NFL Preseason Tampa Bay at Jacksonville Odds & Game Info (Thursday, August 17)

Two quarterbacks trending in opposite directions right now take the field on Thursday night as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit the Jacksonville Jaguars as road underdogs according to the latest NFL preseason betting odds. The Buccaneers feature Jameis Winston, looking to make his mark this year with the arrival of DeSean Jackson in his wide receiving corps across the formation from Mike Evans. The Jaguars feature Blake Bortles, who has struggled in training camp to this point and has been widely panned in the press and his fan base. Which one will emerge with the better game on Thursday night?

NFL Preseason: Tampa Bay at Jacksonville (Thursday, August 17)

When: Thursday, August 17, 2017, 8:00 PM ET Where: EverBank Field, Jacksonville, FL TV: ESPN Radio: WGNE 99.9 FM Tampa / WJXL 1010 AM Jacksonville Live Stream: NFL Live / WatchESPN NFL Odds: Jacksonville -1.5

Why should you bet on the Buccaneers?

In addition to Jackson, Tampa Bay brought in O.J. Howard from Alabama in the draft, using their first-round pick to ensure that Winston has plenty of options down the field. Winston has already become the first NFL quarterback ever to break the 4,000-yard mark through the air in each of his first two seasons. He did throw 18 interceptions a year ago, but the learning curve for NFL quarterbacks is a steep one. His focus will be on improved ball management while maintaining that dynamic offense.

On defense, the Buccaneers added defensive tackle Chris Baker from the Redskins to bolster that interior line. If Tampa Bay can get more stops on defense, that gives Winston & Co. even more time on the field. The Jaguars don’t have the sort of reliable offense that can move the ball against a quality unit, so the Buccaneers should be able to control the flow in both phases of the game.

Why should you put your money on the Jaguars?

A lot of people piled on Bortles for saying that he needed to sit out Sunday’s practice with a “tired arm” after he only attempted five passes against the Patriots in the preseason opener, only appearing in 13 plays. This could be the week when he starts to build momentum. Another player looking to start a positive roll is Dante Fowler, who appeared on the field for 21 snaps and registered a pair of tackles against New England. He did get some praise from coach Doug Marrone for his week’s effort in practice, but now he needs to show what he can do in the game. Look for Corey Grant to get a lot of work at tailback. Leonard Fournette (foot) should not appear in this game, and the Jaguars are also likely to protect T.J. Yeldon and Chris Ivory. Grant had 120 yards against the Patriots and galloped for a 79-yard touchdown, the longest play in the week’s action. If Grant can get out onto the field and make some waves, he could push his way up the depth chart, and if Fournette continues to languish with that foot injury, Grant could give the Bucs’ front office some tough decisions to make. If you like Jacksonville to cover this week, you look at these players’ drive to create some real momentum as your prime factor.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

Blake Bortles has shown that he has some real pride — at least in flashes — during his time in the National Football League. He could come out and make some better decisions against Tampa Bay and lead his team up and down the field, until it’s time to put in the reserves. He has Tom Coughlin at the top of the football organization — a real leader who has brought results everywhere he has gone. But will Bortles have enough to start this process against a Tampa Bay team that comes to town brimming with confidence? The Buccaneers just have too much going on right now for me to bet against them, especially given what’s going on with the Jaguars. I like the Bucs to win, 20-13.