Thursday Night Football picks, DFS bargains, and prop bets

Let's talk about all the best plays -- bets and DFS -- for a tremendously Thursday night matchup between the Jaguars and Bengals.

Last week, we got the Texans in primetime. This week, we get the Jaguars. It may only be Week 4, but Thursday Night Football is already in peak form.

The scheduling gods took a look at two franchises that won five games between them and decided yes, this is what the people deserve. The Jaguars have been as bad as tradition dictates, giving up 20 straight points (or, somehow, more) in each of their three losses this fall. Up next are the Bengals, who may be turning a corner but are also fewer than 12 days removed from a loss to Justin Fields and the Bears — you know, the team that was historically inept against the Browns in Week 3.

A shorthanded Cincinnati is only a 7.5-point home favorite over a team that’s lost by double-digits every week in 2021 so far. Young stars Tee Higgins and Jessie Bates will each miss the game. Joe Burrow has only 379 passing yards the past two weeks. The Bengal secondary has been tested exactly once this season and gave up 351 passing yards to the human embodiment of Pizza Ranch, Kirk Cousins.

But that might not matter because Trevor Lawrence is, phew, going through it. His stellar throws through tight windows have been overshadowed by the fact he’s on pace for 39 interceptions as a rookie, a number even Jameis Winston would agree is excessive. This game could be a shootout between two rising young former national champions. Or it could be a Bengals-Jags game.

You may consider skipping this game as an act of self care. That’s perfectly reasonable! But if you’re fully onboard for some terrible primetime football, could I perhaps interest you in Saturday’s UConn-Vanderbilt game as well?