Don’t look now, but the Jacksonville Jaguars are finally running away with the AFC South Division title. Their next frontier: Entering the list of NFL teams most likely to win the Super Bowl this coming February.
Can they get there? That remains to be seen. But a Week 8 win would go a long way. This time around, Jacksonville travels to face the Pittsburgh Steelers, on Sunday, October 29, at 1 p.m. eastern standard time, on the field at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Despite ripping off an impressive road victory over the New Orleans Saints in Week 7, the Jaguars are only slight favorites to beat the Steelers, according to the latest NFL online betting odds:
Remember to double-check these online NFL betting odds right up until you submit your wager. Our Jaguars vs. Steelers Week 8 betting odds are accurate entering Tuesday, October 24. That gives the best NFL online betting sites more than enough time to make adjustments based on how the wagering market pans out in advance of opening kick-off.
Of course, as you can probably tell, we’re a little surprised the Jaguars aren’t heavier favorites to win in Week 8. Does this say something about Jacksonville’s current four-game winning streak? Or is it more about a surprisingly frisky Pittsburgh defense getting the chance to play at home, in what might be the coldest weather, so far, of the season? Let’s find out.
Are the Pittsburgh Steelers a Real Threat to Upset the Jacksonville Jaguars?
Our early read on these Week 8 NFL betting lines is that oddsmakers are attempting to show the right amount of respect to the Steelers. Pittsburgh has emerged as one of the bigger surprises this season. Though they have a negative point differential, they’ve also managed to carve out a 4-2 record and keep pace in the AFC North Division.
Pittsburgh, in particular, has been pesky at home. Since losing to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1, they are 3-0 on their own turf, and their opponents have failed to top more than 22 points in a given game during this stretch. While the defense has shown some cracks defending the pass, ranking in the bottom 12 of net yards allowed per attempt, they have also forced more interceptions than all but seven teams. The Steelers have been among the best fourth-down defenses in the league, as well.
This could be concerning for a Jaguars offense that was, until recently, a little touch and go. Much has been made of quarterback Trevor Lawrence overcoming an ankle injury and regaining his mobility. And to Jacksonville’s credit, they are averaging 29 points per outing over their four-game winning streak. Even so, Lawrence has only racked up more than 250 passing just once through this stretch. And although the Jaguars are now ninth in points scored per game, they have been shaky in high-leverage moments. Jacksonville ranks 27th in third down conversion percentage and is a middling 15th in red zone offense.
Still, winning the turnover battle has done wonders for this squad. Lawrence is fifth in interception rate, and Jacksonville’s own defense ranks in the top 10 of turnovers forced on the year.
Playing in cold weather could impact the Jaguars. Enough to cost them a very winnable game? Not so much. But at the very least, we are starting to understand why oddsmakers give the Steelers more than a puncher’s chance of winning in Week 8.
OSB Prediction: Jacksonville Jaguars (-152)
Will the Jaguars be Able to Create Separation Against the Steelers?
The latest point spread betting lines for Jaguars vs. Steelers have shifted a little, but they continue to hover between two and three points, as you can see below:
- Jacksonville Jaguars, -2.5 (-115)
- Pittsburgh Steelers, 2.5 (-105)
At present, the public is currently favoring Jacksonville. That jibes with our feelings. Even in an ultra-close battle, winning by a field or more is pretty much a given these days.
With this said, keep your eye on the Jaguars vs. Steelers point spread betting lines. If they start to move toward 3.5 points or more heading into Thursday, Pittsburgh might be worth a look.
OSB Prediction: Jacksonville Jaguars, -2.5 (-115)
Will Pittsburgh be Able to Slow Down Jacksonville’s Offensive Attack?
Check out the latest NFL over/under betting odds for Jacksonville vs. Pittsburgh below:
- Over 41.5 (-115)
- Under 41.5 (-105)
Bettors are so far smashing the over on Jaguars vs. Steelers. This makes some sense. Despite the Steelers’ ability to force turnovers, their secondary is a mess—vulnerable enough to surrender big plays through the air. Jacksonville’s own defense has proven rough around the edges; they’re not giving up an astronomical number of points in recent weeks, but they are still 23rd in net yards allowed per rushing attempt.
Fortunately for the Jaguars, the Steelers don’t pose much of an offensive threat. Pittsburgh ranks bottom of the barrel in basically every metric that matters. Perhaps we’re overstating how the weather might impact Jacksonville this week, but this is a game in which we expect them to scrape together a 23-17 victory or something similar.
OSB Prediction: Under 41.5 (-105)
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