Can Jacksonville Stop the Bleeding?
Panthers vs Jaguars Line Sees Jags Favored Less Than a Touchdown
There’s never a good time for a four-game losing streak in the NFL. But losing four in a row in December has to hurt a little bit more. For the Jacksonville Jaguars, that certainly holds true.
The Jags have turned what looked to be another division title into a dogfight for the postseason. Jacksonville gets a bit of a break in the form of the Carolina Panthers.
But the way Jacksonville is playing right now, that may not even be enough to end its skid. The Panthers vs Jaguars line shows Jacksonville favored by 6.5 points at home and the total on the game is at 38.
Panthers vs Jaguars 
Day/Time:
Location: EverBank Stadium; Jacksonville
Line: Jaguars -6.5
Total: 38
Stream FOX
Panthers Not Going Down Quietly
The Carolina Panthers don’t have anything to play for, but have covered the NFL point spreads in the last two NFL games. The Panthers are still just 5-9-1 against the spread this season.
But they’ve covered three of the last four after a dreadful start. There’s enough blame to go around for the team’s dismal season, but the offense has to take the brunt of the criticism.
Carolina is averaging just 15.7 points per game against teams allowing 21.2 points. The running game isn’t all that bad, averaging 3.9 yards per rush against teams allowing 4.0 yards a carry.
But the passing game has been horrible. The Panthers are averaging just 173.7 passing yards per game and 4.9 yards per pass attempt. Carolina is last in the NFL in yards per play, so there’s plenty of room for improvement.
The defense is allowing 25.4 points per game to NFL teams averaging 22.8 points. Carolina doesn’t allow many yards, with the Panthers ranking No. 5 in total defense. But in part due to an offense that doesn’t do much, the Panthers rank No. 32 in defensive yards per point. Carolina allows a point for every 11.7 yards allowed.
Jaguars Can’t Run the Football
The Jacksonville passing game and Trevor Lawrence get most of the attention for the Jaguars. But it’s the running game that really makes Jacksonville go. The Jaguars are 6-1 straight-up and against the spread when rushing for at least 100 yards. Jacksonville is 2-6 straight-up and 1-7 ATS when it doesn’t.
The Jaguars have rushed for a high of 75 yards during their losing streak. The passing game hasn’t been bad, but not good enough to become a one-dimensional team.
The Jags have failed to rush for 3.0 yards per carry in three of the four losses. That’s got to change quickly if the Jags want to play in any more NFL playoff games. The NFL standings 2023 show Jacksonville, Indianapolis and Houston all tied at 8-7. But Jacksonville holds the tie-breaker and can capture the division with two wins.
The Jacksonville defense hasn’t been good lately, allowing 30 or more points in three of the last four games. For the season, Jacksonville’s defense is pretty average.
But you expect better things from the Jaguars defensively. The pass defense has been particularly bad, while the rushing defense is holding its own pretty well.
What to Expect
For Carolina, it’s about trying to get Bryce Young a little confidence heading into the offseason. With Jacksonville struggling to stop the pass, it makes sense to let Young air it out a little bit.
There’s really no pressure on the Panthers. People are expecting them to lose, which is good news for the Chicago Bears who hold Carolina’s first-round pick in the 2024 draft.
The Jaguars have to run the ball some to take the pressure off Lawrence. Gaining 37 yards on the ground as Jacksonville did last week just isn’t going to get the job done. The Panthers are winless on the road this season. The Jaguars have to make sure they stay that way.
Who to Bet On?
The Panthers vs Jaguars line of Jacksonville -6.5 is a pretty solid number. It typically would be a little cheap. But not with the way the Jaguars are playing. Teams who have lost four straight games are just 109-126-5 ATS over the years. The Panthers are bad, but it’s almost impossible to back Jacksonville right now.
The Panthers vs Jaguars line of 38 on the total sounds about right. The Panthers don’t score a lot, while the Jags have just 19 points in their last two games.
This isn’t an easy game to call, but the Panthers +6.5 have to be the play in this one.
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