Falcons Jaguars Betting – Chris Redman gets his night in the spotlight
A development which occurred last year will play into the scoreboard outcome of this final preseason throwdown in Jacksonville. Last December, Atlanta Falcon quarterback (and meal-ticket franchise player) Matt Ryan developed a toe injury severe enough to sideline the Boston College product for the rest of the regular season. Into the starting lineup – and one of the three most pressure-packed positions in all of professional sports (alongside starting pitcher and goalkeeper/goaltender) – came Chris Redman, a Louisville guy who has never been able to hold down the starting quarterback spot for an NFL team. Redman is a journeyman, but in December of 2009, he gained valuable experience. This could very well play a major role in determining who wins this Thursday exhibition, the last one before we start playing games that truly count in the NFL.
NFL Betting: Atlanta Falcons @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Online Betting Odds: Jaguars -2.5
Why To Bet On The Falcons
The Chris Redman factor is hard to beat in this game. One could say that Redman is in a position similar to a collegiate quarterback, Landry Jones of the University of Oklahoma. Last year, Jones struggled when OU’s starting quarterback, Sam Bradford, got injured in the first game of the year and then re-aggravated that injury a month later against Texas. Jones’s hardships didn’t benefit him in the present moment, but this year, his hard knocks figure to give him the experience that will enable him to flourish.
It’s very similar for Redman on Thursday. Since Ryan (like other starting quarterbacks in the NFL) got his last big preseason test in the next-to-last game of the exhibition schedule, Redman – like other backups on other NFL rosters – will be the main man under center for the Falcons. His own journey last December, as the Falcons limped to the finish line and missed the NFL playoffs, should help Redman to be an effective passer against a lot of Jacksonville backups.
Why To Bet On The Jaguars
Some folks will understand why Chris Redman gives Atlanta a legitimate chance to win this game, but they’ll say that Luke McCown is the quarterback who can make the Jaguars the winner on Thursday night in this city near the St. John’s River. McCown – who will play behind David Garrard – threw a 27-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter of last week’s preseason game against Tampa Bay. It could very well be that McCown – who has also hung around NFL rosters but has never been able to entrench himself as the main man under center for any franchise – will steal the show from Redman and give coach Jack Del Rio’s team a win over Mike Smith’s Falcons. If you’re a Luke McCown believer, you’ll take Jacksonville.
How The Game Will Play Out
This feels a little bit like a U.S. Open tennis match, but candidly, it’s hard to find another way to say this: Chris Redman will defeat Luke McCown. Atlanta will top Jacksonville as these teams put the 2010 preseason slate to bed in the northernmost regions of the Sunshine State.
Falcons Jaguars Betting Pick: Falcons +2.5
