New England Patriots at Jacksonville Jaguars

Sunday, September 16, 2018, 4:25 pm Eastern, TV: CBS, NFL Sunday Ticket

TIAA Bank Field – Jacksonville, Florida

Opening Line: New England -2 1/2

Current Line: New England -1

Opening Total: 45

Current Total: 44

Opening Money Line: Patriots -145 / Jaguars +125

Current Money Line: Patriots -125 / Jaguars +105

The New England Patriots travel to the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday in a rematch of the AFC Championship game from last season. Both teams won their opening contest last week. 

New England has dominated this series winning 11 of the 12 games in the series, including 8 straight. In last year’s AFC Championship game Jacksonville led 20-10 in the fourth but New England scored two touchdowns to win 24-20. 

New England is coached by Bill Belichick. Last week, the Patriots beat the Houston Texans 27-20 in Foxborough. New England was a 6 point favorite and the total was 49.5.

The Patriots took an early 7-0 lead on a 21 touchdown pass from Tom Brady to Rob Gronkowski. The Texans kicked a field goal to make it 7-3. Brady threw another touchdown pass to running back James White to make it 14-3. Houston added another field goal to pull within 8 points. The Patriots added another touchdown before halftime to make it 21-6 on a pass from Brady to Phillip Dorsett. 

The Patriots kicked a field goal to make it 24-6 midway through the third. Houston scored a touchdown late in the third to make it 24-13 going into the fourth. New England would kick another field goal to make it 27-13. Houston pulled to within a touchdown with 2:08 left in the fourth. The Texans kicked it deep. The Patriots drove to the Houston 45 before punting with 43 seconds left. Houston took over at their own one. Houston drove to their own 43 before a Hail Mary attempt fell short on the last play of the game. 

New England had 389 total yards with 267 passing yards and 122 rushing yards. Houston had 325 total yards including 158 passing and 167 rushing yards. The Patriots had 23 first downs to 21 for the Texans. Houston was 2/12 on third and fourth down conversions and New England was 5/15. Each team had six penalties. The Patriots had three turnovers and the Texans had two. New England had possession for 31:10. 

Brady completed 26/39 passes for 277 yards with 3 touchdowns and an interception, plus two rushing yards. He was sacked twice. 

Running back Rex Burkhead had 18 carries for 64 yards, plus a catch for five yards. He is questionable with a concussion. Jeremy Hill had 4 carries for 25 yards, plus a catch for six yards. He is out for the season with a knee injury. White had 5 carries for 18 yards and 4 catches for 38 yards and a touchdown. Running back Sony Michel is also questionable with a knee injury. 

Gronkowski had 7 catches for 123 yards with a touchdown. Dorsett had 7 catches for 66 yards and a touchdown. Fullback James Develin had 4 catches for 22 yards. 

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Jacksonville is coached by Doug Marrone. The Jaguars won at the New York Giants 20-15 last Sunday. Jacksonville was a 2.5 point favorite against New York and the total was 43. 

The Jaguars and Giants traded field goals in the first quarter. Jacksonville scored 10 straight points to take a 13-3 lead including a one yard touchdown throw from Blake Bortles to running back T.J. Yeldon. New York kicked a field goal just before halftime. The Giants kicked another field goal in the third quarter to make it 13-9. The Jaguars scored on a 32 yard pick six early in the fourth. The Giants scored on a 68 yard touchdown run from rookie running back Saquon Barkley with just over 10 minutes to go. They missed the two point conversion and it was 20-15. New York had two more possessions and the last ended with a turnover on downs at the Jacksonville 36 with about a minute to go. The Jaguars ran out the clock to secure the win. 

Jacksonville had 305 total yards including 168 passing yards and 137 rushing yards. New York had 324 total yards including 210 passing yards with 114 rushing yards. Jacksonville had 17 first downs to 15 for New York. The Jaguars were 4/13 on third down conversions as were the Giants, but the Giants were also 0/2 on fourth downs. The Jags had 11 penalties for 119 yards and the Giants had 6 for 43 yards. New York had 2 turnovers to one for the Jaguars. 

Bortles completed 18/33 passes for 176 yards with a touchdown and an interception, plus four carries for 42 yards. He was sacked once. 

Yeldon had 14 carries for 51 yards plus three catches for 18 yards and a touchdown. Leonard Fournette had 9 carries for 41 yards, plus 3 catches for 14 yards. He is doubtful with a hamstring injury. Corey Grant will likely get the backup carries behind Yeldon. 

Receiver Keelan Cole had 3 catches for 54 yards. Dede Westbrook had 5 catches for 51 yards. Austin Seferian- Jenkins had 3 catches for 25 yards. 

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The under us 3-1-1 in this series recently.

Jacksonville continues to rely on their defense and running game and will not allow Bortles to make mistakes to lose the game. It is a very conservative game plan. I think it will be another close game but the Patriots continue their dominance. 

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