2014 Jacksonville Predictions
The Jacksonville Jaguars went 4-12 last season, which as unfathomable as it seems, gave them twice as many wins as they collected in 2012. Luckily for the franchise, numerous changes were made this offseason, giving the team hope that it can at least become relevant again in 2014.
2013 Record: 4-12
ATS:
Titans Odds to win the 2015 AFC South Division: 14/1
Titans Odds to win the 2015 AFC Conference: 100/1
Titans Odds to win the 2015 Super Bowl: 250/1
Let’s take a look at the numbers:
Before we look at the changes made this summer, consider the following: The Jaguars have the worst odds of any team in the NFL to win the 2014 Super Bowl. As you’d imagine, that also means they have the worst odds to win the AFC, not to mention the worst odds to win the AFC South.
At this point, not a lot of confidence is being thrown Jacksonville’s way, but from a divisional standpoint, it will be going up against the team with the second-worst odds to win the Super Bowl: Tennessee Titans.
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Last season, Jacksonville began the year going an almost-impressive 0-8. The worst part is that not one of those games was decided by single digits, and when it finally got that first victory, it was a two-point win over the lowly Titans.
This year, the team’s biggest signing is former UCF quarterback Blake Bortles. Bortles has looked good in camp, according to reports, and he’s letting the ball fly at the capacity most people expected (or at least hoped).
It’s uncertain when, and if, he’ll take over the starting job from Chad Henne, who will provide leadership and experience, but having Bortles ready to go is important, as this team is looking to move into a new era.
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Also on offense, Jackson selected receivers Allen Robinson and Marqise Lee in the draft. The Penn State and USC receivers combined for 2,223 yards last season, and while you can’t expect that kind of production this year, that number is indicative of the damage they can do.
In free agency, the team picked up Toby Gerhard, who averaged 4.7 yards per carry during his time behind Adrian Peterson. Jacksonville was dead last in rushing last season.
Jaguars Betting Outlook:
One of the biggest questions entering this season for Jacksonville is: How long will fans, and the organization as a whole, be patient if Chad Henne is struggling early in the year? With Blake Bortles on the bench, and reportedly playing well in practice, fans are going to want to see the new kid taking snaps, especially considering he’s something of a hometown kid.
Oppositely, it’s fair to assume that if Henne is playing well and the team is actually winning, Bortles will ride the pine for the duration of the year. This team needs something to hang onto, and wins can cure a lot of complaining.
The subsequent question here becomes: What do the Jags and their fans define as success? For starters, not going 0-8 to start the year, and more specifically, keeping games close whether they’re winning or losing. Can we expect Jacksonville to double their wins in 2014? Not likely. An eight-win season would be a tremendous turnaround, and whether it’s Henne or Bortles starting behind center, going 8-8 would be a tremendous success for this group that is expected to be in the basement of the league.
Instead, we look to how they improved last season. Winning two more games than the year before was considered a slight improvement, and if it can do the same in 2014, going 6-10, you’ll be looking at at least a little bit of momentum entering the second year of players such as Bortles, Lee and Robinson.
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