Raiders vs. Jaguars Point Spread & Free Pick ATS
Las Vegas Raiders (2-5 SU, 3-4 ATS) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6 SU, 2-6 ATS)
Week 9 NFL
Date/Time: Sunday, November 6, 2022 at 1PM EDT
Where: TIAA Bank Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida
TV: CBS
Point Spread: LV -1.5/JAC +1.5 (Bovada – Amazing sportsbook with the BEST live wagering platform on the planet and the most player props! They’ll give you a 50% bonus too!)
Over/Under Total: 47.5
The Las Vegas Raiders come to the Sunshine State to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars in week 9 AFC action from TIAA Bank Stadium on Sunday. Things really seemed to bottom out for the 2-5 Raiders on Sunday in an ugly 24-0 loss to the Saints. They take to the road again this week but might have an easier spot in the 2-6 Jaguars, fresh off a 21-17 loss to Denver on Sunday. For as bad as things looked for the Raiders, that was the fifth straight loss for a Jacksonville team that looked good early in the season. Who can shake it off and deliver the cover for us on Sunday?
Who is in More Trouble?
A shutout loss to the Saints will throw a bad light on the Raiders. In their defense, it was out of their wheelhouse in the Superdome, and they had won recently and been mostly competitive in recent weeks, so you could say their form is better overall. After all, the Jaguars dumping five straight and falling to a sideways Broncos team in London doesn’t paint them in a good light. After some good early signs and a 38-10 road win over the Chargers, you’d have sworn things were heading in the right direction, and since then, Doug Pederson’s squad hasn’t gotten a thing right. Maybe being at home against a team that has hit a valley will offer some relief.
Still, we’ve seen some things that could make one think that last week was a bit of a fluke with the Raiders. Not that the things we saw, even in an overly-exaggerated way perhaps, don’t exist. But there was an 18-point win over Houston that led to that, preceded by a one-point loss to the Chiefs and a 9-point win over Denver. Meanwhile, we see a Jaguars team losing to those same Houston and Denver teams and also losing by a TD to Indy in this recent stretch. Sure, you’re looking at a pair of two-win teams in the final analysis. You could even say, with the high hopes associated with the Raiders in the preseason, that they’ve arrived in this spot with more of a thud. Nevertheless, despite an unsightly loss to the Saints last week and some depreciation being evident in many areas, their overall results lately have been markedly better than Jacksonville’s.
Which Run Game Can Deliver This Week?
Despite early signs of success, both teams have seen their aerial attacks go into the dumps. Seeing Derek Carr floundering last week, barely able to connect with a receiver like Davante Adams, was a sorry sight indeed. And despite some early good signs with Jacksonville QB Trevor Lawrence connecting with Christian Kirk and a revamped Jacksonville receiver crew, they’ve gotten diminished returns in that category too. But with neither secondary playing well, this still serves as a spot where either QB could potentially get some better results.
This could come down to a battle between Joshua Jacobs and Travis Etienne. Until running into a bit of a wall and the game script not cooperating last week, Joshua Jacobs had been putting together some remarkable performances. Able to catch balls out of the backfield, it was like Jacobs snapped into being the player the Raiders had envisioned when they drafted him. And after missing last year, Etienne’s performances have been so good that the Jags saw fit to trade James Robinson. After another big game on Sunday, he is also in fine form and could be a big factor for a Jacksonville offense that hasn’t seen things go their way lately.
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Matchup Issues for Both Teams
Last week, the game’s tone and a tougher run defense made it hard for the Raiders to run the ball. With the state of their aerial game in a bit of limbo after some recent rough showings by Carr, they’d like to rely on Jacobs and have him carry them with the form he had been showing the last several weeks. Still, it hasn’t been as easy for opposing running backs to shine against this Jacksonville “D.” Some have, meaning Jacobs could, but there are games where they can really make it tough on the opposing run game. Then again, if Carr were ever able to come to life this season, this could be a good spot against a Jacksonville secondary that has given up some big performances to opposing quarterbacks this season.
Any optimism a potential Raiders’ backer feels this week in light of the Jaguars’ shortcomings on defense has to consider the flip side of that coin, which basically reveals another defense that presents a window for a struggling offense to get back on the right track. The Vegas defensive front has been the best part of this unit, applying pressure and putting a crimp on the opposing run game. However, if Etienne continues showing this form, he could still produce in this spot. He won’t be like Alvin Kamara, who ran all over this Raiders’ defense last week, but he can do damage. And while the Raiders’ secondary seems to fare better against middling aerial offenses, this is still a spot for Lawrence to reclaim some momentum.
Lay the Points on the Road Favorite
Getting on the Raiders this week isn’t easy, but maybe this is a decent buy-low spot for the Raiders going against a team that seems almost broken in relation to where they were earlier in the season. Not that the Jaguars can’t find another gear and snap out of this funk, but it might be tough. The Raiders aren’t in any better shape, far underachieving from what was projected. But despite being shut out last week, you can at least imagine something working out aerially, along with Jacobs getting his production. That offensive upside alone makes it seem worth it to lay the small number this week. I’ll take the Raiders.
Loot’s Prediction to Cover the Point Spread: I’m betting on the Las Vegas Raiders minus 1.5 points. Bet your Week Nine NFL predictions at no cost to you by taking advantage of a 100% real cash bonus up to $300 when you use bonus promo code PREDICT100 at MyBookie Sportsbook!
