The Tampa Bay Buccaneers travel south to face the Jacksonville Jaguars after both teams opened their preseasons with a win. The Jags are 3.5-point favorites at home and -180 on the moneyline, with the Bucs +155 to pull off the road win.
The over/under has crept up to 37 or 37.5 depending on the book, and you'll want to shop around, as I will be attacking the total on Saturday night for our NFL prediction and pick. The competition behind Baker Mayfield and Trevor Lawrence should create a nice environment for points to be scored in this game.
Let's preview the game and dive into my Buccaneers vs Jaguars prediction, featuring my over/under pick for today's Week 2 NFL preseason game kicking off at 7:30 p.m. ET from EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida.
Buccaneers vs Jaguars Prediction
My Buccaneers-Jaguars best bet for Saturday is on the over, which is current at 37.5 at most sportsbooks according to our live NFL odds page. However, you can find a couple of 37s, so make sure to find the best Buccaneers vs Jaguars lines at your favorite sportsbook.
Buccaneers vs Jaguars Odds
| Buccaneers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3.5 -115 | 37.5 -110o / -110u | +155 |
| Jaguars Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3.5 -105 | 37.5 -110o / -110u | -180 |
The spread for this contest opened at Jaguars -1.5 and has since moved to Jags -2.5 and again to -3.5, likely due to a lopsided amount of money coming in on the Jaguars. The total, meanwhile, has also seen some slight movement, going from the opening over/under of 37.5 down to 36.5, then back up to 37 or 37.5, depending on the book.
Buccaneers vs. Jaguars Betting Trends
- 70% of bets and 91% of the money are on the Jaguars to cover the spread.
- 56% of bets and 48% of the money are on the under.
All data via Action Network's public betting percentages and as of Saturday evening.
John LanFranca's Buccaneers vs Jaguars Preview
For the Bucs, the competitors in the QB battle are Kyle Trask and Jon Wolford.
Last week against Cincinnati, these were the only Bucs two quarterbacks who saw action and played almost identical games. The Tampa Bay staff clearly wants as much tape on both players as possible, which is why you saw both signal callers throw between 18 and 20 passes each.
Trask averaged 7.3 yards per attempt, while Wolford averaged 7.2. I once again expect the coaches to let Trask and Wolford throw the football around plenty to evaluate them.
The competition for the Bucs' third wide receiver spot continues, as both Trey Palmer and Jalen McMillan will see action. Even further down the depth chart, multiple other pass catchers performed well for themselves last week, including Rakim Jarrett, another favorite to make the team. Jarrett accounted for the teams’ most explosive pass play last week and had a 40+ yard gain last year in the preseason, as well.
On the interior of the offensive line, first-round center Graham Barton excelled in his preseason debut. The rookie finished the game last week with an 85.2 grade from Pro Football Focus, allowing zero pressures on 18 snaps.
Barton may not see extended action on Saturday, but sixth-round rookie Elijah Klein should again play nearly the entire game as he continues to rise up the depth chart. Klein scored an 84.4 grade from Pro Football Focus last week on 66 snaps, making his case to be the starting right guard.
The highest-graded lineman from a week ago was tackle Luke Haggard, who may be limited due to a minor injury. That would only add to relatively impressive protection each of Wolford and Trask may have this weekend if he is able to suit up.
For the Jaguars offense, it will be Mac Jones and C.J. Beathard playing one half apiece as confirmed by head coach Doug Pederson.
Both quarterbacks accounted well for themselves against the Chiefs last week. Each averaged 8.9 yards per attempt and finished the game with a passer rating above 100.
In total, they created six explosive pass plays of 15 or more yards and only took one sack.
Buccaneers vs Jaguars Game Info: How to Watch, Start Time, Channel, Location
| Location: | EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, FL |
| Date: | Saturday, August 17, 2024 |
| Kickoff: | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV/Streaming: | NFL+ |
Use Quickslip to Bet Buccaneers vs Jaguars
My Buccaneers vs Jaguars Prediction: Take the Over
The Jaguars defense allowed 81.5% of passes to be completed versus the Chiefs, so I expect both offenses to move the ball up and down the field with relative ease for a preseason tilt.
It’s rare going into an exhibition game knowing you will only see four QBs in total get snaps, with all four having real regular season NFL experience.
There will be clear skies in Florida for this game on Saturday night, with plenty of points in the forecast.
Buccaneers vs Jaguars Weather
The weather forecast at kickoff at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville calls for a temperature of 89 degrees with 40% humidity and a less than 1% chance of precipitation. Wind gusts are up to 9 mph.
