NFL Betting Preview: Pittsburgh Steelers vs Jacksonville Jaguars

On Saturday, a preseason game between the Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2) will take place at TIAA Bank Field. After defeating the Seahawks 32-25, the Steelers will want to keep up their success. The Jaguars are seeking some form of stability on both sides of the ball after losing their second straight preseason game.

The Jaguars are -2.5 (-110) point home favorites despite their dismal preseason record, while the Steelers are +2.5 point underdogs (-110). The spread hasn’t changed, but the total points line has increased from 40.5 to 41.5. The Steelers will be +120 underdogs on the moneyline, with the Jaguars at -140.

Quarterback Battle In Pittsburgh

The Steelers finished the regular season in 2021 with a record of 9-7-1 before falling to the Chiefs 42-21 in the first round of the playoffs. This season marks the start of a new era for Pittsburgh following the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers signed Mitch Tribiskey and took Kenny Pickett in the first round to battle it out at the quarterback position.

The Steelers defeated the Seahawks 32-25 in their first preseason game, and both of their quarterbacks performed admirably as the team gained 409 total yards. Mitch Trubisky started the game. Trubisky completed 63 of his passes for yards and a score, while rookie Kenny Pickett completed 95 passes for yards and a score. The Steelers also were impressive on the ground gaining 185 yards and 6.9 yards per carry as a unit.

Jaguars Continue to Produce Inconsistency

The Jacksonville Jaguars‘ record after two preseason games does not indicate that this squad is any better than the one that finished 3-14 in the regular season of 2021, even though the games officially have not yet counted. The Jags started their season with a loss to the Raiders in the Hall of Fame game, 27-11, and last week, they suffered a loss to the Browns at home, 24-13. However, the Jacksonville first unit stood out both offensively and defensively, so there were more encouraging things to learn from the Cleveland game.

The Jaguars have showcased a nice young group of players over the first two preseason games. After sitting out the game against Las Vegas, quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw for 95 yards and a score, while Travis Etienne Jr. , the Jags first round pick in 2021, also made his debut. The defense is a little bit concerning as they have conceded 51 points so far in their two games.

Free Betting Pick

This line is a bit puzzling coming into this one and smells a little fishy. Although these games don’t mean much in the grand scheme of things, the fact of the matter is Mike Tomlin and his squad is 10-3 in his previous 13 preseason games overall in the preseason. Additionally, they have a much more capable skill group and a strong group of quarterbacks that will factor into the whole game.

That being said, I believe the Jaguars are receiving way too much respect in this situation. The Jaguars lost to Cleveland by 11 points and to Las Vegas by 16 points the game before. They have a nice young foundation, but they haven’t proved much with a new coach at the helm. The Steelers should win this game despite playing on the road.

4Flush Sports Free Pick: Steelers (+120)

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