Jaguars woeful defense cause for football betting defeat

A Monday night divisional match-up should generate plenty of football betting interest when the Tennessee Titans travel to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars. Both teams enter 3-2 and in a four-way tie for first place in the AFC South.

Tennessee Titans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

Game Date/Time: Monday, October 18th, 8:30 ET
Game Location: EverBank Field, Jacksonville, FL
TV/Radio Broadcast: ESPN

NFL Football Odds

Tennessee Titans (-3) +105
Jacksonville Jaguars (+3) -125
Over/Under 45.5

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The Jaguars were a surprise football betting winner at Buffalo last week as many ‘experts’ expected them to stumble on the road against a desperate Bills team. Trouble is the Bills are the worst team in the NFL. Jacksonville dominated the ground game with 216 yards rushing, so their win was justified despite three turnovers and none for Buffalo.

However, the Jaguars allowed a very bad Bills offense to total 306 yards offense and 5.7 yards per play including 5.2 yards rushing. In NFL football betting, you’ll cash more winners when supporting the better defense with a solid running game. That’s the case with the Titans in this match-up, as Tennessee runs for 4.6 yard per carry with All-Pro Chris Johnson carrying the load while the Jaguars average 4.4 yards per rush led by Maurice Jones-Drew.

The rushing yards per game are nearly even at nearly 140 yards per game, but the Titans have faced three top-10 defensive units while the Jaguars have taken on just one, and Jacksonville only ran the ball for 71 yards against the Chargers. The Jaguars have the worst fan support in the NFL, and home field has provided very little football betting victories as the Jaguars are just 5-14 ATS their last 19 home games.

Jacksonville has many weaknesses on defense, not the least being a slow and vulnerable secondary. While the Titans passing game is sub-par with Vince Young, a strong Titans running game should open up plenty of play action passes to open receivers. The Jaguars pass defense allows 282 yards per game with a opponent quarterback passer rating of 107; the second worst mark in the NFL ahead of only the Buffalo Bills. Football betting backers of the Jaguars can’t feel good about those defensive pass problems or that the Jaguars allow 66 percent completions and 385 yards per game overall. Jacksonville is allowing 6.5 yards per play; the worst average in the NFL.

Now, Vince Young is no Peyton Manning, Phillip Rivers or Kyle Orton when it comes to passing the football, but while the Jaguars could not contain those quarterbacks, it’s likely they have a very tough time slowing down the Titans strong ground game. Tennessee was a football betting winner as a 7-point underdog last week at Dallas as the Titans averaged 5.8 yards per play against a much better Dallas defense and won the game outright 34-27. Of note is that the Titans came out passing the ball against Dallas with Young throwing 16 of the first 25 snaps with a 24-yard touchdown pass. There was more emphasis on the downfield pass last week and the Titans should feel more confident to open up the passing game playbook against the Jaguars dotted-hole secondary.

NFL Insider Tip: Titans have covered five of seven in these division rivals recent series, while the Jaguars have covered just five of the L/19 football betting spreads in their own house. Tennessee is the much better overall squad, and will show that tonight by avoiding the letdown from last week’s huge road win and take it to the Jags!

My NFL Predictions: Tennessee Titans (-3) +105

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