Jacksonville at Washington

Urban Meyer adds to the long list of successful college football coaches who flopped in the NFL. Jacksonville turns to an established NFL leader in Doug Pederson, who won a Super Bowl as coach of the Eagles just five years ago. Pederson inherits a talented young QB in Trevor Lawrence and the front office moved quickly in free agency to put veteran talent around him. WR Zay Jones (546 yards with the Raiders) and tight end Evan Engram (408 yards with the Giants) are aboard, along with five-time Pro Bowl right guard Brandon Scherff from Washington, the fifth overall pick in 2018. Pederson will call the plays and often used a two-tight end set with the Eagles, which will help protect Lawrence with extra blocking and safety valve targets. The defense was actually the priority in the draft, taking LB Travon Walker at No. 1 overall along with LB Devin Lloyd, also a first-round pick. Washington is a home favorite but has been a dysfunctional mess for years, 66-103 ATS in the role of favorite. Carson Wentz becomes the seventh-different starting signal caller since 2020 while his contract ate up much of their cap space. The pass protection was poor last year (43 sacks allowed) and lost its best player, Scherff, to these Jaguars. The 2021 defense was #21 in yards allowed, #28 in pass defense, #24 in points surrendered, and #31 on third down (48.47%). Washington is 16-36 ATS at home in September, plus 44-75 ATS as a home favorite. Play Jacksonville.