Two teams heading in different directions take the field in the Sunshine State on Monday night with the Jacksonville Jaguars hosting the reeling Cincinnati Bengals.
The oddsmakers have the Jaguars as an 8.5-point betting favorite in this AFC clash with a total of 38.5. The public has been backing the Jags, as they opened as a 7.5-point favorite and as of Friday are an 8.5-point favorite.
The 5-6 Bengals lost their third in a row in their last game with a 16-10 home loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Cincy failed to cover as a 2-point underdog and they have not covered the spread in their last three games.
The Jags have won seven of their last eight games, including their last two, and moved to 8-3 in their last game in a 24-21 road win over the Houston Texans. Jax covered the spread as a 1-point favorite and are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games.
On the season the Bengals are 4-6-1 ATS with an O/U record of 5-6 and the Jags are 8-3 ATS with an O/U record of 5-6.
Winless Without Leader
The Bengals are winless since Joe Burrow went down with a season-ending injury and now the team is under .500. In their 16-10 loss to the Steelers, they were outgained 421 yards to 222 yards, only has 25 rushing yards, and were only 2-10 on third down.
In the Pittsburgh loss Jake Browning passed for 227 yards with a TD and a pick, Joe Mixon led the way with a grand total of 16 rushing yards, and Ja’Marr Chase had four catches for 81 yards.
On the season the Bengals rank tied for 23rd in the league in scoring (19.3 ppg), 19th in passing yards per game, and dead last in rushing yards per game.
Browning is a rookie and in his time since taking over for Burrow has 295 yards with two TD and one INT. Mixon had rushed for 115 yards in two games before only rushing for 16 in the last one.
The pass game has not been the same since Burrow was injured, shocker, and Chase only has 93 receiving yards in the last two games.
The Cincy offence will face a Jax defense that ranks 12th in the league in points against (20.5 ppg), 28th against the pass, and fourth against the run.
Little Luck Never Hurts
In their win over the Texans in their last game the Jags had a little luck on their side, as Houston’s game-tying field goal hit the upright and did not go in as time expired. In the game Jax outgained the Texans 445 yards to 352 yards and while they did not run the ball well, they held Houston to 91 rushing yards.
In the Texans win Trevor Laurence passed for 364 yards with a TD and an INT, Travis Etienne Jr. rushed for 56 yards averaging 2.8 yards per carry, and Calvin Ridley led the way with 89 receiving yards.
On the season the Jags rank 12th in the league in scoring (23.1 ppg), 12th in passing yards per game, and 18th in rushing yards per game.
Laurence (2,746 yards 12 TD 7 INT) ranks ninth in the league in QBR and while not putting up big numbers he has limited his mistakes and been a good game manager. Etienne Jr. (726 yards 7 TD) is listed as questionable for this game and has not averaged over four yards per carry in each of the last four games.
The Jags have three players that have at least 524 receiving yards.
Laurence and company will be facing a Cincy defense that ranks 19th in the league in points against (22 ppg), 26th against the pass, and 29th against the run.
Betting Trends
The Bengals are 18-7 ATS in their last 25 road games.
The Bengals are 25-11-2 ATS in their last 38 games overall.
(The Bengals have failed to cover in all three games without Burrow under center this season).
The Jags are 16-5-1 ATS in their last 22 games overall.
The Jags are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games as a favorite.
The Jags have an Under record of 13-6 in their last 19 games facing a team with a losing record.