After another Sunday filled with plenty of shocking upsets, Week 3 of the NFL season concludes with a Monday Night Football doubleheader! The action gets started at 7:30 PM Eastern and we're here for it!
In this piece, we'll preview a splendid AFC matchup between the Jaguars and the Bills. Will Buffalo continue its dominant start to the season? Get the live odds, the top predictions, and our best bet below. Best of luck with all of your wagers!
Oddsmakers initially sent out the Bills as a 3.5-point favorite in this matchup, but that was before Buffalo's royal beatdown of Miami on Thursday Night Football. Even though that was just 11 days ago, it seems like that game took place back in August or something.
As you might expect, the Bills have received a steady stream of support from bettors. The large amount of action has pushed the line to its current number of Buffalo -5.5. There was a bit of sharp money that finally showed up on Jacksonville at +6 a few days ago.
As for the total, almost every sportsbook in the market has it at 45.5 points. The lower total is not really that much of a surprise, especially since the Jags are only averaging 15 points per game so far this season.
To say the Jaguars' offense has been disappointing, would be a gross understatement. The franchise made a huge commitment to Trevor Lawrence in the offseason with a $275 million contract extension, but he hasn't exactly lit the world on fire. The former Clemson star has only thrown for 382 yards and 1 touchdown through two games in 2024.
Jacksonville's running game has been the lone bright spot of the offense so far, as the team is averaging 5.4 yards per carry (4th in the NFL). Travis Etienne had a key fumble in Week 1, but he's found the end zone twice already this season. Tank Bigsby has been a good 3rd down back, but he's listed as questionable against Buffalo with a shoulder injury.
The passing game has struggled, mainly because of Lawrence's poor completion percentage and the O-line's inability to pass block. The receiving corps will have to step up since Lawrence's favorite target, Evan Engram, will miss Monday's game with a bad hammy.
The Bills have looked like a team on a mission so far this season. The defense looked a bit questionable in Week 1 against Arizona, but they silenced a lot of critics with their dominant outing against Miami a few days ago. Dorian Williams leads the team in tackles with 19, and Ja'Marcus Ingram has already hauled in 2 interceptions.
A renewed commitment to the running game has been the key to Buffalo's success on offense. The Bills are averaging 32.5 points per game, which ranks 2nd in the league. As crazy as it sounds, the offense runs a lot smoother without Stefon Diggs constantly crying for more targets.
James Cook has been the main man on offense for Buffalo, as he's already found the end zone 3 times. The former Georgia Bulldog is averaging 5 yards per carry and the Jags defense better have a plan for contain him on Monday night.
As crazy as it might sound, I think this is a good "buy-low" spot on the Jags tonight. While it's true that they've underperformed to this point, they'd be 1-1 right now if not for that unfortunate fumble by Etienne in Week 1 against Miami. Teams that are 0-2 typically perform well in Week 3, so that's certainly a trend in our favor with Jacksonville.
Buffalo's defense looked great in Week 2, but that unit still has some holes. They'll be without their best corner (Taron Johnson) and their best linebacker (Terrel Bernard). The Bills have also allowed 4.5 yards per carry to opposing offenses, which ranks just 16th.
The lookahead line of Buffalo -3.5 was more in line with my numbers. Give me the couple of extra points of value with the dog here. Go Jags!