Jacksonville Jaguars NFL Prediction: 2021 Season Betting Odds and Preview

The Jacksonville Jaguars were the worst team in the NFL last season, finishing with a 1-15 record and losing 15 straight games to end the year.  As they look to overhaul their roster, they turned to the college ranks, drafting quarterback Trevor Lawrence first overall and hiring legendary college coach Urban Meyer.  It’s Meyer who will have the task of helping Lawrence transition to the pros to become the cornerstone piece of Jacksonville’s rebuild.  Do the Jaguars have more than one win in them in 2021?

Veteran Additions

QB C.J. Beathard, RB Carlos Hyde, WR Marvin Jones, WR Phillip Dorsett, TE Chris Manhertz, TE Tim Tebow, DT Roy Robertson-Harris, DT Malcom Brown, DT Jihad Ward, CB Shaq Griffin, S Rayshawn Jenkins, S Rudy Ford, KR Jamal Agnew

Notable Draft Picks

QB Trevor Lawrence, RB Travis Etienne, CB Tyson Campbell, OT Walker Little, S Andre Cisco, DT Jay Tufele, DE Jordan Smith, TE Luke Farrell

Offseason Losses

WR Dede Westbrook, WR Keelan Cole, TE Tyler Eifert, TE Josh Oliver, DT Abry Jones, CB D.J. Hayden

Jacksonville Jaguars Acquisitions and Moves

Obviously the biggest offseason moves for this team come from drafting Lawrence first overall and hiring Meyer.  Lawrence, the former Clemson standout, is the first rookie quarterback to ever get the Week 1 start for Jacksonville.  He’s finished with average results in the preseason, which may actually say something positive, considering he’s working with one of the worst offences in the league from last season.

Meyer has led three teams to Division I national championships, but there’s still questions about his ability to adjust from coaching college players to pros.  One of his biggest miscues was bringing his former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, Tim Tebow, to camp as a tight end.  The experiment ended quickly when it was clear Tebow was embarrassingly outmatched in every play.  Meyer’s also already been fined for breaking rules and his strength and conditioning coach resigned after one day.  Meyer was a great coach in college and he still could be great in the NFL, there’s just not a long history of the best college coaches becoming the best NFL coaches.

Jacksonville has already lost their other 2021 first-round pick, running back Travis Etienne.  The Jags drafted Lawrence’s former college teammate 25th overall, but a foot injury in the second week of the preseason has ended his year.  That loss puts more work on James Robinson, who had a huge season last year after coming in as an undrafted rookie.

The only addition to the offensive line is second-round draft pick Walker Little at left tackle.  Little isn’t expected to be in the starting lineup in Week 1, but with how bad the Jaguars’ offensive line was last season, he could get a shot soon.

Joe Cullen was brought in as defensive coordinator after turning around Baltimore’s defensive scheme in recent years.  Cullen remade the defensive line, bringing in defensive tackles Roy Robertson-Harris and Malcolm Brown, who already look like an improvement from last season.

Jacksonville Jaguars 2021 NFL Schedule

Based on strength of opponents, the team that benefitted the most from the expanded 17-game schedule is Jacksonville.  Under the 16-game format, the Jags had the 11th most difficult schedule, but the extra game drops that number to 18 based on their opponents’ combined record last season.

Jacksonville’s best shot at breaking their losing streak will actually come in Week 1 against a Texans team many people are predicting to come dead last this year.  They’ve drawn tough NFC West matchups, but they have a chance to win games within their own division.

Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 12 @ Houston Texans, 1 p.m

Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 19 vs. Denver Broncos, 1 p.m.

Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 26 vs. Arizona Cardinals, 1 p.m.

Week 4: Thursday, Nov. 30 @ Cincinnati Bengals, 8:20 p.m.

Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 10 vs. Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m.

Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 17 vs. Miami Dolphins, 9:30 a.m.

Week 7: BYE

Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 31 @ Seattle Seahawks, 4:05 p.m.

Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 7 vs. Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m.

Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 14 @ Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m.

Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 21 vs. San Francisco 49ers, 1 p.m.

Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 28 vs. Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m.

Week 13: Sunday, December 5 @ Los Angeles Rams, 4:25 p.m.

Week 14: Sunday, Nov. 12 @ Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m.

Week 15: Sunday, November 19 vs. Houston Texans, 1 p.m.

Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 26 @ New York Jets, 1 p.m.

Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 2 @ New England Patriots, 1 p.m.

Week 18: Sunday, Jan. 9 vs. Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m.

Jacksonville Jaguars NFL Betting Odds

The Jaguars’ regular season win total is set at 6.5, but this team hasn’t improved nearly enough for me to feel comfortable taking the Over.  I think they’ll win more than the one game they won last year, but I still think the Under 6.5 regular season wins, at -138, is the way to go.  They’re +321 to make the playoffs and +955 to win the AFC South.

Jacksonville Jaguars 2021 Season Prediction

Jacksonville is clearly a better team than they were, heading into Week 1 last season, but they’re not where they want to be, yet.  Lawrence looks like he’s the real deal, but this is a young team with a lot of growing pains ahead of them.  I fully expect them to get two wins off of Houston and there’s opportunity for another couple of Ws throughout the schedule.  Mark the Jaguars down to finish 3rd in the AFC South with a 5-12 season.