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Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts NFL Predictions & Odds

Written by Jimmy Boyd

jags colts 9909 The Jacksonville Jaguars face off with division rival Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium this Sunday to kick off their 2009 NFL campaigns. While you always want to get off to a strong start with a win in Week 1, this game carries extra importance because it is a division matchup. The last meeting in this series is one the Jaguars would like to forget. The Colts scored 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to erase a big deficit and to pick up the 31-24 victory late late season. Jacksonville has always had its problems with Indy, as the Jags are just 4-12 against the Colts in the all-time series. The Indianapolis Colts are listed as 7-point favorites with the total set at 44.5.

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With 12-win seasons in 2005 and 2007, the Jaguars appeared poised to compete with the Colts for a division crown in 2008. Instead, it was the Tennessee Titans which edged out Indy to capture the AFC South title. In order for the Jags to get back in the hunt for a division championship, they are going to need to see the 2007 version of QB David Garrard and not the 2008 version. I can’t put all the fault of last season’s struggles on Garrard, however, as he was being protected by an offensive line that was stricken with injuries. The unit is once again healthy so if Garrard doesn’t have to run for his life, we should see him regain his form. With Fred Taylor no longer the starting back, Maurice Jones-Drew should be in the driver’s seat for a huge season. Jones-Drew has rushed for 2,533 yards through his first three seasons while splitting time. He is expected to be a big part of the game plan against an Indy defense which has been susceptible to the run in the past. While the Jaguars are 0-4 against the spread in their last 4 versus the AFC South, they are 8-2 against the spread in their last 10 games in Week 1. If you like Jacksonville to remain strong out of the gate, bet the Jaguars at +7 at Sportsbook.com.

It’s definitely going to look different without Tony Dungy on the sideline for the Colts. Instead, we will see Jim Caldwell leading the troops in his first regular season game as head man. The good news for Caldwell is that he inherits a team with plenty of ammo. I’m expecting a big season out of future Hall of Fame QB Peyton Manning, who got off to a slow start in 2008 due to a pair of knee surgeries which limited his preseason preparation. He enters this season healthy, and even with the loss of Marvin Harrison, he has plenty of weapons at his disposal. Anthony Gonzalez is ready to step in for Harrison and we can expect Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark to continue to be two of the most productive players in the NFL at their positions. If you like Indy to continue its dominance against Jacksonville, bet the Colts at -7 at Sportsbook.com.

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