Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Oakland Raiders Pick 12/15/19

Jacksonville Jaguars (4-9 SU, 5-8 ATS) vs. Oakland Raiders (6-7 SU, 6-7 ATS)

NFL Week 15

Date/Time: Sunday, December 15, 2019 at 4:05PM EST

Where: RingCentral Coliseum, Oakland, California

TV: CBS

Point Spread: JAC +6.5/OAK -6.5 (GTBets – 100% REAL CASH BONUS UP TO $500!)

Over/Under Total: 45

The Jacksonville Jaguars come to the Coliseum to take on the Oakland Raiders in AFC action on week 15. After going on a spurt and getting in position for a potential postseason run, the Raiders have cooled off considerably with three straight losses. On Sunday, they fell to the Titans, 42-21. They get a far less-hot AFC South team with the sideways Jaguars coming into town. With five straight losses, they have their own issues, and on Sunday, they fell at home to the Chargers, 45-10, in an ugly loss. What can they come up with in this spot?

Sentimental Aspects

One doesn’t want to get too carried away when breaking down elements like this. At the end of the day, football is football, and the matchups end up determining what happens, not feelings. It’s still hard to completely write off the fact that this is the last home game in Oakland. That won’t be lost on coach Jon Gruden, the players, or the long-suffering fans who are passionate about their team. It didn’t work out last week, but the Raiders have generally been a lot better at home this season, and you can figure there could be at least a slight boost from this being their swan song at the Coliseum. And it’s not just what it will do for the Raiders. It’s going to make a tough road game for a downward-spiraling Jaguars’ team that much tougher. Granted, the Raiders dropped three in a row, falling on their faces right when some big things were on the table at 6-4. That doesn’t perhaps speak well of their resolve. But if looking for a little spike in form, why not now against this opponent in their last home game?

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What the Raiders Have Left

Again, watching the Raiders the last several weeks makes one hesitant to bet on them, much less laying a number. It’s one thing for a rising team to hit a wall and show they still need another year. But right after you establish yourself as a postseason threat, getting blown out three straight times is downright troubling. In their last three games, they have been outscored to the tune of 116-33, an alarming number to look at. Injuries have taken their toll, as they are now missing their top running back in Josh Jacobs, with a big chunk of their starters on defense now out of action. Less than a month ago, we were talking about how good the offense looked with Derek Carr efficiently running the offense, with Darren Waller thriving, along with Jacobs having a big rookie season. We saw a defense making a drastic upturn, with seemingly everyone elevating their form. And now, it’s a different story.

The Oakland defense has sagged to the point where you can’t even be sure that the Jags won’t be able to fire. There is no area where they are looking good, with the opposing pass and run both thriving the last handful of weeks. A group that was making the kinds of plays that turn things in the team’s favor has gone silent. Two sacks in the last three games is about all this defense has done in the previous three weeks, other than a long INT return by Maurice Hurst against Tennessee last week that didn’t really lead to much.

Can Jacksonville Do Anything About It?

Believe it or not, the Jags are worse off and getting blown out 45-10 by a 4-8 team at home on Sunday says a lot about where this team is right now. In their last five games (all losses), they have been outscored 174-57. Two sub-.500 teams have blown them out in consecutive weeks. And both of them were at home. The problems are multifold and almost too numerous to name. I personally think they blew it on offense, giving Nick Foles the quick hook and naming Gardner Minshew the starter for the rest of the season. Leonard Fournette has slowed to a crawl after a torrid start to the season. And even with some good receiver play from DJ Chark (out), Dede Westbrook, Chris Conley, and even Fournette with his 68 catches, nothing is moving. On Sunday, Minshew completed 24 passes, but with only 162 yards, he was unable to hang in there to set up any deep throws, as the line continues being flimsy against the opposing pass-rush.

Point totals are swelling for the opponents of Jacksonville. And the good news for the Raiders is that it’s not only high-octane offenses being able to lay the wood to the Jags. The Chargers, Titans, and Colts have been sailing against this “D” in recent weeks. Earlier in the season, we saw a different group—with veterans playing well with a youth movement taking off. Then suddenly, it stopped and what we see now is one of the worst defenses in the conference. And even with Jacobs out the Raiders may be not able to take full advantage of a leaky Jacksonville run-defense, it’s still hard to see Jacksonville doing that well in this spot.

Lay the Points on the Home Favorite

Oakland’s recent collapse raises the reasonable question if Oakland is worth taking and laying points. But with a little projected burst of energy with this being the last home game, combined with a demoralized opponent that hasn’t been competitive in weeks, I think this as good a spot as you’re going to find on Oakland right now. The Jacksonville offense could score some points, but their defense has been getting run over, and some injuries have left them dilapidated on that side of the ball, and it could get ugly on Sunday. I’m laying the number on Oakland.

Loot’s Pick to Cover the Point Spread: I’m betting on the Oakland Raiders minus 6.5 points. Did you know that you can bet on sides/totals at -105 odds instead of the spendy -110 that you’re likely laying? Start saving big bucks TODAY by making a 2 minute switch to 5Dimes!