Jacksonville Jaguars Betting Preview: Can Jaguars Make a Jump in Meyer’s NFL Debut?

There is little to say about a 1-15 season that saw the Jacksonville Jaguars win their first game then lose the rest. Six of those losses were one-score games they were not as bad as their record, and rookie running back James Robinson ran for over 1,000 yards.

Now a new era begins as the Jaguars cleaned house, landing the biggest fish they could find on the coaching market. And joining him is the NFL’s top quarterback prospect in recent years.

But don’t look for Trevor Lawrence and Urban Meyer to work miracles in year one, as the step up to the NFL is a major one on the field and on the sidelines.

Jacksonville Jaguars 2021 Schedule and Futures Odds

To keep up with the Jaguars’ results and updated futures odds throughout the 2021 NFL season, check out our dedicated Jacksonville Jaguars page.

Jacksonville Jaguars 2021 Futures Odds

• Super Bowl LVI Odds: +12000
• Odds to Win the AFC Championship: +6000
• Odds to Win the AFC South: +600
• 2021 NFL Season Win Total: OVER 6.5 (+125), UNDER 6.5 (-145)
• Odds to Make the NFL Playoffs: YES +330, NO -440

Jacksonville Jaguars odds are via BetOnline Sportsbook as of Wednesday, September 8, 2021.

Jacksonville Jaguars 2021 Schedule

Date, Matchup, Time, and TV Broadcast Information

Week 1

Sunday, September 12, 2021: at Houston Texans, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS

Week 2

Sunday, September 19, 2021: vs Denver Broncos, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS

Week 3

Sunday, September 26, 2021: vs Arizona Cardinals, 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX

Week 4

Thursday, September 30, 2021: at Cincinnati Bengals, 8:20 p.m. ET, NFL Network

Week 5

Sunday, October 10, 2021: vs Tennessee Titans, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS

Week 6

Sunday, October 17, 2021: vs Miami Dolphins, 9:30 a.m. ET, CBS (in London, England)

Week 7

BYE WEEK

Week 8

Sunday, October 31, 2021: at Seattle Seahawks, 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS

Week 9

Sunday, November 7, 2021: vs Buffalo Bills, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS

Week 10

Sunday, November 14, 2021: at Indianapolis Colts, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS

Week 11

Sunday, November 21, 2021: vs San Francisco 49ers, 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX

Week 12

Sunday, November 28, 2021: vs Atlanta Falcons, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS

Week 13

Sunday, December 5, 2021: at Los Angeles Rams, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS

Week 14

Sunday, December 12, 2021: at Tennessee Titans, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS

Week 15

Sunday, December 19, 2021: vs Houston Texans, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS

Week 16

Sunday, December 26, 2021: at New York Jets, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS

Week 17

Sunday, January 2, 2022: at New England Patriots, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS

Week 18

Sunday, January 9, 2022: vs Indianapolis Colts, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS

Jacksonville Jaguars 2021 Season and Betting Preview

Key Additions and Subtractions

Additions

• QB Trevor Lawrence
• WR Marvin Jones Jr.
• DT Malcolm Brown
• CB Shaquill Griffin
• SS Rayshawn Jenkins
• RB Travis Etienne

Lawrence was the top pick in the draft and looks like a franchise quarterback. That doesn’t mean he won’t have a learning curve as a rookie. Jones was brought in to give him an extra set of sure hands, and Etienne was a regular target for Lawrence at Clemson, catching 85 passes in his last two seasons. However, he will miss most or all of the regular season due to foot surgery. The other additions are meant to solidify a defense that was 31st in yards and points allowed last season. None are massive gets but are certainly improvements.

Subtractions

• WR Keelan Cole
• WR Chris Conley

Cole and Conley have been productive players in the past but the future of the receiving group is Laviska Shenault Jr. and DJ Chark Jr. Shenault led the team in catches as a rookie last season and Chark in yards. Neither Cole nor Conley will be missed.

2021 Season Preview

The key to the offense will be Lawrence. There is a reason he went first overall, and it is because he has all the tools to be a great NFL quarterback. He will make some mistakes, but there is enough talent around him for success early in his career. It will be interesting to see the kind of offense they run. Offensive Coordinator Darrell Bevell has made a few stops throughout the NFL, but Meyer will also want to put his stamp on things. Offensive line play will be key.

The defense was worse than the offense last season, and they have made several improvements. The biggest thing they need is for corner C.J. Henderson to be better in his second season. I am not pinning their ineptitude on one guy, but he only played in half of the team's games and was mediocre at best. The secondary has to be improved and should be.

There are definitely lots of new faces in Jacksonville, and Meyer has never done it at this level before. Even if it does work, it is unreasonable to expect fast results.

2021 Betting Preview

Even if the Jaguars significantly improve, there is little reason to invest in their futures this season. As with other teams that have no real chance to win big this season, it is best to not throw away your money unless you are a homer.

On the flip side, the Jags are one of my favorite win total plays. On the under, that is. There is a slight premium to that side, but I don’t see how this team gets to seven wins to cash the over. The interesting thing is that we might know all we need to in Week 1 when they visit Houston. If they can’t win that one how are they going to find seven wins afterward? Even if they do beat the Texans, I don’t like the rest of the season for the Jaguars. Every time I run through the schedule I see only four victories. That would be a big improvement but still well below the number, so there is good value there.

Prop to consider: Trevor Lawrence to lead the NFL in interceptions (+1600)

I think Lawrence will have a good rookie season, but he could still hit this one. He is going to get all the snaps they can give him and be afforded the chance to make a lot of mistakes. He can win this one and have what is considered a solid season, kind of like Jameis Winston or even, dare I say, Peyton Manning. The fact that he is going to play so much also makes it worthwhile to sprinkle a little on him to lead the league in passing yards (+4400). They are going to be behind a ton and will be airing it out. You can also get Urban Meyer at +2500 for Coach of the Year. If this is a chalky season dominated by the teams that are expected then maybe Meyer could get some interest if the Jags are competitive and win six games. The value is there for that price.

Final Thought

It is hard to know what to expect in Jacksonville. They made the moves you are supposed to make in hiring a successful coach and picking the best quarterback in the draft, but that means nothing. I am less nervous about the quarterback than the coach right now. Part of me thinks the Jags start 1-6 and Meyer just walks away (would that really be a shock?). He has to learn the NFL game, and the track record of college coaches having success is not great. Just don’t pay for his mistakes too much with your wallet.