NFL London – Broncos @ Jaguars Preview

Two struggling teams in need of a win

Both the Broncos and the Jaguars are sitting at 2-5 in a tough AFC conference this year. It is starting to reach a point where if they don’t win now then the season is over. Despite this the London crowd should see a competitive game with some top-quality players.

The Jaguars have got Trevor Lawrence leading the offence with stud running back Travis Etienne. On top of that they have got some exciting receivers in Christian Kirk, Zay Jones and Marvin Jones. Also, the Jaguars have a top 10 ranked defence currently despite the losses.

On the other side of the ball, you have got another top 10 ranked defence. The Broncos have some great defensive players in Bradley Chubb, Pat Surtain and Baron Browning. The only reason the Broncos have been staying in games is due to the defence as the offence has struggled.

Russell Wilson is leading the attack but has really struggled since his move to Denver this season. On top of this they have lost star running back Javonte Williams and Mike Boone for the season. They do still have some good receivers in Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy but points have been hard to come by.

The Broncos so far

Denver have struggled to get things going this year. They are currently sitting at 2-5 despite a half decent start when they were at 2-1. In the first three weeks they beat the Texans and 49ers at home but haven’t managed to get a win since then. They have lost to the Raiders, Colts, Chargers and Jets since.

The one positive that the Broncos do have is that if they can get their offence going, they should start winning. In six of their seven games the result has been within one score. They desperately need to get a win on the board now otherwise their season is near enough over.

The Jaguars so far

Jacksonville have also struggled this year and are in the same situation as Denver. Sitting at 2-5, despite winning two out of the first three games. Beating the Colts and the Chargers it felt like the Jaguars were on the right track. However, it’s been tough since then losing to the Eagles, Texans, Colts and Giants.

Like the Broncos, the Jaguars have had a lot of one score games this season. All five games that they have lost have been one score games. If they can turn that around then they would be on track to improve for the future.

Team News

The biggest concern for the Broncos is the health of star QB Russell Wilson. He missed last weeks game against the Jets with a hamstring injury. However, he is only questionable at the time of writing and is expected to play.

The offence has also lost running back Mike Boone who has been placed on IR with an ankle injury. They have bought in veteran Marlon Mack to add some depth at the position as Javonte Williams is out for the season as well. Also, offensive Tackle, Cameron Fleming is out of this game.

On the defensive side the Broncos have Baron Browning doubtful with a hamstring injury. If the Broncos lose him for this game that’s a vital piece of the defence missing. Also, Essang Bassey and Josey Jewell are questionable with a hamstring and knee problem respectively.

Compared to the Broncos the Jaguars have got a near clean bill of health. Corner back, Shaquill Griffin is questionable due to a back injury and wide receiver Jamal Agnew with a knee injury. They also have a couple of offensive guards who could miss the game in Jared Hocker and Ben Bartch.

The final piece of team news for the Jaguars is the trade of James Robinson. He has been moved on to the New York Jets leaving Travis Etienne as the main guy for the Jaguars. The Jaguars got a 6^th round pick for next years draft that could turn into a 5^th round pick.

Final Verdict

When looking at the betting for this game you automatically want to bet the total points over market. Currently sitting at 40.5 its one of the lowest of the week. However, the Broncos have only had one game out of seven when that happened. Also, with both teams having a top 10 ranked defence currently you should stay clear.

The main bet that I like for this game is on the handicap market. The Jaguars are -2.5 points at 5/6. With a strong showing from both defences this game has the potential to be tight. With the handicap under a field goal, it means it will be worth doing. Also, this season the Jaguars have averaged 22.1 points per game compared to the Broncos 14.3.

The other bet that I like the look of is Broncos tight end Greg Dulcich to score a TD anytime. Although the Broncos are not putting up many points this is a must win game for them. You would expect them to be more attacking and Dulcich is a nice price at 3/1. He has got more involved in the offence over the last two weeks having 2 receptions in week 5 and 6 in week 6.