The Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1) and New Orleans Saints (0-1) will face off in Week 2 of the NFL Preseason. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. ET from Caesars Superdome. The game will broadcast live on NFL Network.
The Jaguars are 3-point favorites over the Saints on the spread (Jaguars -3), with the over/under set at 40.5 total points. Jacksonville is a -160 favorite to win outright, while New Orleans is +135 to pull off the upset.
Continue below for my Jaguars vs Saints predictions and NFL picks for Sunday, August 17.
Liam Cohen and Kellen Moore bring new offensive systems into their new gigs, as both men will try to jumpstart franchises lacking recent success. Cohen has already announced the Jaguars’ starters will see action on Sunday, while Moore continues his quest to pick his starter at quarterback.
Given the stability at quarterback for Jacksonville in addition to their stout rush defense, the value lies with the short road favorite here.
Jaguars vs Saints Prediction, Picks
My Saints vs. Jaguars best bet is on Jacksonville to cover the first half spread, with the best price currently available at BetMGM. But as always, make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NFL odds page.
Pick: Jaguars First Half Spread -1.5 (-115)
Jaguars vs Saints Odds for Sunday, August 17
| Jaguars Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2.5 -115 | 40.5 -115o / -105u | -160 |
| Saints Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2.5 -105 | 40.5 -115o / -105u | +135 |
- Jaguars vs Saints spread: Jaguars -2.5
- Jaguars vs Saints over/under: 40.5 total points
- Jaguars vs Saints moneyline: Jaguars -160, Saints +135
- Jaguars vs Saints best bet: Jaguars 1H -1.5 (-115)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs New Orleans Saints NFL Preseason Preview
Jacksonville will be without the services of No. 2 overall pick Travis Hunter, but that shouldn’t limit its ability to get off to a fast start in this game.
With Cohen’s early commitment to his starters, I expect a healthy dose of Trevor Lawrence, who we should see attempt more than the seven passes he threw a week ago. It bodes well that receivers Dyami Brown and Parker Washington have had impressive camps and should be on the field for the majority of the first half.
After Lawrence exits the game, the Jaguars have plenty to feel confident about with their quarterback depth. Granted, in a very small sample, all four signal-callers had a passer rating last week of 89.9 or greater.
Seth Henigan and Nick Mullens were efficient, while John Wolford saw the least amount of action but has familiarity with Cohen’s system since he was in camp with the Buccaneers during the 2024 preseason. All three QBs behind Lawrence completed a pass of 18+ yards as well, which shows their willingness to be aggressive when they get their chance.
For New Orleans, rookie Tyler Shough will get his opportunity to start against the Jaguars’ top defensive unit. Shough predominantly worked underneath and took what the defense gave him during his extended action last week. He was responsible for delivering one long touchdown throw, but also made a costly mistake by locking on to his first read and throwing a pick-six.
One concern I have for Shough is the lack of support he may get from his running game.
It’s very unlikely we see Alvin Kamara on Sunday; thus, it will be the same rushing attack that struggled against the Chargers in Week 1. Spencer Rattler led the team in rushing, with the longest carry from any of their running backs going for just eight yards. In total, Saints backs carried the ball 15 times for 29 yards.
The Steelers put up 31 points on the Jaguars’ defense a week ago, but they did so without the semblance of a running game. No matter who was on the field for the Jacksonville defense, it played with discipline in the running game with near-perfect run fits. Pittsburgh rushed the ball 25 times in the game’s entirety, averaging just 2.6 yards per carry.
After a frustrating scrimmage this week that saw Jacksonville struggle with self-inflicted mistakes and pre-snap issues, I am expecting a focused effort from Lawrence and company to begin the game. With Shough still adjusting to the speed of the NFL game, I like the chances of the Jaguars jumping out to an early lead.
The coaching staff for New Orleans must give ample opportunity to Shough for the sake of evaluation, so I expect him to play the entire first half.
With Rattler entering in the second half and playing against the backups, while also looking to secure his status as the opening day starter, I worry he may actually have the ability to tighten the game late.
I am going to target the first half specifically by backing Jacksonville in the first thirty minutes.
Jaguars vs Saints Best Bet
- Jaguars 1H -1.5 (-115)
