Jags vs Falcons Preseason Preview

By Luis August 23, 2024

0 Comments

The Jacksonville Jaguars and Atlanta Falcons will square off in their final preseason game on Friday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

With both teams looking to finalize their rosters, the Jaguars appear to have the upper hand, thanks to their decision to play key starters, including quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

Game Information

Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Date: Friday, 8-23-2024
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. ET
TV: NFL Network

Prediction and Analysis

Jaguars’ Offensive Strategy

Trevor Lawrence is expected to play multiple series in this preseason finale, giving the Jaguars a strong start against an Atlanta Falcons team that has largely punted on preseason intensity. Lawrence’s presence on the field should provide Jacksonville with an early lead, especially considering how well the Jaguars’ depth chart has performed throughout the preseason.

After Lawrence exits, the offense will be handed over to Mac Jones, who had an impressive outing last weekend. With backup QB C.J. Beathard sidelined due to injury, Jones will have another opportunity to shine. Last week, Jones looked sharp, and he should continue to find success against a Falcons secondary that struggled mightily against the Ravens, allowing 21 completions on 25 attempts.

Falcons’ Offensive Struggles

On the other side, the Atlanta Falcons have yet to find their rhythm offensively. Taylor Heinicke, who has been filling in at quarterback, has struggled significantly, completing less than 45% of his passes and failing to throw a touchdown.

The Falcons’ offense has been largely ineffective, managing just two red zone trips from drives that started on their side of the field. To make matters worse, Atlanta will be resting most of their key starters in this game to avoid injury, which further hampers their ability to compete.

Defensive Matchup

The Jaguars have been solid on defense throughout the preseason, allowing just 20 points combined in their games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs. With Jacksonville’s first-team units expected to play against Atlanta’s second-stringers, the Jaguars should have little trouble controlling the game on both sides of the ball.

Jacksonville has scored 20+ points in both of their preseason games, and there’s every reason to believe they’ll hit that mark again. Meanwhile, the Falcons have managed just 25 points in their two preseason outings, indicating they may struggle to keep up with a Jaguars team firing on all cylinders.

Betting Strategy

The line opened with Jacksonville as a 4.5-point favorite, but the market has since moved it to a full touchdown. Even with this movement, the spread remains favorable for those looking to back the Jaguars to finish the preseason unbeaten.

Given the disparity in how these teams are approaching this game, Jacksonville is well-positioned to cover the spread and potentially win by more than a touchdown.