Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0 SU, 0-1 ATS) vs. San Diego Chargers (0-1 SU, 1-0 ATS)
Week 2 NFL
Date/Time: Sunday, September 18, 2016 at 4:25PM EST
Where: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California
TV: CBS
By Loot, NFL Football Handicapper, Lootmeister.com
Betting Odds: JAC +3/SD -3
Over/Under Total: 48
The Jacksonville Jaguars come to Qualcomm Stadium on Sunday to face the San Diego Chargers on Sunday in key week two AFC action. Both teams came up short in week one. The Jags gave it a good go, but came up just short at home against the Packers, 27-23. It was not nearly as painful as the Chargers' first game, where they blew a big lead to fall to the Chiefs in overtime on the road. Who can get their first win this Sunday?
When something goes right for the Chargers, it seems to only set the stage for the painful flip-side of the equation. Utterly dominant against the Chiefs, it seemed there was no way they could blow that game with a 24-3 lead with 3 minutes left in the 3rd quarter. But coach Mike McCoy, much like his predecessor Norv Turner, doesn't know how to act when things are going well. Rather than continue doing what got him there, McCoy opts for a different approach—where he gets all conservative and waits for the roof to cave in and it inevitably does.
The culprits on Sunday were multiple. The penalties started piling up and in untimely fashion. The kicking game was atrocious, with the Chargers having gotten rid of Mike Scifres to bring in a punter who looked like he couldn't have made a college team on Sunday. Late in the 4th with the lead, the Chargers punted away, as is their wont, being that they don't EVER push the envelope offensively when playing with the lead, a 17-yard punt set KC up for the game-tying score. When the coin was tossed, you knew the Chargers weren't going to get possession and you knew they wouldn't register so much as one good stop to keep the Chiefs out of the end zone and keep the game going. When things start going wrong for the Bolts, it has a way of snowballing. If anyone can remember the last time the Chargers reversed an opponent's late-game positive momentum, we'd like to hear about it because we've never seen it. And if you can think of a team that is more-painful to follow, we'd also like to hear about that.
For those who took the Chargers ATS, you nosed the cover and that's good. But week one qualifies as an unmitigated disaster. There is no way to sugar-coat the misery they take with them back to Mission Valley for this week two matchup. It's bad enough to give up a second-half 24-3 and allow 18 points in the final half of the 4th quarter. But to see Keenan Allen go down with what looked like a really bad and potentially season-ending injury was another dagger in the back. The Chargers have to deal with the harsh reality that injuries have effectively derailed the career of what might be the league's best young receiver.
Sure, there were good things to take away from the Chargers' near-win, but again, it only makes it that more painful that they couldn't follow-through with a win. Philip Rivers was doing his thing. Melvin Gordon looked good with old teammate Derek Watt leading the way at times at fullback, as Gordon scored twice on the ground after not hitting the end zone all of last season. Antonio Gates showed he still has what it takes. Danny Woodhead added 89 yards on the ground with 5 catches and a TD reception. WR Tyrell Williams made his presence known with 71 yards through the air. New addition Travis Benjamin caught 7 balls. And for a half-and-change, the line was pushing back KC's front-line, kept Rivers safe, and was springing the run-game. The line actually looked appreciably better and should continue to improve with added continuity. The in-breaking pass routes also had the KC defense off-the-mark.
San Diego showed some defensive prowess, but again, when things went wrong they had few answers. This is a long-recurring issue with the Chargers. No matter how good or bad they are on this side of the ball, they never seem to be all that clutch. And that was evident on Sunday, where a key play or a stop or two in the right spot could have put the game away. Still, there are some things to like, namely a really effective line. Brandon Mebane, Corey Liuget, and Jerry Attaochu were making plays left and right. The corner tandem of Brandon Flowers and Jason Verrett looked very good at times, as safeties Jahleel Addae and Dwight Lowery were making a lot of plays. In the middle, Manti Te'o was effective, though some missed tackles by Denzel Perryman played a role in the KC comeback.
Jacksonville may have lost their season-opener to the Packers at home, but they were competitive throughout, never behind by more than a score. They held the powerful Green Bay offense to under 300 yards of total offense, while establishing some of their stars on offense. It didn't really materialize, as the Jags only managed 23 points. Being 4-for-15 on third downs didn't help. A loss is a loss, but to be competitive as they were against one of the NFC's top contenders qualifies as a positive development of sorts.
Jaguars' quarterback Blake Bortles was 24-for-39 with 320 yards. The passing game is the shining point of the Jacksonville offense. Top receivers Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns were both over 70 yards, while tight end Julius Thomas was productive with 5 catches and a TD reception. They just couldn't quite follow through, as a late 4th quarter drive died on the Packers' 14-yard line.
Just before the game, the Jags saw Chris Ivory hospitalized with what is being called a general medical issue. That didn't help, as the Jags' lukewarm run game was a major hurdle to victory. TJ Yeldon ran for a score, but was generally ineffective with just 39 yards on 21 runs. Still, if Ivory were in there, things could have been different. It goes down as a loss, but a few different little wrinkles could have made victory a very realistic outcome.
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The defense did its part on Sunday for the Jaguars. They held the Packers to under 4 yards per rush. They gave the team a chance to make a late move, holding the Packers to just a pair of field goals in the second half. Early on, it looked dicey with the Packers having their way, with Rodgers running for a score and connecting with Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams, as the pair caught TD passes. But they locked it up after than and if the offense could have made a little more of a push late, the defense would have been a big part of a huge win. As it is, they emerge from week one with some positive signs to build on for the rest of the season.
It has to be hard to come back home after a demoralizing overtime division loss on the road where you lost your most valuable offensive weapon, but the Chargers need to right the ship or this season could get away from them in a hurry. Some of the things they did well against KC would translate nicely in this matchup, even without Allen in the fold. And a San Diego defense that is doing some things right will make life hard for Bortles and Company. With as much confidence as can be mustered, I'm taking the Bolts at home.
Loot's Prediction to Cover the Point Spread: I'm betting on the San Diego Chargers minus 3 points. Did you know... that you could be wagering on the Jaguars- Chargers game at discounted odds? There's a better than good chance that you're laying -110 odds (or more) with your book. Stop overpaying TODAY by making the switch to 5Dimes Sportsbook! You will be so glad that you did!
