Baltimore Ravens (2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS)
NFL Week 3
Date/Time: Sunday, September 24th, 9:30am EST
Where: Wembley Stadium – London, England
TV: CBS
by Bob, NCAA Football Handicapper, Predictem.com
Point Spread: BAL -3.5 / JAX +3.5
Over/Under Total: 40
This Sunday, as much as I despise it, there will be NFL football played in London. This will be the first game played across the Atlantic in 2017. The 2-0 Baltimore Ravens will take on the 1-1 Jacksonville Jaguars in Wembley Stadium. This game will be played at 9:30am Eastern Standard Time due to the time zone difference of our guys being forced to play football in a completely different country.
Baltimore comes into this game as a 3.5 point favorite over the Jaguars and the total points are set at 40 points combined. Baltimore is the heavy favorite among the bettors seeing as how 71% of the action is on the Ravens to get the cover over Jacksonville. As for the total points in this one, the public action is leaning on this contest to stay under the posted total with 63% of the money on it.
Baltimore comes into this game at 2-0 in this young NFL season. The Ravens got wins over the Bengals and the Browns which is not too impressive of course, but it is better to get the wins you are supposed to get than not to. Jacksonville so far looks like it will be the toughest test for Baltimore so far in 2017.
The Raves strength this season has been their defense. They held the Bengals scoreless in the opening week of the season then in week two, the Browns only scored ten points on Baltimore. As for the offense, if Baltimore wants to compete all season and if they want to make a run at a division title or even a wild card berth, this has to improve. The offense has not looked bad, but it is average at best. Through two games, Joe Flacco has thrown just three touchdowns and two interceptions with a passer rating of 88.5. The run game, led by Javorius Allen, has looked pretty good overall. Allen as well as Terrance West have both gone over 100 yards in 2017 and the entire Baltimore team as a unit is averaging four yards a carry. This Sunday, the key is just what the Ravens have done in the first two weeks. Run the ball and play defense. Stopping Leonard Fournette will not be an easy task, but if Baltimore can stop him, it could be a good trip to London for the Birds.
Jacksonville for a few seasons now have thought it was their time to improve. Year after year they continued to be a bottom feeder, but it appears that this season the Jaguars have made a step forward as a team. They are 1-1 after beating Houston in week one on the road then losing a somewhat competitive game against a good Tennessee Titans team. The big question mark for 2017 was going to be the performance of quarterback, Blake Bortles. Many felt if he did not play well in 2017 and the Jaguars continued to fail, it would be time to move on in a new direction. So far, Bortles has not played too well. He has passed for not even 400 yards and has thrown two touchdowns and two interceptions. If this Sunday is going to be a success for Jacksonville, they need a balanced attack. Against a Baltimore defense, you cannot be one dimensional on offense. The run game will need to take some pressure off Bortles and when need be, Bortles needs to make the plays to keep drives alive. This could be a close game late, but any mistakes or lack of progression on offense and Baltimore could pull away.
From an injury standpoint, Jacksonville will be without TJ Yeldon and defensive tackle, Michael Bennett. The Ravens will be missing Sheldon Price and running back Terrance West is questionable but should play come Sunday. These injuries should not play too much into the outcome or game plans of this one.
The games played over in England are always tricky to predict. How will the teams handle the travel? After two games are these teams really as good or as bad as they have looked? So many factors early in the season. Typically in the London games, I take the underdog. These games are usually toss ups and I prefer getting points than giving. This is what I am doing today. I will take the Jacksonville Jaguars plus the points. I see this game going down to the end and I think the Jaguars could actually win this one and show that they are no longer the doormat of the NFL.
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