NFL FOOTBALL BETTING PREDICTION - OAKLAND RAIDERS @ JACKSONVILLE JAGS

NFL Football

2007-12-23 - Oakland Raiders at Jacksonville Jags

A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown

OAKLAND RAIDERS @ JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
Sunday, December 23, 1:00 p.m. ET
Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Jacksonville have a chance to clinch a playoff berth and likely the number 5 seed in the AFC if they can win this match and continue with the momentum they have built up over the last few weeks.

The have a solid 10-4 record on the season which would have been good enough to lead the AFC North and the AFC West but unfortunately for them they have the Indianapolis Colts in their own division.

The number 5 seed means they will likely play Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh in the first round of the playoffs and will then be seeded to play New England in Foxborough. Momentum is going to be very important for this orgamisation.

Jacksonville have a 5-2 home record with only divisional rivals Tennessee and Indianapolis coming in to beat them. Tennessee actually beat them in Week 1, so they have actually won 5 of their last 6 games at home, including their last 3 straight.

The momentum they have that I mentioned earlier can be seen from the fact that they have won 5 of their last 6 matches overall and really look a danger in the playoffs. They have beaten both the number 3 and the number 4 seeds in the AFC during that run. The offense has been scoring points, putting up at least 24 points in their last 8 games.

The Defensive End Reggie Hayward is unlikely to make the game this weekend.

OAKLAND RAIDERS

Oakland have had yet another hard season and again have nothing to play for come December. They have a 4-10 record this season and it is the 5th straight year that they have had a double-digit losing season. Their record leaves them occupying 4th spot in the AFC West and its been another hard season for the team in black and silver.

Oakland have a 2-5 record on the road this season. They have continued to try and play teams tough and although on a 2 match losing streak, they did play the Colts close last week at home.

Only San Diego and Green Bay have beaten the Raiders easily at home, but they are also the only 2 teams that have winning records this season. In fact only 3 teams have been good enough to beat the Raiders by more than 11 points at home or on the road this season.

Josh McCown is going to start at QB this week but JeMarcus Russell will get to play some snaps during the game. A big loss for the Raiders is Justin Fargas who was placed on injured reserve for the rest of the season. Dominic Rhodes and LaMont Jordan will likely be splitting carries at running back for the remainder of the season.

HEAD TO HEAD AND STATS

The franchises have only met 1 time in the last few seasons when the Jaguars beat the Raiders in Oakland by 7 points in 2005.

The Jaguars are 10-4 ATS this season but this is only 4-3 at home. They are 5-2 as favourites in the match. The Raiders are 6-8 ATS but have done a lot better on the road where they are 4-3. They have also gone 6-4 as the underdog in matches this season.

Oakland have won 3 of their last 4 ATS, but the Jaguars are currently on a 6 gamne winning run against the spread and have also won 7 of their last 8.

The weather down in Florida should not have an effect on the game as it has been further up north in the last few weeks.

PREDICTION :

Jacksonville will want to win well to prove again that they are for real, and are very much a threat in the AFC.

Oakland have it tough as they travel the length of the country a couple of days before Christmas and this cannot be understated- especially as they dont have a lot to play for.

The Jags are getting hot in time for the playoffs and I think they win handsomely here.

The Pick :