For the first time in his young career, Marcus Mariota is going to play a primetime game.
The Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars will duke it out with one another in a clash that – believe it or not – has huge playoff implications in the AFC South chase.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Tennessee Titans +3
Jacksonville Jaguars -3
Over/Under 44
ODDS ANALYSIS
Home field advantage is all that separates these two teams in the eyes of the oddsmakers, and that seems a little surprising considering how competitive the Jags have been in recent weeks against some halfway decent teams. Then again, when you've got two clubs which have combined for just five wins this deep into the season, maybe it shouldn't be a shock that the standard -3 line has been set in place, particularly with the unpredictable added caveat of this game being played on a Thursday.
The total is rather average at 44.
WHEN THE TENNESSEE TITANS HAVE THE BALL
Will the real Marcus Mariota please stand up? The rookie has predictably had his ups and his downs, and we're going to see more of that as time goes on. What surprises us is the fact that he hasn't been able to get anything going with his legs, and we think that's ultimately hurting his cause and that of the Titans.
Kendall Wright sat out last week's game with the Panthers thanks to a knee injury, and we can't picture him playing on Thursday with just two days of practice. Justin Hunter also hurt his ankle last week.
So what's really left? Delanie Walker, Dexter McCluster and Anthony Fasano are the leading healthy receivers on this club, and that doesn't exactly scream for an offensive shootout, especially knowing that Antonio Andrews has emerged as the top rusher on the team in spite of the fact that he hasn't shown any explosiveness whatsoever.
WHEN THE JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS HAVE THE BALL
The real key for live betting in this game as we see it though, is when Blake Bortles is on the field. Allen Hurns and Allen Robinson have had great seasons, but the Jags make too many mistakes in the passing game too, something which could easily be punished by this underrated Tennessee front seven.
The Titans do a great job of getting after the passer, and we'd be surprised if this wasn't yet another game where Bortles spends a lot of time picking himself up off the grass. Cam Newton, for all of his escape tactics, was sacked five times by the Titans last week in a game which the Panthers really didn't need to throw the ball all that much to win and win comfortably.
If that's what the Titans can manage against a good offensive line and a mobile quarterback, we can only imagine that it's going to be a long day for Bortles.
The Jaguars are at their best when Bortles doesn't have to force throws. That means T.J. Yeldon needs to have a strong game on the ground. However, the rookie still has just two total touchdowns for his career, and he has just two games with more than 70 yards. That won't cut it in live betting this time around, as the Jags need a heck of a lot more to cover a football game as favorites.
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! The Week 11 duel between the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars will go down Thursday, November 19, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. ET at EverBank Field. The game will be televised live on the NFL Network.
