The Jacksonville Jaguars are 7-point favorites vs. the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3 of the preseason after handily beating their last two preseason opponents (Chiefs and Buccaneers) by 13 points each. The Falcons are 0-2 in the preseason so far after losing to the Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins. The total in this game is set at 35.5 points and that’s noteworthy since preseason unders have been an extremely successful strategy so far in the preseason. This will be each team's final preseason game before the regular season.
The two head coaches are approaching this game in drastically different manners and that has me trusting the more aggressive head coach with a moneyline wager.
Jaguars vs Falcons Odds
Matchup Page: Jacksonville Jaguars vs Atlanta Falcons, 7 p.m. ET
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville Jaguars | -7 (-110) | -310 | Over 35.5 (-105) |
| Atlanta Falcons | +7 (-110) | +250 | Under 35.5 (-115) |
Jaguars vs Falcons Pick – Preseason Week 3
Listening to Falcons head coach Raheem Morris, it sounds like the preseason is already over in his mind and he’s heavily prioritizing keeping the Falcons healthy for Week 1. In other words, winning, talent evaluation and a dress rehearsal aren’t his main goals. On the other hand, Jaguars coach Doug Pederson is very much looking at this game as an important dress rehearsal for his starters (including QB Trevor Lawrence) and he’s suggested his starters might play the entire first half. The Jaguars starters should be able to build an early lead and do plenty of damage vs. backup Falcons players coached by a guy who is mailing the game in.
Jacksonville is deep at the QB position and after Lawrence leaves, Mac Jones and CJ Beathard are expected to take over. Say what you want about Jones being a bust (he is), but he’s an above average preseason QB as evidenced by his numbers through two games: 25-for-34 for 308 yards and 2 TD and 0 INT. I think the Jaguars laying the points is a decent bet, but I’ll play it more conservatively here on the moneyline.
Jaguars vs Falcons Preseason Week 3 Pick: Jaguars Moneyline (-310)
Will Trevor Lawrence Start vs The Falcons
Yes, Trevor Lawrence will start at QB for the Falcons in the Jaguars final preseason game. This was confirmed by Jaguars head coach Doug Peterson who told the media earlier this week, "This third and final preseason game we usually let the starters play a little more … you’d love to get maybe two quarters out of them.”
Will Kirk Cousins or Michael Penix Start vs The Jaguars
No, both Kirk Cousins or Michael Penix are expected to sit during the Falcons final preseason game vs. the Jaguars. Falcons head coach Raheem Morris confirmed his bubble wrap approach earlier this week and stressed the importance of making it to the regular season as healthy as possible.
Jaguars vs Falcons Betting Trends
- Jacksonville has won 5-straight preseason games.
- The Jaguars have scored 20+ points in each of their last 5 preseason games.
- The Falcons haven’t scored more than 13 points in their last 4 preseason games and are 0-3-1 SU during that stretch.
