Jacksonville visits Arizona on Sunday (Nov. 23) in a matchup that feels like one team trying to lock down a playoff push and another scrambling for answers. The Jaguars (6-4) are coming off a dominant win and a hot run defense, while the Cardinals (3-7) are still sorting through a quarterback injury and turnover in the backfield.
Team Analysis
Jacksonville
- Season overview and recent form: The Jaguars (6-4) have won two of three and ripped the Chargers 35-6 in Week 11, a game that saw a physical rushing attack and a defense that held Justin Herbert to 81 passing yards.
- Injuries and roster notes: Jacksonville lost rookie Travis Hunter for the rest of the year after LCL knee surgery, creating a gap in playmaking versatility opposite the top receivers. The team also listed several inactives and short-term injury concerns entering Week 11.
Arizona
- Season overview and recent form: The Cardinals (3-7) have been erratic — they snapped a five-game skid with a road upset of Dallas under Jacoby Brissett, but then were routed by the 49ers in Week 11. Brissett has stabilized the offense in the short term, yet Arizona’s results remain inconsistent.
- Injuries and roster notes: Kyler Murray is on injured reserve with a lingering foot injury, leaving Brissett as the starter; Arizona also faces backfield attrition with Emari Demercado likely out for this game after an ankle issue.
Key Matchup Factors
- Head-to-head history: The series leans toward Arizona historically, but meetings have been sparse recently; ESPN’s preview lists Arizona leading the series and notes Jacksonville’s recent mixed results vs. NFC opponents.
- Important player matchups:
– JAX run game (Etienne/Tuten) vs. ARI front seven — Jacksonville wants to control clock and tempo; Arizona has struggled to contain power runs consistently. – Jacoby Brissett vs. JAX secondary — Brissett has shown efficiency, but turnovers and a porous pass-protection profile could be exposed by Jacksonville’s pressure.
- Key injuries and news:
– Kyler Murray on IR changes Arizona’s ceiling and play script; Brissett’s presence flips the offense toward more conventional pocket passing. – Travis Hunter out for season reduces Jacksonville’s explosive mismatch options and slightly flattens their depth chart at WR/CB.
- Home/away performance:
– Jacksonville travels to State Farm Stadium where Arizona’s home numbers are mediocre; Vegas books currently show a toss-up spread reflecting travel parity and Arizona’s home-field hidden edge in situational matchups.
Betting Analysis
- Spread analysis: DraftKings/FanDuel-type books opened Jacksonville as a slim favorite; current primary spread at Arizona +2.5 implies a razor-close game where the public can get points on the underdog. Market consensus (ESPN/ODDSHARK) aligns near JAX -2.5 / ARI +2.5.
- Total (over/under) analysis: The posted O/U 47.5 sits close to both teams’ season scoring averages (JAX ~24.0 PPG, ARI ~22.4 PPG). Jacksonville’s defense has the higher swing potential to suppress scoring; Arizona’s offense under Brissett is efficient but not explosive. Lean toward the UNDER given Jacksonville’s recent defensive dominance and Arizona’s offensive volatility without Murray.
- Best value opportunities:
– If books stay at ARI +2.5 and live money creeps toward Jacksonville, grabbing Arizona +2.5 on the moneyline plus juice can be a contrarian live hedge only if you expect turnover luck to flip. If you’re looking for the cleaner edge, play the Jaguars -2.5 spread early — market shows Jacksonville is the steadier team. – For totals, small-sided bets on UNDER 47.5 look sound; consider game-prop side bets on rushing yards for Travis Etienne and reduced passing props for Arizona receivers because of Brissett’s conservative script.
- Prediction: This projects as a low-to-average scoring, close game where Jacksonville’s defense and superior run game should decide the late stages. Arizona’s QB change lowers their ceiling; Jacksonville’s recent form and defensive identity give them the narrow edge.
- Final pick: Jaguars -2.5 (confidence: medium) and UNDER 47.5 as the play of the card. Back the spread pregame; if the line touches -3 or more, prefer the straight spread. These plays align with Wannamakeabet’s points-based betting system, which favors matchup-driven defensive advantages and market inefficiencies when a winning defense meets an offense missing its primary playmaker.
Join Wannamakeabet.com today. Join our monthly “All Sports” Betting League Championship today where you bet points instead of real money on all the major pro sports (NFL, College Football, NBA, NHL, MLB). We’ll put you into a league and give you a bankroll of 50,000 points so you can bet on every game on the board. And you get 50,000 more points every week. Whomever has the most points at the end of the league is the winner and wins real cash based on how many players join! Join today, it’s free!