The Tennessee Titans visit the TIAA Field for a showdown between the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 3 of the NFL’s 2019 season.
The Tennessee Titans’ home opener didn’t play out to their plans. The Titans were looking for payback against the Indianapolis Colts who beat them in last year’s season finale and cost them a playoff berth. The Colts headed to their Sunday matchup with a new quarterback after Andrew Luck retired during the offseason. But Jacob Brissett spoiled Tennessee’s home debut by throwing the go-ahead touchdown with 4:38 left to play in the game. The Colts prevailed 19-17 and prevented the Titans from posting their first 2-0 start since 2008. Marcus Mariota got sacked four times and he threw for 154 yards on 19/28 passing with one touchdown. Derrick Henry rushed for 81 yards on 15 carries while Delanie Walker led Tennessee with four catches and 39 receiving yards.
The Jacksonville Jaguars fell to 0-2 on the season after they lost 12-13 to the Houston Texans on Sunday. The Texans led by seven points late when rookie Gardner Minshaw led a long drive that included an 18-yard run on fouth and 10, and capped it with a four-yard touchdown pass to DJ Clark. Jacksonville opted to go for the win instead of the tie. However, the Texans foiled the Jaguars two-point conversion to preserve the win. Minshaw, a sixth-round draft pick, threw for 213 yards and one touchdown in his first start since filling in for starter Nick Foles who injured his collarbone in week 1. Minshaw rushed for 56 yards on 8 carries while Leonard Fournette had 47 yards on 15 carries. Chris Conley caught 73 yards while DJ Clark had 55 receiving yards and the touchdown catch.
Who Wins?
Tennessee heads to this game as the NFL betting favorite. The Titans are 5-2 SU in their last seven games played and 8-4 SU in their last 12 week 3 games played. Jacksonville is 2-12 SU in their last 14 games played and 2-9 SU in their last 11 games played against the AFC conference. The Jaguars are 1-7 SU in their last eight games against the AFC South Division. Head to head, the Titans are 7-3 SU in their last 10 meetings, including 3-0 SU in their last three encounters.
The Jaguars suffered a big loss when Nick Foles got hurt in week 1. Although Gardner Minshaw kept Sunday’s game close and almost won the game, he certainly had problems running the offense and producing the points against the Texans. In their next game, he will have to matchup with veteran Marcus Mariota who threw for three touchdowns in week 1. While Mariota was off on Sunday, I think he will get the better of the rookie Minshaw in their upcoming encounter. I’m picking the Tennessee Titans to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars on 9/19/19. Prediction: Tennessee Titans
Other Bets To Make
The Titans are 3-6 ATS in their last 9 games played and 1-4 ATS in their last five games against the AFC South Division. The Jaguars are 2-4 ATS in their last six games played. 5-2 ATS in their last seven games played in September, and 3-6 ATS in their last nine games played in week 3. Head to head, the Titans are 5-4-1 ATS in their last 10 games against the Jaguars. Tennessee is also 3-0 ATS in their last three meetings.
Tennessee has outscored Jacksonville by 3.4 points per game in their last 10 games played and by 9.67 points per game in their last three head to head meetings. Minshaw only managed to deliver 12 points in his first start and given his inexperience, I expect the same output from him, more or less. On the other hand, we saw what Mariota can do with the Tennessee offense in week 1. I expect him to step up against the inexperienced Minshaw ad lead the Titans to a win. Prediction: Tennessee Titans -2.5
The total has gone over in six out of the last eight games played by the Titans. The over is 5-1 in the Titans’ last six games against the AFC conference. The total has gone under in four out of the last five games played by the Jaguars and under in four out of their last five games played on the road. Head to head, the over is 5-2 in the last seven games played between the Titans and Jaguars. The under is also 7-2 in the last seven home games of the Titans against the Jaguars.
Titans
O 41 (-110)
Jaguars
U 41 (-110)
Odds were taken from Betonline.ag as of 9/16/19
These teams have combined score 42.2 points per game in their last 10 meetings but just 26.33 points per game in their last three games against each other. Mariota has shown that he can lead the Titans to a high scoring affair. However, I’m not confident that Minshaw can deliver the same for the Jaguars, at least not this early in the season. Prediction: Under 41