The new-look Jacksonville Jaguars will put their shiny new defensive toys on display in Week 1 at home where they’ll attempt to contain Aaron Rodgers and the now healthy Green Bay Packers offense. The Packers saw their four year reign atop the NFC North come to a screeching halt last season, and will be looking to take a step towards reclaiming it today. It won’t be easy to do against an up and coming Jags outfit.
This contest in Week 1 of the regular season will go down Sunday, September 11, 2016, at 1 p.m. ET at EverBank Field.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Green Bay Packers -4.5
Jacksonville Jaguars +4.5
Over/Under 48
Odds Analysis
All the action in this one has been catered to the Packers and the over. Green Bay initially opened up as 4 point road chalk for this Week 1 showdown with a game total of 47 points. Mike McCarthy’s squad has been bet up slightly to 4.5 with the total making a full point jump to 48.
In terms of the betting action at BookMaker, better than 81 percent are laying the points with the green and gold, while nearly 84 percent of the total wagers have come in on the over. Interestingly enough, the moneyline is split at 50/50 with many interested in the almost 2-1 return on the Jaguars. As it stands, the Packers are currently the bookies biggest Week 1 exposure.
Injury Report
No major injury concerns for either side heading into Week 1
Player to Watch
All eyes will be on Jordy Nelson who missed all of last season due to tearing his knee apart in the preseason. Though he didn’t line up for a single snap in the preseason, he’s said to be 100 percent and ready for the start of the regular season.
His ability to stretch the field was sorely missed by the Packers offense last season. Without a deep threat, Green Bay was limited to mostly underneath stuff and slant routes. With Eddie Lacy offering up no relief on the ground, the offense hardly looked like the explosive and lethal attack bettors have come to expect out of the Packers.
Jacksonville revamped its back seven during the offseason via free agency and the draft. Prince Amukamara and Tashaun Gipson were brought in, while Jalen Ramsey and Miles Jack were their first two picks. With Nelson now back in the mix, these free agent acquisitions and rookies will need to be on top of their game all game long.
Key Stat
The Jaguars have a wealth of options to get the ball to through the air. It starts with Blake Bortles and spreads out to Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns, Julius Thomas and Marcedes Lewis. Heck, even T.J. Yeldon got in the action in his rookie season. Jacksonville owned the AFC’s No. 5 ranked passing attack and No. 10 overall. They’re going to look to pass the ball early and often.
The strength of Green Bay’s defense just so happens to be its secondary. The quadrant of Sam Shields, Damarious Randall, Morgan Burnett and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix helped lead the Packers to the No. 4 ranked pass defense in the NFC and No. 6 overall. Green Bay is going to get theirs like it normally does when healthy, but if Jacksonville is to keep up, it’s going to need to find a way to bust a couple big plays on this unit. That’s not something that occurred with regularity a short season ago.
Free ATS Pick
While I’m a huge fan of what the Jags are currently doing with the franchise, I’m just not sure they’re at the point of taking care of business against a top end opponent like the Green Bay Packers – even at home. In their dress rehearsal versus Cincinnati, the Bengals made them look like a bunch of green snot nosed punks. It wasn’t until the backups came in that Jacksonville got back in the game.
There are still issues in pass protection and the offense needs to show me it can also run the ball before I buy in to them consistently competing with the cream of the crop. Oh yeah, Bortles love to throw picks – he tossed a league-high 18 of them last season and gets the displeasure of opening up against a Packers secondary that ranks out as one of the best in the league. While the Pack has a big one with the Vikings on Monday night next week, it’s opening day so there’s no looking ahead.
NFL Odds: Packers 30, Jaguars 20
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
