NFL Odds: Patriots Pegged As Pick’Em In Week 2 Clash With Jaguars
The New England Patriots will be looking to tally a ninth straight outright victory over Jacksonville when they take on the Jaguars on Sunday in a Week 2 clash pegged as a virtual pick’em on the NFL odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
New England hits the road for the first time this season after opening its schedule with a 27-20 victory over the Houston Texans as 6.5-point home chalk, extending the team’s regular-season straight-up win streak to four games ahead of Sunday afternoon’s Patriots vs. Jaguars betting matchup at TIAA Bank Field.
The Patriots scored early and often in their Week 1 clash with Houston, jumping out to a 24-6 lead before allowing the Texans back into the contest with a pair of second-half scores. With the win, New England continues the steady play that marked its preseason, when it posted wins in three of four outings while surrendering just 18.5 points per game.
New England now heads south for a date with the Jaguars that also represents a rematch of last season’s AFC Championship Game. The Patriots needed a huge fourth-quarter rally to escape with a 24-20 victory over Jacksonville as 8-point home chalk, earning a Super Bowl berth for the third time in four years. The Pats currently sit as +260 favorites to repeat as AFC champions.
The team also has enjoyed regular success when battling the Jaguars on the road, posting SU victories in three of their four previous matchups, capped by a 23-16 win as 14-point favorites in their last visit in 2012.
The Jaguars return to Jacksonville for their home opener after eking out a narrow 20-15 win over the New York Giants as 3-point road favorites in last Sunday’s season opener. The team has a lot to prove this season after ending a nine-year playoff drought in 2017, but enjoy support at the sportsbooks where they are -110 favorites to repeat as AFC South champions.
Once again, the Jaguars are expected to build their success on a stout defense. With last weekend’s win, Jacksonville now has surrendered 20 or fewer points in nine of its past 14 overall, and five of its past six home dates, producing a 4-2 run for the UNDER in totals wagering during that stretch.
The Jaguars historically have struggled to produce points in dates with New England, mustering just 14.6 points per game in their eight straight losses since earning a 25-10 victory in a Wild Card Weekend matchup back in 1999. For this Sunday, though, the Jaguars are projected by some models to buck that trend and post over three touchdowns in a slim win.
