The Jacksonville Jaguars are 2.5 point favorites in NFL betting lines in their season opener as they host the Denver Broncos. The total on the game in NFL lines at Sbg global is 39.5. It could be a matchup of Denver’s passing against Jacksonville’s running.
Which Team is Poised for a Good 2010? This is really an interesting opening game between two teams that could do anything from win their division to finish in last place. Remember that the Broncos started 6-0 last season before collapsing. Jacksonville has some excellent talent with players like Maurice Jones-Drew but they have underperformed in recent years.
Kyle Orton – You may not know this but one of the best quarterbacks in the preseason was Denver’s Kyle Orton. He was 38 of 57 passes for 397 yards and four TDs in the preseason. He could have some success against a poor Jacksonville secondary.
Denver’s Running Game – The Broncos should be able to run the ball in this game with Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter. The Jacksonville rush defense is a disgrace. They were the worst in the league last season against the run. The only concern for Denver is that neither Moreno nor Buckhalter has been at full strength.
Maurice Jones-Drew – The one advantage that Jacksonville has is Jones-Drew. He is an elite running back who can change a game. If he has a big day then the Jaguars can win. If he gets stopped then it would be up to quarterback David Garrard to have a big day and that is unlikely.
Betting Trends – The Broncos are 7-3 against the NFL lines in their last 10 games in Week 1 but they are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 vs. the AFC. The road team in this series is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings and the Underdog is 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings. The Jaguars are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games in Week 1 but they are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 home games.
Over the Total? The last five Denver games from last season all went over the NFL betting lines. The last four Denver road games have gone over. The Over is 4-1 in the Jaguars last 5 games in September.