The Jacksonville Jaguars are coming off a heartbreaking Week 2 loss to the Denver Broncos, but they may have gained the respect of the general NFL public. Jacksonville hosts the New England Patriots in Week 3 and are the betting favorites against the defending AFC Champions. The first two weeks have seen the Jaguars playing impressive football after last season’s playoff appearance.
Current betting odds are listing Jacksonville as a 2.5 favorite to defeat New England and improve to a 2-1 record. Week 1 featured Jaguars completely destroying the woeful Cleveland Browns. Despite the win coming against one of the lowest ranked teams in the entire league, Jacksonville dominated them from start to finish. The team didn’t let off the gas once to show strong hunger starting off the season.
Week 2 saw the Jaguars having a lead for a large percentage of the game on the road against a top Broncos team. Trevor Lawrence took some criticism for the offense just scoring 3 points in the second half, but the overall team is respected in the odds. The advanced models projecting a Jacksonville win over a team that just made the Super Bowl is a great sign that they are respected as an assumed playoff squad.
Why Jaguars Are Favored Over Patriots
The early season sees more questions for New England to repeat in the AFC. Adding A.J. Brown as a new top wide receiver should improve the offense, but many pundits expect the Patriots to drop off and no longer remain a top AFC team.
The Buffalo Bills are currently favored to win the AFC East over New England and the other teams due to how both teams have looked so far. Patriots’ fans can rest easy knowing they dominated the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2, but the Week 1 loss hurt their reputation.
Quarterback Sam Darnold was injured to miss most of the game, and the Seattle Seahawks still defeated New England. Jacksonville has looked strong on both sides of the field to gain momentum. The game is considered an even one that could either way, and sometimes home field is the difference maker there.
No More Excuses For Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars are historically one of the least successful NFL teams, and just contending gives their fan base a peak experience. Lawrence and Parker Washington must continue leading this offense to match the defense’s identity as a rising team looking to contend.
Jacksonville entered the season behind the Houston Texans in the AFC South betting odds and general media predictions. An impressive first two weeks showed them dominating a weak team and almost upsetting a team ranked above them on the road.
Anything short of the playoffs will be viewed as a failure for the Jaguars and they need to continue moving up in the upper echelon of the AFC. Teams like Buffalo, New England, Denver, and the Kansas City Chiefs all present strong threats. Early betting odds and advanced studies show Jacksonville gaining momentum to be respected with these top squads.
Jaguars Get Great Sign For Big Game Vs Patriots