Jaguars vs. Raiders Picks: Jacksonville Has Plenty to Prove in Preseason

It’s finally football time as the Hall of Fame Game is upon us to unofficially start the NFL betting season. We’re breaking down the betting matchup with our Raiders-Jaguars picks.

The NFL preseason schedule kicks off on Thursday night with an all AFC matchup in the annual Hall of Fame Game. Plenty of fascinating storylines surround both the Las Vegas Raiders and the Jacksonville Jaguars heading into a new season, with new star players and new head coaches for both teams working to integrate into their environments.

Here are my picks and predictions for the Hall of Fame Game matchup between the Raiders and Jaguars (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook and FanDuel Sportsbook).

Jaguars vs. Raiders Game Info

Date/Time: Thursday, Aug. 4, 8 p.m. ETTV: NBCLocation: Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Canton, OHWeather: 72 degrees, Rain, Overcast, 5 mph winds

Jaguars vs. Raiders Odds Analysis

The Raiders opened as 1-point favorites before catching a lot of public money. They’ve been bet up to -2.5 at FanDuel while sitting at -2 over at DraftKings. That’s a surprising amount of movement considering only a small edge in the money wagered, with 55% of the cash siding with Las Vegas.

After opening at 33.5, the total has been bet down considerably leading up to the game. DraftKings has the total down to 30.5, while it’s been an even steeper drop to 29.5 at FanDuel. 83% of the money and 66% of the tickets has been wagered on the Under.

Jaguars vs. Raiders Picks

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Jaguars vs. Raiders Predictions

Jaguars +2.5 (-110)

Without knowing concrete details on whether we’ll get much Derek Carr or Davante Adams if at all on Thursday, I’m intrigued by the value of the Jaguars catching 2.5 points at FanDuel. While we know most of the big names for both sides won’t be suiting up, there’s a possible advantage to be derived from the coaching switch for Jacksonville.

Doug Pederson took over a dumpster fire of a team after what Urban Meyer did to this group last season. Though victories in preseason are more accurately described as moral ones, the Jaguars could honestly stand a moral victory or two at this point in their rebuild process. Pederson should have all the motivation he needs as he works to change the culture surrounding the franchise this season.

Under 30.5 (-110)

It’s the very first preseason game and it features two teams not necessarily known for their offensive prowess — the Raiders and Jaguars rank 18th and 32nd respectively last season in points per game. With rain in the forecast, it’s not surprising to see this total drop like an anchor in recent days.

If we get a look at the connection between Derek Carr and Davante Adams in the first series or so, perhaps that leads to some points for the Raiders, but Carr didn’t even play a snap in the 2021 preseason. The Jaguars should be as careful as possible with Trevor Lawrence. Given the expected conditions, I just don’t see many touchdowns landing on Thursday.

The Hall of Fame Game has trended toward lower scores in recent years, with the total reaching only 19 points in last year’s edition and 24 points in the 2019 version of the game. The game was canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19. The Under has hit in seven of the last nine Hall of Fame games.

It’s a quarterback-driven league and with premium offensive players unlikely to play much of a role in Thursday’s game, the defenses should have the advantage. Wager this line at DraftKings or BetMGM at 30.5 rather than FanDuel at 29.5 to keep the prominent football total of 30 in play.

Where to Bet on Jaguars-Raiders Picks

Here are our top-rated sportsbooks:

FanDuel SportsbookCaesars SportsbookDraftKings SportsbookPointsBetBetMGM

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Jaguars-Raiders picks made on 8/3/2022 at 2:23 p.m. ET.