Preseason NFL Pick - Tampa Bay @ Jacksonville - 8-26-06 Tampa Bay (1-1 SU and ATS) at Jacksonville (1-1 SU and ATS)
The Jaguars will try to continue their dominance of the Bucs in this annual summer meeting between Florida rivals.
Jacksonville has won and covered in each of the last three encounters, including a 20-17 victory as a three-point road underdog in 2005.
Tampa Bay is coming off last week’s 13-10 loss to Miami as 2½-point home favorites, while Jacksonville fell to Carolina 17-10 as a one-point home chalk.
The Buccaneers let rookie Bruce Gradkowski handle most of the second half last week, and he went 11 of 14 for 193 yards with a TD and an INT. However, he’s still penciled in as the third-team QB behind starter Chris Simms and Tim Rattay. Backup QBs Luke McCown and Jay Fiedler remain injured.
Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden has kept several of his star players on the sidelines so far, including WR Joey Galloway, RB Carnell Williams and LB Derrick Brooks. They may see very limited action tonight. Otherwise, Gruden plans for the rest of his starters to play into the third quarter, including Simms, who has completed just 4 of 10 passes for 35 yards in two games.
Jacksonville will give backup QB David Garrard the majority of snaps in this one, as starter Byron Leftwich has suffered from soreness in his throwing arm. Garrard struggled in the loss to the Panthers, going 7 of 11 for 86 yards with two INTs.
The Jags’ starting units will play at least the first half and likely beyond, and No. 3 QB Quinn Gray may get some time with the first-stringers in the first half. Jacksonville is thin at tight end with Marcedes Lewis and Brian Jones out with injuries.
Jacksonville is 7-2 SU, but just 3-7-1 ATS, at home over the last five summers, while Tampa Bay is 5-6 SU and 4-6-1 ATS on the road in its last five exhibition seasons.
The under is 4-1 in the last five meetings, with the only over occurring in last season’s contest. ATS ADVANTAGE: JACKSONVILLE |