Broncos vs. Jaguars Point Spread: NFL Week 8 Odds, Prediction
Both these teams cross the Atlantic riding four-game losing streaks. The Broncos are coming off a 16-9 home loss to the New York Jets, and are also winless in their past six road contests. The Jaguars dropped a 23-17 decision to the New York Giants as 3-point home favourites last weekend, and have now lost outright in six straight when pegged as betting chalk.
The spread has experienced lots of movement since opening with the Jaguars pegged as 3-point favourites on the NFL odds. Jacksonville has dipped to 2.5-point favourites despite claiming the support of 54 per cent of sports bettors. The total has also been on the decline since opening at 40.5, settling at 39.5, with 61 per cent of the betting action backing the UNDER.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
Sunday morning’s matchup at Wembley Stadium marks the second meeting between these AFC rivals in as many seasons. The Broncos came away with a 23-13 win while favoured by six points when they visited Jacksonville last season, and have taken three of four from the Jags since 2010. Each of the Broncos’ head-to head wins have come by double-digit margins, with Jacksonville scoring just 14 points per game in those contests. The UNDER holds a slight edge when these teams meet, paying out in six of nine clashes. However, the total has reached 40 in four of six meetings. This marks the Broncos’ first overseas outings since falling 24-16 to San Francisco in London in 2012. The Jaguars are 4-4-0 straight up in eight trips to London, but have scored just 21 total points while losing their past two at Wembley.
Denver Broncos
The big question mark facing the Broncos as they arrive in the British capital is whether quarterback Russell Wilson will be fit to play on Sunday morning. It has been a massively disappointing Broncos debut for Wilson, who tossed for just five scores against three picks while getting sacked 20 times over his first six outings. Wilson was then forced to sit last weekend due to a hamstring injury, and after being limited at practice on Wednesday, his status remains questionable. If Wilson is unable to go, look for Brett Rypien to get a second straight start. Rypien failed to shake the team from its offensive slumber in an unimpressive start last weekend, completing just 24-of-46 pass attempts for 225 yards, no scores, and one pick. Overall, the anemic Broncos attack has tallied just two total touchdowns over the past three games. Things could be a lot worse if not for the commendable play of the Denver defence, which has surrendered the second-least yards this season, and a league-low three scoring passes.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars will be looking for a way to avoid beating themselves in Sunday’s date with Denver. Since opening their campaign on a respectable 2-1 run, the Jags have dropped four straight. The team has started strong, allowing just seven total points in the first quarter during their 0-4 run, but letdowns after recess have been costly. Jacksonville has squandered second-half leads in each of their past two outings, and has tallied an average of just 6.5 points after halftime in their past four outings. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence has struggled to find the mark, connecting on just one touchdown pass over the past three games. Lawrence has made up for that lack of production with three scoring runs, but he could be in for a rough ride against a stingy Broncos pass defence that has not surrendered over 225 passing yards in a game this season, and not allowed a scoring pass over the past four games while compiling three picks and 12 sacks.
DEN
JAC