NFL Betting – Falcons Stay South For Preseason Finale Versus Jaguars

Big things are expected of Atlanta this season, and with one game left on the preseason schedule versus the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Falcons look to get on a roll entering the regular season.

Atlanta Falcons @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Thursday September 2, 2010 – 7:30 PM ET

Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida

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Broadcast: WXIA, WTEV

NFL Betting Odds: Falcons +3, Jaguars -3

Total: 37

Television black outs, a distraught fan base, and the inability to secure any big name free agents in an uncapped year have plagued the Jacksonville Jaguars over the past two seasons, a trend that could very well continue given the state of the organization.

Despite having the option of a single draft selection that could have put an end to all three of those problems, Jaguars’ management decided to take the high road this summer when they opted to pass on former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow in favor of small school prospect defensive end Tyson Alualu.

Whether or not that was the right move, nobody can say for certain right now, but the fact remains that with just one preseason game to go Jacksonville is still searching for its identity, with an eye to returning to contender status.

This week they will welcome the Atlanta Falcons to town, who remained south for the preseason finale after beating the Miami Dolphins last Friday night.

NFL Football Betting: What The Falcons Will Have To Do To Win

After their improbable turnaround that led to an NFC South division title just two years ago, Atlanta barely made it over .500 in 2009-10, finishing 9-7 and outside of the NFC playoff picture. The Falcons identified what they felt went wrong, addressed those issues in training camp, and have looked good early this preseason with wins in two of their first three games.

With their only loss coming to the New England Patriots at home, Atlanta has accomplished everything that they had wanted to in exhibition play, and with the lingering potential for injuries, look for head coach Mike Smith to keep his key players away from the field as much as possible.

NFL Betting: What The Jaguars Will Have To Do To Win

Scoring points has not been a problem for the Jaguars this preseason, as Jacksonville averaged 26.5 points per game in consecutive losses to open the exhibition schedule before buckling down for a 19-13 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers week three.

David Garrard topped the 200-yard mark in the win, and wide receiver Mike Williams led all pass catchers with 83 yards, exactly what head coach Jack Del Rio wanted to see from his passing game.

Jacksonville opens the regular season with a very tough schedule, with three of their first four games coming against 2010 playoff teams, including at the San Diego Chargers week two before hosting the Philadelphia Eagles and Indianapolis Colts in consecutive weeks.

Coaches don’t like looking ahead, but Del Rio may need that opening win versus the Denver Broncos to avoid the most embarrassing start of his coaching career.

NFL Betting: Outlook & Pick

The Falcons have the talent and depth to win this game even without their starters playing major roles, something the Jaguars cannot say for themselves. The Jaguars are distracted by a tough start to the season that will need all hands on deck, which means no injuries.

That will allow the Falcons to enter the 2010-11 regular season on a roll.

NFL Betting Experts Picks: Falcons