The Jacksonville Jaguars ended their four-game losing skid in Week 17, blanking Carolina 26-0 to improve to 9-7. Jacksonville can clinch the AFC title with a win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Jan. 7 (1 p.m. ET).
Coming off a 26-3 loss to Houston, Tennessee is playing out the string at 5-11, but it certainly wouldn’t mind playing spoiler.
What can bettors expect? Let’s break down the NFL Week 18 odds and give our best bets.
Jaguars vs Titans Odds
NFL odds used for this Jacksonville vs Tennessee preview were found at DraftKings Sportsbook and are current as of Tuesday, Jan. 2, at 9:20 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline: Jaguars (-218) • Titans (+180)
- Spread: Jaguars -5 (-112) • Titans +5 (-108)
- Total Points: Over 39.5 (-112) • Under 39.5 (-108)
- Implied Score: Jaguars 22.25, Titans 17.25
Jaguars vs Titans Predictions
Score Pick: Jaguars 20, Titans 16
The Jaguars won without Trevor Lawrence in Week 17, and they may need to do so again. The Pro Bowl quarterback’s status for Sunday is uncertain due to a sprained AC joint in his right throwing shoulder, meaning C.J. Beathard could be in line to make another start under center.
Beathard performed adequately against Carolina (17-of-24, 178 yards) but is just 3-10 in his career as a starter.
Nevertheless, Tennessee is dealing with its own uncertainty at quarterback, as Will Levis was carted off with a foot injury in Sunday’s loss. The rookie second-rounder was replaced by Ryan Tannehill, who went 16-of-20 for 168 yards.
The Titans are reeling, having lost three straight and four of their past five games, and neither Levis nor Tannehill seem capable of turning around their fortunes.
Facing a win-and-in scenario, Jacksonville will do enough – with or without Lawrence – to claim the AFC South.
Jaguars vs Titans Best Bets & Props
Under 39.5 (-108)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
The status of both quarterbacks – Lawrence and Levis – is unclear for Sunday, so it could be a battle of backups. Regardless, neither offense has done much to instill confidence in the Over.
Jacksonville has gone Under the total in its last three games and is averaging just 15 points during that stretch.
Meanwhile, Tennessee ranks 28th in scoring (17.3 PPG) and has hit the Under in 11 of its 16 games, matching the highest rate (68.6%) in the NFL.
Based on those trends, I’m confident in taking Under 39.5 as my NFL bet of the day.
Titans +5 (-108)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
Jacksonville is 9-7 ATS but has covered just once over its last five games.
While Tennessee is only 6-9-1 ATS, it has fared slightly better at home (4-3-1) and could find itself facing a backup quarterback.
So long as Lawrence’s status remains in doubt, I’m fading Jacksonville and taking Tennessee to keep this within five.
Titans Under 17.5 (-122)
FanDuel Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
Jacksonville ranks 27th against the pass (245.3 yards allowed per game) but has been much better at defending the run, holding opponents to an average of 98.6 yards on the ground. That’s eighth-best in the NFL.
In midst of his fifth 1,000-yard season, Derrick Henry remains Tennessee’s best source of offense. However, Jacksonville kept the two-time rushing champ to 38 yards on 10 carries earlier this season.
The Titans have scored 17 points or fewer 11 times, including each of the last three games. They may have trouble exceeding that total again, especially if Levis can’t play.
Jaguars vs Titans Same Game Parlay
Jaguars vs Titans SGP (+389)
FanDuel Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
- Jaguars -3.5 (-140)
- Under 40.5 (-112)
- Jaguars -1.5 1Q (+112)
I like the Jaguars to win, but Lawrence’s health has me concerned about their ability to pull away. Thus, I’m hedging them down to -3.5 while maintaining decent odds at -140.
Even if they jump ahead early, this is shaping up to be among the lower-scoring games on the slate. Pushing the total above 40 buys us some margin for error in case one of these offenses has an unusually strong day.
