bet pretty evenly, as the odds are -110 for whichever side a gambler believes will cover the spread.
Quarterback Rotation
Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton took a big step forward a season ago and had the team rolling until a late-season injury ended his season and sent the team into a tailspin. Dalton is back under center and will get his final tune-up against the Jaguars. He will face off against a revamped Jacksonville defense which has added top draft picks Jalen Ramsey and Myles Jack as well as Malik Jackson, Prince Amukamara and others. The Jaguars’ defense was poor last season but could be much improved.
A.J. McCarron took over for Dalton late last season and will now move back to his customary role as the backup. Keith Wenning is the third-string quarterback and there is some stability within the depth chart, so the players will mostly be focusing on preparing for the season.
Jaguars starting quarterback Blake Bortles had an impressive 2015 season and will aim to perform well in this one against a tough Bengals defense. Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns are his top weapons, while running back Chris Ivory has been added to the fold.
Chad Henne is the team’s backup but he was just 4-of-10 for 33 yards with two interceptions last time out against the Buccaneers. Max Wittek was also bad, completing just 1-of-8 passes for 20 yards with a pick, while Brandon Allen was 0-for-3 with an interception. The backups were awful last week and will aim to play better against the Bengals.
Coaching History
Jaguars fourth-year coach Gus Bradley hasn’t fared well in the preseason in years past with his best performance to date coming in 2015 when he finished 2-2. Bradley went 1-3 in 2013 and 2014 and has an overall preseason record of 4-10.
Marvin Lewis has a record of 29-26 in the preseason in 14 season as the head coach in Cincinnati. He has finished at .500 or above in the four preseasons in a row, going 3-1 in 2015. Lewis is on track again this season if the team finished strong after a 1-1 start.
Free ATS Pick
Dalton will be without star tight end Tyler Eifert as he continues to return from injury, but should have standout receiver A.J. Green available. The Bengals have a strong running game between Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill and that duo could help lead the way in this contest.
Bortles is a rising quarterback in the NFL, but the signal-callers behind him struggled last time out and aren’t a great group. If the Bengals starters take the lead in the first half, their backups should be able to close it out in NFL gambling.
NFL Odds: Bengals 27, Jaguars 21
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