San Francisco 49ers (5-2 SU, 5-2 ATS) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-7SU, 1-6 ATS)
College Football Week 8
Date and Time: Sunday October 27th, 2013 1pm EST
Where: Wembley Stadium; London, England
TV: FOX
by Tim, Football Handicapper, Predictem.com
Point Spread: SF. -17/JAX +17
Over/Under Total: OFF
This a big question mark game since the NFL Boyz want to give the whole world that, as whole, doesnt much care for American Football. Traveling across the ocean, introduced to a strange culture (it is strange; Ive been there!), and playing a game at Wembley for NFL Players is kinda like having Chelsea and Manchester City playing at Lambeau Field while the Packers are on the road: Its pushy, callous, inconsiderate, and not really appropriate. BUT, greater minds than me decided long ago to bring American Football to UK shores but they screwed the scheduling up this year; the Jaguars do not play any brand of American Football I am familiar with! In a funny twist, tickets were sold to this Marquee Matchup with the wrong starting time of 6pm local (it starts at 5pm local time)! The NFL must have warned Wembley officials that Only the most fervent US Football fans could ever watch more than one-hour of Jacksonville before deciding against football as an entertainment pastime to follow! Lets look at this Ignorance is Bliss matchup in England.
Wembley Stadium has offered fans a What Not to Bring for this contest between the 49ers and Jaguars. From Wembleys website, the list includes NO; weapons, knives, or explosives (probably inspired to prevent injuring ones self by halftime); cameras, poles, or sticks (I have no idea why someone couldnt take a pole to a football game???); animals, noisemakers, or horns (what the crap?); scooters, helmets, smoke canisters, flag poles (over 1 meter), and glass (GLASS?)! And you are thinking England ISNT a different culture? Poles, sticks, and smoke canisters? Dont bring them into Wembley Stadium? Sounds like most of England is in SWAT Training!
Jacksonville covered 2 weeks ago as ja-billion point Underdog against the Broncos and did not cover as a 7.5 Underdog last week against the Chargers in another 24-6 beat down. No Shepards Pie or warm Coca-Colas in England will fix this inept Jacksonville team! Jones-Drew is horrid and looks like an Olympic Power-Lifter-Jockey and if Kaepernick kisses his bicep once more I believe I am going to hemorrhage!! Anyway, the stats are FULLY on the side of the 49ers. Surprisingly, the only area Jacksonville excels beyond San Francisco is in Passing Yards per Game at 219 per (SF is at 191 per). But Jaguar fans, do not be dismayed; Jacksonville sits alone as King of consistency going 1-18-1 SU in the last 20 games! Whats even more appalling than those numbers, Wembley Stadiums website is promoting Jaguars Commit to Play Home Games at Wembley for the Next 4 Years! Well, if there was a more efficient way for the NFL to commit suicide in Europe other than sending Jacksonville every year as your Ambassador, I wish someone would tell me? In fact there is no better way for the NFL to be laughed off the White Cliffs of Dover and the Firth of Forth and that is embarrassing.
San Francisco is going to win this gameor maybe not! There are so many variables influencing NFL play in Europe like; jet lag, one-eyebrow guys everywhere, bad weather, and fans bringing in sticks and poles there might not be a better time for an upset in the NFL than at Wembley. The Steelers and Vikings played there September 29, 2013 with the Vikings winning 34-27. Judging from Monday Nights game between the Vikings and Giants (I know: Josh Freeman didnt play in Wembley!), that matchup was a HUGE upset!! 72 NFL games have been outside of US soil including 25 regular season games. The Buffalo Bills lead the way playing 5 reg. season games while Frisco (love sayin that!) has played in 2 and is 1-1 in those encounters.
The NFL wont catch on in the UK because of the popularity of futbol (soccer) across the pond. Both teams Im certain will be off their game as is the norm for away teams in the NFL. Jacksonville is just not good and San Francisco is on track seeking another Super Bowl invitation. Still, everything tells me that this is a lay-down matchup with San Francisco as the clear favorite. But Jacksonville IS a professional football team filled with a roster of competitors and athletes >> incredible athletes! Im going with the Jags to cover just because of the wacky nature of this game and the myriad variables complicating the typical NFL structure. Players from San Francisco are used to that type of professional structure learned from Head Coach Jim Harbaugh. The Jags, on the flip-side of the coin, are used to chaos and non-structure; it is precisely why the Jags are losing! The Jags cover in this chaotic matchup on foreign soil!
Tims Pick to Cover the Point Spread: Jacksonville Jaguars +17