Dolphins Jaguars Betting – Dolphins Take Battle Of Sunshine State
Online betting players could thinking of Miami as an NFL betting darkhorse in the AFC this season, but their offense has to be better than it was in their first preseason game to give players confidence in them. They should improve in their second game against a defensive-challenged Jacksonville team.
- What: NFL betting
- When: Saturday, August 21st, 7:30 PM ET
- Where: EverBank Field, Jacksonville, FL
- Pick: Miami
What’s On The Line
The Dolphins played another Florida team, Tampa Bay, in their preseason opener and eked out a 10-7 at home. The Jaguars came up just short in a 28-27 loss in Philadelphia, but they have a lot to work on when it comes to defense and discipline. The defense may get a chance to shine against a Miami offense that was brutal when facing the Bucs.
Offensive Matchups: Dolphins Jaguars Betting
Tyler Thigpen looked much better than Chad Henne against the Bucs, and the Dolphins managed just 206 yards, including a meager 50 on the ground. We haven’t even factored Chad Pennington into the mix, although he’s still recovering from yet another shoulder surgery, and Brandon Marshall dropped a couple of passes. Ronnie Brown averaged 4.0 yards per carry in his attempt to come back from a knee injury, and it’s definitely not panic time as the Bucs do have a decent defense. But the Dolphins have to improve on this side of the ball.
Luke McCown was 11-of-15 for 244 yards and three touchdowns against the Eagles, and he did so behind an offensive line searching for depth as starters Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton are hurt. Trevor Harris also had a higher passer rating for the game than David Garrard, who shouldn’t be worried of losing the No.1 spot, but McCown looked really good. Troy Williamson showed he could be a big-play threat with a 73-yard scoring catch, but he has to do it against better players before we put him in the starting lineup.
Betting Edge: Draw
Defensive Matchups: Dolphins Jaguars Betting
The Dolphins forced a young Tampa Bay team into four turnovers, including three fumble recoveries. Rookie safety Reshad Jones led the team with five tackles, while second-year defensive back Nate Ness had four tackles and is looking to fill a nickel role. The Dolphins have to figure out a way to generate a pass rush without Jason Taylor and Joey Porter in town, and no one really looked like they would fill that role against the Bucs.
Simply put, the Jaguars looked terrible against the Eagles, allowing 496 yards, including a staggering 211 on the ground. They even managed to make Michael Vick look like the Vick of old, and that is definitely something they’ll have to look at. Aaron Kampman was brought in from Green Bay, but had knee surgery late last year and has yet to play. Rookie Tyson Alaulu has either been holding out or hurt all preseason. The corners couldn’t stop the Philadelphia receivers at all. There’s a lot of work to do in Jacksonville on this side of the ball.
Betting Edge: Miami
Notable Injuries: Dolphins Jaguars Betting
Cornerback Will Allen (knee) and running back Patrick Cobbs (knee) will be out, along with linebacker Tim Dobbins (ankle) and offensive lineman Nate Garner (foot) for the Dolphins.
For the Jaguars, Monroe (knee), Britton (calf), Alaulu (calf) and Kampman (knee) are out, while receiver Jarrett Dillard (foot) is questionable.
Betting Edge: Miami
Outlook and Pick: Dolphins Jaguars Betting
The Jaguars are 1-point favorites at home according to NFL betting odds, but we feel the Dolphins will steal one on the road in Jacksonville. We don’t think the Miami offense is as bad as it looked against Tampa Bay, and the Jacksonville defense has a lot of questions to answer about themselves. We also don’t think McCown will have that kind of game again. Take the Dolphins in your sports betting book on Saturday.
