Broncos vs. Jaguars: NFL Week 2 betting odds, preview, and pick

The Denver Broncos kicked off the season with a road win led by an impressive defensive performance, defeating the New York Giants 27-13. The Jacksonville Jaguars did the opposite, faltering on the road in a big loss to the Houston Texans, as their defense surrendered 37 points to an offense that was widely regarded as one of the worst in the league entering 2021.

The two teams are set to play each other in Week 2, and the Broncos are installed as six-point favorites. Let’s take a closer look at some key elements of this matchup.

Jaguars' Pass Defense is a huge concern

The Jags had the second worst passing defense in the NFL during their 2020 season in which they went 1-15. They gave up 7.9 yards per attempt and allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 69.4% of their passes.

Fast forward to Week 1 of the 2021 season, and Texans quarterback Tyrod Taylor completed 63.6% of his passes while tossing for 291 yards and two touchdowns, good for 8.8 yards per attempt. It was an impressive performance for Taylor, a player who has averaged 7.1 yards per attempt over his career.

With the Texans having a relatively unimpressive collection of receiving options, it was a troubling start for the Jags that appeared to simply be a continuation of 2020. The strength of Jacksonville's defense is in their linebacking corps, but that entire group is better prepared to stop a running game and not slow down opposing receivers. The secondary has a serious lack of elite talent, and looks ready to get picked on throughout all of 2021.

Bridgewater looked Steady in Week 1

The Broncos allowed a preseason competition between Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater to sharpen the spear at the position, and all that competition appears to have made a positive impact out of the gate. With so many preseason snaps, Bridgewater looked ready to step in and lead this offense as he very efficiently went 28-for-36 for 264 yards and two touchdowns.

Jerry Jeudy will be any quarterback’s best friend with his precision route running so his loss is a big one for Bridgewater, but Noah Fant and KJ Hamler looked good as secondary options. Fant especially is blossoming into an elite talent. Tim Patrick hauled in a touchdown as well, and will be expected to step up even more in Jeudy’s absence. If Bridgewater can continue to complete 77.7% of his passes and throw for 250+ with no interceptions, the Broncos will be in every game they play this year.

Broncos and Jaguars Betting Trends

• The Jaguars are on a 16-game losing streak
• The Broncos are 4-2 ATS in their last six games
• The Broncos are 1-5 ATS in their last six games against Jacksonville
• The Jaguars are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 Week 2 games
• Teddy Bridgewater is 36-13-1 ATS as a starter in the NFL

Expect more growing pains from Jaguars 

The Jaguars made offseason waves by drafting Trevor Lawrence and bringing in Urban Meyer to run the franchise, but this is still a significantly challenged roster. The offense isn’t good enough to simply outscore everyone they play, and the defense has major holes throughout the secondary that experienced coaches and quarterbacks in this league will continue to take advantage of.

The Jaguars are a team that has lost 16 straight games, and will be outgunned yet again in Week 2.

Score prediction: Broncos 28, Jaguars 17

NFL Week 2 Pick: Broncos -6