Buccaneers vs. Jaguars Prediction, Odds, Key Players to Watch for NFL Preseason Week 2

The Buccaneers and Jaguars meet in each team’s second preseason game in a Florida-centric meeting.

Both teams won its preseason openers, leaning on its quarterback depth to secure victories, so how should we handicap this matchup? The home favorite Jaguars are slight favorites with an average preseason total, can we expect both offenses to thrive yet again?

Here’s our full betting preview:

Buccaneers vs. Jaguars Odds, Spread and Total

Spread

Buccaneers: +2.5 (-115)
Jaguars: -2.5 (-105)

Moneyline

Buccaneers: +120
Jaguars: -145

Total: 36.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Buccaneers vs. Jaguars How to Watch

Date: Saturday, August 16th
Game Time: 7:30 PM EST
Venue: EverBank Stadium
How to Watch (TV): CBS, NFL Network, NFL+
Buccaneers Record: 1-0
Jaguars Record: 1-0

Buccaneers vs. Jaguars Preseason Betting Trends

Both teams won and covered in its first preseason games
Zac Taylor is 4-10 straight up (SU) as a head coach in preseason games, 7-6 against the spread (ATS)
Doug Pederson is 13-13 in preseason games and 14-12 ATS

Buccaneers vs. Jaguars Key Players to Watch

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Kyle Trask: The Bucs backup quarterback looked formidable in a half of action, completing 60% of his passes for 144 yards and an interception. The Bucs played both Trask and presumptive third stringer John Wolford in hopes of getting clarity on who will be the team’s QB2 this season, so expect both to treat this as a full dress rehearsal.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Brian Thomas Jr.: Thomas only played limited snaps and had two targets with a catch, but his one reception was a 41 yards haul that was the highlight of the team’s win against the Chiefs in the first preseason game. Thomas has received strong remarks out of training camp as the first rounder figures to be a key cog in the revamped Jaguars offense.

Rookie WR Brian Thomas from LSU making plays! Deep up the sideline pic.twitter.com/lPMncyATu6
— Fitz (@LaurieFitzptrck) August 10, 2024

Buccaneers vs. Jaguars Prediction and Pick

Trying to gauge motivation and snap counts is at the crux of preseason betting, and it appears that we should see both the two's and three's for much of this game, but I left last week impressed with the depth of the Jaguars, who hung 26 points on the Chiefs and averaged six yards per play.

Jacksonville has two NFL-level arms in Mac Jones and C.J. Beathard, and are giving the likes of Thomas and free agent signing Gabriel Davis a handful of snaps that can lead to early scores.

Meanwhile, Tampa Bay has capable quarterback talent, but far less proven, overly reliant on the team's ground game that got nearly seven yards per carry from Sean Tucker to help keep the offense humming.

I believe the Jags have the edge in this one and will take the small moneyline favorite.

PICK: Jaguars ML (-145)

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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