PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* Non-Conference GAME OF THE YEAR!
(NFL) Jacksonville vs. Chicago,
Point Spread: -1.00 | -115.00 Chicago (Home)
Result: Loss
Point Spread: -1.00 | -115.00 Chicago (Home)
Result: Loss
The set-up: The 1-3 Jags are coming off their first win of the season, a 30-27 victory over the Colts in Week 4 in a London game (Jags had a bye in Week 5). The 1-4 Bears welcome Jacksonville to Chicago and any long-shot playoff hopes (dreams, may describe it better) will rely on a win by the home team.
Jacksonville: The Jags came into the 2016 season with optimism, after Blake Bortles improved from 2,908 passing yards (11-17 ratio) as a rookie, to 4,428 yards with a 35-18 ratio in 2015. However, the Jags got off to an 0-3 start and Bortles had five TD passes and six INTs. through three games. He was given little help from his running game, which was averaging 55.0 YPG on 2.8 YPC! The team's 0-3 start had head coach Gus Bradley squarely on the ‘hot seat.' The team's London victory was much needed and while Bortles threw for a modest 207 yards, he had two TDs and no INTs while the running ‘exploded' for 136 yards on 4.7 YPC. The Jags D allowed 27 points to the Colts (it allows 27.6 PPG) but a closer look reveals that Jacksonville ranks 7th in total D, allowing a modest 304.5 YPG.
Chicago: Brian Hoyer will make his fourth start in place of Jay Cutler, who remains sidelined because of a thumb injury. Hoyer is just 1-2 in his starts but it's hard to blame him for any of Chicago's failures, as he's completed 71.1 percent of his passes (91 of 128) for 1,016 yards with six TDs and not a single interceptions in his starts. However, his strong numbers have not translated into points, as Chicago is 30th in the league with an average of 17.0 PPG (19.0 PPG in Hoyer's three starts). Injuries to starters such as running back Jeremy Langford (ankle) and wide receiver Kevin White (ankle, shin) have not helped. However, Chicago rookie RB Jordan Howard has been solid, averaging a league-best 5.8 YPC and 10.2 yards per catch since he took over for Langford. That once-feared Chicago defense ranks 21st, allowing 25.2 PPG.
The pick: It's fair to be worried that when Chicago hosted Detroit back on Oct, 2, the Bears entered that game on a 1-11 SU and 3-9 ATSrun at Soldier Stadium. However, let me note that the Bears won that game 17-14 as a three-point underdog plus the Bears did rack up 500 yards of offense at Indianapolis last week, only to see the defense falter by allowing Andrew Luck to march the Colts for the game-winning TD with 3:43 to play. As for the Jags, optimism aside, numbers don't lie. The Jags are 1-17 SU in true road games since the start of 2014. Their lone road victory during this Blake Bortles era occurred last season by two points at Baltimore, when a questionable Baltimore personal foul penalty led to an extra play. No controversial ending here. Chicago is a 10* play.
Jacksonville: The Jags came into the 2016 season with optimism, after Blake Bortles improved from 2,908 passing yards (11-17 ratio) as a rookie, to 4,428 yards with a 35-18 ratio in 2015. However, the Jags got off to an 0-3 start and Bortles had five TD passes and six INTs. through three games. He was given little help from his running game, which was averaging 55.0 YPG on 2.8 YPC! The team's 0-3 start had head coach Gus Bradley squarely on the ‘hot seat.' The team's London victory was much needed and while Bortles threw for a modest 207 yards, he had two TDs and no INTs while the running ‘exploded' for 136 yards on 4.7 YPC. The Jags D allowed 27 points to the Colts (it allows 27.6 PPG) but a closer look reveals that Jacksonville ranks 7th in total D, allowing a modest 304.5 YPG.
Chicago: Brian Hoyer will make his fourth start in place of Jay Cutler, who remains sidelined because of a thumb injury. Hoyer is just 1-2 in his starts but it's hard to blame him for any of Chicago's failures, as he's completed 71.1 percent of his passes (91 of 128) for 1,016 yards with six TDs and not a single interceptions in his starts. However, his strong numbers have not translated into points, as Chicago is 30th in the league with an average of 17.0 PPG (19.0 PPG in Hoyer's three starts). Injuries to starters such as running back Jeremy Langford (ankle) and wide receiver Kevin White (ankle, shin) have not helped. However, Chicago rookie RB Jordan Howard has been solid, averaging a league-best 5.8 YPC and 10.2 yards per catch since he took over for Langford. That once-feared Chicago defense ranks 21st, allowing 25.2 PPG.
The pick: It's fair to be worried that when Chicago hosted Detroit back on Oct, 2, the Bears entered that game on a 1-11 SU and 3-9 ATSrun at Soldier Stadium. However, let me note that the Bears won that game 17-14 as a three-point underdog plus the Bears did rack up 500 yards of offense at Indianapolis last week, only to see the defense falter by allowing Andrew Luck to march the Colts for the game-winning TD with 3:43 to play. As for the Jags, optimism aside, numbers don't lie. The Jags are 1-17 SU in true road games since the start of 2014. Their lone road victory during this Blake Bortles era occurred last season by two points at Baltimore, when a questionable Baltimore personal foul penalty led to an extra play. No controversial ending here. Chicago is a 10* play.
