You could see the below win total spread for the Jacksonville Jaguars as kind of an insult. This is a team that finished 10-6 last season, but could have easily been 12-4. They upset the Pittsburgh Steelers in the playoffs and, for nearly three quarters, were in real danger of going to the Super Bowl.
Still, the oddsmakers at BetDSI Sportsbook are hedging, to say the least.
Jacksonville Jaguars 2018-19 Regular Season Win Total
Over 8.5 (-125)
Under 8.5 (-105)
For the Jaguars, there’s reason to worry. They’re in a division that should be significantly more difficult to win in 2018. A healthy Andrew Luck changes the complexion of the entire AFC, especially since he has a capable head coach in Frank Reich running the show now.
Deshaun Watson was rolling up pinball points last season with the Houston Texans before he got hurt. Both guys should be ready in Week One. I don’t much like the hire of Mike Vrabel in Tennessee, but there’s little chance he’ll be worse than Mike Mularkey and the Titans beat Jacksonville in Week 17 last season to secure a playoff spot.
The Jags’ defense should still be one of the best units in the league. All they did in the draft was add star power to it with Ronnie Harrison and Taven Bryan both making the rich richer. It’s the offense, as it was last season, that looks to be the problem.
Here's a story of our 2018 draft class… pic.twitter.com/bHftp5sLLM
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) May 12, 2018
First off, head coach Doug Marrone and general manager David Caldwell have gone all in with Blake Bortles. He had the best season of his career in 2017, completed 60.2 percent of his passes (passing 58.9 percent for the first time) for 3,687 yards, 21 touchdowns and a career-low 13 interceptions. Marrone didn’t ask much of Bortles, relying on the running game and the defense. He won’t get away with running that kind of offense this year.
Leonard Fournette, barring a sophomore stumble, is a legit NFL star at running back. The problem for the Jaguars is pretty much every other skill position player outside of Marqise Lee.
Jacksonville has NFL cast-offs Niles Paul and Austin Suferian-Jenkins at tight end, the all but worthless Donte Moncreif as their No. 2 wideout and really no one behind him but rookie D.J. Chark and second year man Dede Westbrook. This is a squad that really needs to add some punch in free agency and maybe give Dez Bryant anything he wants to come play there a year.
Preview of what to look for: pic.twitter.com/XtUjeMoytN
— Jalen Ramsey (@jalenramsey) May 11, 2018
Finally, we take a look at their schedule and it’s brutal in September. They open at the New York Giants, then host the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans. It gets easier after that with a home game against the New York Jets. I could see a 2-2 start. Are there seven more wins on this bracket?
Frankly, I don’t see them. This could very well be a 7-9 or 8-8 Jaguars team, depending on how well the Texans and Colts pull it together. I don’t see a return trip to the playoffs. The AFC South is just too tough. That means if I was tossing out a few pesos here, I’d go the under.
