The Jacksonville Jaguars just couldn’t wait any longer. After another dismal performance down the stretch, the Jags lost their eighth straight game and again blew a second half lead. It wasn’t if, rather when the Jags would cut ties with Gus Bradley. And that time came after Sunday’s loss to the Texans. There is plenty of blame to go around for a team that was expected to compete for a division title. But in the end it’s always the head coach that takes the fall. The Jags will move forward with interim Doug Marrone taking on the Tennessee Titans in Week 16.
Watch this regular season Week 16 matchup live on Saturday, December 24, 2016, at 1 p.m. ET at EverBank Field.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Tennessee Titans -4
Jacksonville Jaguars +4
Over/Under 44
Odds Analysis
The early money is all over the Titans in this one, forcing a move in the line quickly after opening. Tennessee is getting over 90 percent of the early spread bets with the line jumping a half point from its initial 3.5-point posting. Tennessee easily covered as a 3-point favorite with a 36-22 win when the teams met in Week 8. It was one of Jacksonville’s biggest offensive outbursts of the year and the teams cashed the over. Still, the total took a slight drop after opening at 44.5 and the under has value with teams struggling offensively.
Injury Report
Karl Klug – Tennessee’s defensive front suffered a hit when Klug was lost for the year with an Achilles injury. He was a valuable part of the rotation up front and spelled Jurrell Casey and Al Woods when those players missed time with injuries. Klug had played in all 14 games and was a force against the run, compiling 26 tackles and 1.5 sacks on the year.
Jeremiah Poutasi – The Jags were working with their fourth left guard and Poutasi didn’t last long. He injured his ankle in the first half against Houston and was done for the game. The line was already a mess and the situation got even worse when Poutasi’s replacement Josh Wells sustained a shoulder injury. The Jags had no backup linemen for the second half, which had plenty to do with them not scoring offensive points.
Look Ahead
The Titans haven’t been in a position to overlook anybody recently. But with a Week 17 tilt against Houston on the docket and the 2-12 Jaguars in the way before that matchup that could decide the AFC South, this might be the time. Tennessee enters this week tied atop the division with the Texans and needs to win out to claim the crown. The Titans already thumped the Jaguars back in Week 8, posting a 36-22 home win, and it’s only natural for a team that hasn’t won anything the past several years to be a bit excited about the prospects of a division title.
With little help from Marcus Mariota, the Titans were able to post huge wins over AFC West opponents the past two weeks, putting them in a position for their first division title and playoff appearance since 2008. Meanwhile, it’s been a horrible year for the Jags, who’ve lost nine straight, haven’t won a game at EverBank Field in over a year, and just fired their head coach. This is a club that can be easily overlooked, but the Titans are still in no position to do so.
Free ATS Pick
Teams almost always get a spark when a coaching change is made and the Jaguars sure could use one. The axe fell on Bradley and the team will move forward with Marrone as the interim. Don’t expect the former Bills head man to go through the motions. This is an audition for him after he directed Buffalo to a 9-7 record in 2014. He departed western New York with hopes of landing another gig after some organizational differences and has been the coach in waiting since joining the Jags as assistant head coach prior to the 2015 season.
The Titans proved they can win games when Mariota isn’t at his best and that’s a good sign for them. Even with wins over Denver and Kansas City the past two games, I’m not convinced the Titans are contenders. I expect them to let out a heavy sigh after those last two contests and that isn’t what they need to do. The Jags have been killed with a poor offense and Blake Bortles is the main culprit. His job hasn’t been guaranteed with the coaching change and Marrone won’t be as loyal to him as Bradley was. If Bortles wants to stay the starter, he better perform, and I think he will under new leadership.
NFL Odds: Jaguars 22, Titans 20
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