NFL 2024 Season - Week 16
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Week 16
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Next
by Dennis Ranahan

The New York Jets are favored on Sunday in Jacksonville when they meet the Jaguars.

Why?

Now, I know the Kansas City Chiefs have lost seven straight games against the point spread and still attract bettors. But that is the Chiefs, the two-time defending Super Bowl Champions, and a team with the best record in football, equalling the 12-1 of the Detroit Lions.

But the Jets?

They are 3-9-1 against the point spread, have an aging quarterback that seems more interested in, well, things other than developing a rapport with his teammates. They are on their second head coach, are without a general manager and an owner who does just enough to gum up the works in Woody Johnson.

And they are favored?

Just how bad must the Jaguars be?

Not bad enough.

The Jaguars have had a miserable season in the third year Doug Pederson has served as head coach. In his first season he led Jacksonville to the playoffs following back-to-back last place finishes. Of course, the next year, 2023, was going to find the expectations for Trevor Lawrence and company well above what their actual talent dictated.

And, the Jaguars played true to form, having a year with less wins than the previous one and missing the playoffs.

But this year, following a sobering campaign last season, the expectations were more in alignment with their actual talent and they, by our numbers, were poised for another playoff run.

Didn’t happen.

How Pederson avoided getting fired while his team played horrible is one of the mysteries not yet answered. In all probability, his departure is expected on black Monday for head coaches, the day after the conclusion of the regular season.

Unless, of course, he leads Jacksonville on a late season surge behind backup quarterback Mac Jones while Lawrence sits out the rest of the season after suffering a concussion two weeks ago.

That is the hope in Jacksonville, where the only task it appears for Aaron Rodgers and his New York mates is to get to the end of this season and figure out what is next.

What’s next for the Jaguars is a home victory, what’s next for the Jets is another crash.

Qoxhi Picks: Jacksonville Jaguars (+3½) over New York Jets