After a tough loss to the Tennessee Titans in Week 2, the Jacksonville Jaguars will visit the Miami Dolphins to open the Week 3 playoffs. The Titans and the Jaguars had quite a close fight ending the game in a 33-30 score. Today, as they wrestle against the Dolphins, will the home-court advantage be a reason to slip another successful stint?
When looking into these two team's current lines, the Jaguars are favored to win the match. Remember that these two teams are AFC South's most undervalued groups. They had not been into the league playoffs for many years, and they are looking to place and end the Divisional Rounds this season better.
In the current 2020 NFL point spreads, the Jacksonville Jaguars are a 3.0 favorite over the Dolphins. Can the Jaguars pull-off an incredible performance knowing that they are taking the guest side against the Dolphins? Will they redeem themselves from a loss they suffered in Week 2? Let's see what their edges are.
Dolphins Quarterback Fitzpatrick Isn't Strong Enough
During the Week 1 and Week 2 playoff, the Dolphins lost the Pats and the Bills with a huge upset. The final score was a bit too far, leading them to lose all the way. Ryan Fitzpatrick, who was the starting quarterback for the Dolphins, tried so much but has failed to deliver the team's expectations.
Today, as the Jaguars will face them in Week 3, they might see Fitzpatrick's weakness as their opportunity to win. Knowing that the team has better men on the field like Mike Glennon (QB), Bruce Miller (RB), and Keelan Cole (WR), the Jaguars might defeat them effortlessly and head on to a better position in the league.
The Jaguars Has A More Solid Defensive Talents
One of the reasons why the Jaguars are the favorite to win against the Dolphins in Week 3 is their tougher defensive talents. Josh Allen is known as one of the solid defensive ends in the NFL today, and the Jaguars are lucky to have him. Moreover, D.J. Hayden, C.J. Henderson, and Dakota Allen will indeed contribute to give the Dolphins a hard time to send in a goal.
However, this might be the biggest weakness of the Miami Dolphins. In their last matches, they haven't shown impressive defensive performance, that's why they never won. Although they have contracted new talents like Emmanuel Ogbah and Shaq Lawson during the offseason, none has produced good points yet.
Josh Allen Can Deliver
One of the best things that the Jaguars did in the offseason is retaining their best defensive end, Josh Allen. After attending his college at Kentucky, Allen was signed by the Jaguars in the 2019 NFL Draft as Pick No. 7 in Round 1. By the time he played as a rookie for the Jaguars, he immediately made an impact and was even awarded a PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2019.
In the first two matches, Josh Allen has excellently performed even if they lost. He is a solid defensive end that can end the game in double digits. In their upcoming fight against the Dolphins, there is no doubt that Allen will do better. This might also be a good venue for him to showcase how well he can deliver as part of the Jaguar's defensive line.
The Dolphins Has A Shaky Pass Rush And Defense
Before the football reaches the goal, it should go through passing and rushing. These two skills are needed by the talents playing in the said position to score excellently. During the first two games, the Dolphins had faced big problems in the pass rush and defense since it was too shaky.
On the other hand, the Jaguars are doing good in this department. If they can capitalize on the Dolphins' weakness, the Jaguars can have their first victory this season. The Dolphins should work double-time so they won't get scratched off in the league early.
The Dolphins Doesn't Have A Threat Player
Every NFL team is expected to have a superhero that can make miracles, especially in the most crucial point of the game. These players can either be in the defensive or offensive line of the team. However, it seems that the Dolphins are not seriously making a good line-up this year as they do not have a threat player to look forward to.
It is why the Jacksonville Jaguars are the favorites over the Miami Dolphins in their upcoming Week 3 matches due to a stronger roster. Although DeVante Parker is there for the Dolphins, who performed well in the last matches, his score is not enough to contain the Jaguars' biggest players.
Takeaway
There is still a long way ahead for all NFL teams before they earn a league playoff spot. However, the Divisional Rounds are important because it will show how and which team they will face inches a step closer to the title. Hence, in the upcoming NFL Week 3 Playoffs, can the Jaguars slay and defeat the Dolphins in no sweat? We'll see.
