The Polynesian Football Hall of Fame announced the award Thursday.

”What an incredible gift,” Mariota said in a video recorded at the Titans’ headquarters, where he is recovering from surgery to repair a broken right fibula. ”I am truly, truly blessed. Thank you to the entire Polynesian Hall of Fame staff and selection committee. I’m truly honored by this prestigious award and look forward to representing it with high regard and a high standard.”

Arizona guard Mike Iupati won the inaugural award in 2015 honoring the top player of Polynesian ancestry.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Mariota was born in Honolulu and is of Samoan descent. Mariota became the first player of Polynesian ancestry to win the Heisman Trophy, at Oregon in 2014 , and also became the Hall of Fame’s inaugural college football player of the year.

In 2016, Mariota had a 95.6 passer rating that ranked third in franchise history. He was 276 of 451 for 3,426 yards with 26 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also ran for 349 yards and two touchdowns.

Mariota also was chosen an alternate to the Pro Bowl. He broke his right leg Dec. 24 in a loss to Jacksonville and missed the final game of the season.

”He is a tremendous role model and a source of great pride for Polynesians everywhere,” said Jesse Sapolu, chairman of the Hall of Fame’s board of directors.

Mariota will receive the award Jan. 20 and also be a team captain at the inaugural Polynesian Bowl on Jan. 21 in Oahu, Hawaii.

Other finalists were Iupati, Carolina defensive tackle Star Lotulelei, Cleveland defensive tackle Danny Shelton, and Detroit offensive lineman Larry Warford. Mariota was selected by a committee featuring former coaches Dick Tomey, Ron McBride and Dick Vermeil; broadcasters Neil Everett and Robert Kekaula; NFL consultant Gil Brandt; and past NFLPA president Kevin Mawae, a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year.

Mariota congratulated the other finalists and also thanked the Titans organization, his teammates and coaches.

”I really have to thank them and give them a lot of credit,” Mariota said. ”They are really what helped and allowed me to have the successful year that I had. I’d also like to thank my family and friends and people back home, in the state of Oregon who’ve also kind of reached and helped me to get to the position I am today. Without their help, without their sacrifice, I would not be able to stand in front of you today.”

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For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL .

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Polynesian Football Hall of Fame: www.PolynesianFootballHOF.org

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Tennessee Titans vs. Kansas City Chiefs
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, December 18, 2016
Where: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS.
LINE: Chiefs -5.5.
O/U: 42.
PREDICTION: Chiefs 23, Titans 20

Oddsmakers currently have the Chiefs listed as 5½-point favorites versus the Titans, while the game’s total is sitting at 41½.

Just one victory away from clinching a spot in the AFC playoffs, the Kansas City Chiefs host the Tennessee Titans on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.

Early weather predictions call for temperatures in the low teens with the wind-chill factor falling into single digits. That’s cold conditions for even Kansas City in December.

The 10-3 Chiefs moved into the control seat of the AFC West with their victory last week over Oakland in similar conditions. Andy Reid’s team can assure itself of at least a spot in the six-team postseason field with one more victory in the remaining three games.

“Every game is important as you go down the stretch,” Reid said. “Nothing has been declared yet, so you’ve got to keep the pedal to the metal.”

The 7-6 Titans will arrive in Kansas City with their postseason chances still alive. They share first place in the AFC South with the Houston Texans. Tennessee is coming off a 13-10 victory over Denver on Sunday in Nashville.

The man that leads the offense says the Titans will have quite a task dealing with the Chiefs’ defense at Arrowhead and in the cold.

“I think they have a great defense,” quarterback Marcus Mariota said. “They have a bunch of playmakers across the board. They find ways to get turnovers and when they do, they’re really good at turning it into points. Up front they do a great job of doing different things, causing some identification problems and just doing things that in terms of communication for an offense. You have to make sure everyone’s on the same page and doing the same thing.”

Mariota comes off his least productive performance of the 2016 season from last Sunday against Denver. He threw for only 88 yards, completing just six of 20 passes, a completion percentage of 30 percent and an average of 4.4 yards per attempt.

That doesn’t jive with his play in November, when he was named the AFC’s Offensive Player of the Month with 11 scoring throws, two interceptions, a completion percentage of 66 percent and an average of 8.7 yards per attempt.

Reid has been very impressed by Mariota’s overall performance this year.

“His ability to throw the football and read the defenses have come a long ways,” Reid said. “Things have slowed down for him. The addition of the run game has also helped their football team. You can see that he’s more comfortable now then he was when he first came in. He’s healthy now too, which helps.”

Kansas City is coming off a mini-bye after winning last Thursday night. That 21-13 victory over the Raiders was the third for the Chiefs in 12 days, with two of those on the road – including a 75-minute overtime decision against Denver. That was three victories by a total of 12 points.

“It was a gritty, gritty performance,” Reid said. “That’s a tough thing to do with that many games in that short period of time and to play at a high level against really good football teams. I think credit is due there.”

But in the NFL, that’s considered old news and promises nothing for the coming Sunday.

“The games just get bigger every week when you are in this situation,” Kansas City quarterback Alex Smith said. “It’s so close right now, you can’t start counting the games and doing the math. You can’t let yourself go there. We have a team coming in that’s really playing good and we have to take care of our business.”

For another victory, the Chiefs’ defense must handle a strong Titans’ running game that put up 180 yards against the highly ranked Denver defense. Tennessee is also the NFL’s top offense in the red zone, scoring touchdowns on 71.4 percent of its 42 trips inside the 20-yard line. The Titans are the fourth-best third-down offense, converting 46 percent of their chances.

In the season’s first 13 games, Mike Mularkey’s team has been in the mix for victory every week. Tennessee has not lost by double digits, and it has won four games that were decided by six points or less. The Titans also are 3-3 on the road.

“Every one of these games, we’ve had a chance to win,” Mularkey said. “They’ve all been close. We’ve won some of them. We’ve lost some of the close ones. I think the experience has been great for (the players.) Our guys believe we’re going to win the game, no matter what the situation is.”

The post Tennessee Titans vs. Kansas City Chiefs Odds & Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.

Denver Broncos vs. Tennessee Titans
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, December 11, 2016
Where: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee

TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Titans -1. O/U: 43.5
PREDICTION: Titans 24, Broncos 20

Oddsmakers currently have the Titans listed as 1-point favorites versus the Broncos, while the game’s total is sitting at 43½.

ABOUT THE BRONCOS (8-4): If Siemian is unable to play, Paxton Lynch will make his second straight start Sunday. The 22-year-old rookie out of Memphis didn’t exactly light it up against Jacksonville last week, completing 12-of-24 passes for 104 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. Linebacker Von Miller leads the league with 12.5 sacks and needs 2.5 against Tennessee to tie Bruce Smith as the third-fastest to reach 75 in his career by doing so in his 85th game.

Denver Stats:
Team record: 8-4 SU,8-4 ATS
Denver is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 games
Denver is 13-4 SU in its last 17 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Denver’s last 9 games

ABOUT THE TITANS (6-6): DeMarco Murray, who is second in the league with 1,043 rushing yards, hopes to have a big game against Denver after using the bye week to heal his sore toe. “It’s feeling a lot better,” he told the team’s website on Thursday. “It’s good to get two practices in a row. (The bye) helped a lot. I think it helped a lot of people late in the season.” Defensive lineman Jurrell Casey, who hasn’t seen action since suffering a sprained foot on Nov. 27, did not practice Wednesday or Thursday but expects to play against the Broncos.

Tennessee won its last outing, a 27-21 result against the Bears on November 27. The Titans failed to cover in that game as a -6.5-point favorite, while the 48 combined points took the game OVER the total.

Tennessee Stats:
Team record: 6-6 SU,4-8 ATS
Tennessee is 4-15-1 ATS in its last 20 games
Tennessee is 8-17 SU in its last 25 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Tennessee’s last 9 games

EXTRA POINTS
1. Titans QB Marcus Mariota has thrown multiple touchdown passes in eight consecutive games.
2. Denver claimed Justin Forsett off waivers from Detroit and placed fellow RB Kapri Bibbs on injured reserve with a high-ankle sprain.
3. Tennessee placed Kevin Dodd (foot) on injured reserve and signed fellow LB Justin Staples from the practice squad.

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Tennessee Titans vs. Chicago Bears
When: 11/27/2016 1:00 PM
Where: Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS.
LINE: Titans -5. O/U: 42
PREDICTION: Titans 24, Bears 13

Oddsmakers currently have the Titans listed as 6½-point favorites versus the Bears, while the game’s total is sitting at 42.

Tennessee Titans running back DeMarco Murray knows that he and his teammates have some work to do if they want to reach the playoffs.

At 5-6, the Titans might have to run the table to earn their first postseason berth since 2008.

Tennessee Stats:
Team record: 5-6 SU,4-7 ATS
Tennessee is 4-14-1 ATS in its last 19 games
Tennessee is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Tennessee’s last 8 games

“You want to stack up as many wins as you can, especially in our position,” Murray said. “We’re in a scenario now where we have a chance to do that. We’re a good football team, and we’re going to keep fighting.”

This week, the Titans will take their fight north as they square off against the Chicago Bears (2-8). Tennessee will try to climb back to .500 before heading into a bye in Week 13.

Meanwhile, Chicago is looking for anything positive to build upon in what has become a nightmare season. The Bears have lost two games in a row and five of their last six as they prepare for what likely will be quarterback Matt Barkley’s first NFL start in place of an injured Jay Cutler.

The game will mark the first appearance at Soldier Field for Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota. The 23-year-old Hawaiian has enjoyed a breakout season with 2,772 passing yards, 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions for a 100.3 passer rating. He needs 228 passing yards to become the first 3,000-yard passer for Tennessee since Matt Hasselbeck in 2011.

Mariota also will try to improve upon his franchise record by throwing for multiple touchdowns in his eighth consecutive game. He reached seven straight games last week to move past Hall of Famer Warren Moon, who had six multiple-touchdown games in a row in 1987.

The second-year quarterback credited his teammates in the huddle for his success. He said his receiving corps, which includes wide receiver Rishard Matthews and tight end Delanie Walker, provided him with confidence on every play, including deep routes downfield.

Chicago Stats:
Team record: 2-8 SU,3-7 ATS
Chicago is 4-11 ATS in its last 15 games
Chicago is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chicago’s last 5 games

“They make it easy on me,” Mariota told reporters at the Titans’ practice facility this week. “If I get it to a spot, I know those guys will go get it.”

Murray also has proved to be dependable in his first season with the Titans. The 28-year-old is second in the NFL with 1,000 rushing yards and has punched in 11 touchdowns (eight rushing, three receiving). He has scored at least one touchdown in six straight games.

The duo of Mariota and Murray could challenge a Bears defense that is reeling from another round of injuries and suspensions. Rookie linebacker Leonard Floyd — Chicago’s first-round pick in 2016 — could miss the game because of a concussion after he was carted off the field last week. The team’s leading tackler, linebacker Jerrell Freeman, also will be out after he received a four-game suspension this week for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.

Freeman’s absence in the middle of the defense will create more playing time for rookie linebacker Nick Kwiatkowski, a fourth-round pick out of West Virginia.

On offense, the Bears appear to be in even worse shape. Cutler injured his right shoulder last week against the New York Giants and likely will be sidelined for at least one game, if not more. The Bears already are without Pro Bowl guard Kyle Long (ankle) and Pro Bowl wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, who will serve the second game of a four-game suspension for PED use.

Bears coach John Fox said Wednesday that Barkley would start at quarterback if Cutler cannot play. David Fales, a San Jose State product who rejoined the team this week, would be the No. 2 option.

Barkley, 26, is four years removed from his playing days with the USC Trojans. He has appeared in five NFL games as a backup, throwing for zero touchdowns and six interceptions.

Fox said the numbers did not tell the entire story. He said he liked Barkley’s poise Oct. 20 against Green Bay as he came off the bench to complete 6-of-15 passes for 81 yards and two interceptions.

“These guys are on the team for a reason,” Fox said. “Matt has been in big spots. He won’t blink. He didn’t blink — not being very experienced with us — in Lambeau.

“It’s not going to be too big for him. He’s been in big games. He understands what it is to be a good teammate, and he’ll do everything he can to be as prepared as he can.”

Barkley will have plenty for which to prepare.

Tennessee boasts a dynamic pass rush that includes linebackers Brian Orakpo (nine sacks) and Derrick Morgan (eight sacks). Both players are vying to become the first Titans defender with double-digit sacks in a season since Jurrell Casey registered 10 1/2 sacks in 2013.

Overall, the Titans rank No. 8 in the NFL in scoring (25.5 points per game) but are No. 23 in the league with an average of 25 points allowed. The Bears rank second-to-last in scoring (15.7 points per game) and are No. 19 in the league with an average of 23.7 points allowed.

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Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Tennessee Titans
When: 8:25 PM ET, Thursday, October 27, 2016
Where: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee
Oddsmakers currently have the Titans listed as 3½-point favorites versus the Jaguars, while the game’s total is sitting at 46.

Tennessee lost its last outing, a 34-26 result against the Colts on October 23. The Titans failed to cover in that game as a -3.5-point favorite, while the 60 combined points took the game OVER the total.
Team record: 3-4 SU,2-5 ATS
Tennessee is 2-12-1 ATS in its last 15 games
Tennessee is 5-17 SU in its last 22 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tennessee’s last 5 games

Jacksonville was a 33-16 loser in its last match at home against the Raiders. They failed to cover the -2-point spread as favorites, while the total score of 49 sent OVER bettors to the payout window.

Team record: 2-4 SU,4-2 ATS
Jacksonville is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Jacksonville is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Jacksonville’s last 6 games

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Indianapolis Colts vs. Tennessee Titans
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, October 23, 2016
Where: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee
TV: 1 p.m. CBS.
LINE: Titans -2.5. O/U: 48.
PREDICTION: Titans 27, Colts 20

Oddsmakers currently have the Titans listed as 1½-point favorites versus the Colts, while the game’s total is sitting at 49.

Mariota still has a tendency to turn the ball over as he has thrown six picks and lost two fumbles for the Titans, who haven’t won three straight games since the 2011 season. Tennessee has six sacks in each of the last two games and will certainly attempt to pressure Luck, led by Brian Orakpo, who has at least one sack in five straight games. Titans coach Mike Mularkey gave the credit to veteran defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau for their recent success in attacking the quarterback. “There’s a lot of moving parts. There’s a lot of pre-snap disguising. That’s the beauty of coach LeBeau,” he said. Last time out for Tennessee, they were a 28-26 winner as they battled the Browns at home. The Titans failed to cover in the match as a -7.5-point favorite, while 54 combined points moved the game OVER for totals bettors.

Team record: 3-3 SU,2-4 ATS
Tennessee is 2-11-1 ATS in its last 14 games
Tennessee is 5-16 SU in its last 21 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Tennessee’s last 9 games

The Colts have not only won nine straight in the series but they’ve scored at least 27 points in six of the games. Things may not be as easy this week, however, as the Titans run a ball-control offense and Indianapolis will be without wide receiver Donte Moncrief (shoulder) and tight end Dwayne Allen (ankle). Running back Frank Gore rushed for 106 yards in last week’s game, marking the first time in 55 contests that the Colts had a 100-yard rusher. Last time out for Indianapolis, they were a 26-23 loser as they battled the Texans on the road. The Colts earned a push in the match as a +3-point underdog, while 49 combined points moved the game OVER for totals bettors.

Team record: 2-4 SU,2-3-1 ATS
Indianapolis is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Indianapolis is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Indianapolis’s last 7 games

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Cleveland at Tennessee
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, October 16, 2016
Where: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee
Oddsmakers currently have the Titans listed as 5½-point favorites versus the Browns, while the game’s total is sitting at 45½.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — It was generally understood before the season started that the Cleveland Browns would be one of the NFL’s worst teams. Then the injuries began, and haven’t ended yet.

In losing its first five games, Cleveland played five quarterbacks. Opening-game starter Robert Griffin III (shoulder) is out for the year, second-game starter Josh McCown (shoulder) just resumed practicing this week, third-stringer Cody Kessler (chest/ribs) was knocked out last week and waiver-wire pickup Charlie Whitehurst (knee) was released with an injury settlement Tuesday after limping off the field near the end of last week’s 33-13 loss to New England.

Converted quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who has actually played quite well at wide receiver, finished last week’s defeat under center. To replace Whitehurst, the Browns promoted rookie Kevin Hogan from the practice squad.

Adding left guard Joel Bitonio (mid-foot) to the infirmary for Sunday’s game at the Tennessee Titans further weakens an offensive line that doesn’t need weakening.

“You obviously don’t want any injuries,” left tackle Joe Thomas said, “but you understand they are part of the game. That is why it is important to build your depth on any team. In the NFL, it is not a matter of if injuries are going to happen, it is a matter of when.”

Bitonio’s injury seems particularly ill-timed considering Tennessee (2-3) demonstrated last week in a 30-17 victory at Miami that it can get after the quarterback. Working over a Dolphins offensive line that started two backups, the Titans bagged six sacks of Ryan Tannehill.

With Brian Orakpo, Derrick Morgan and Jurrell Casey coming off two-sack games each, it would seem like Tennessee has a real chance to terrorize whoever takes snaps for Cleveland.

“We are not going to put together an entirely different scheme together based on the injury to (Bitonio),” Titans coach Mike Mularkey said. “We have got a set scheme. We are going to attack. Dick LeBeau does a good job attacking where he thinks weaknesses are, and we will go from there.”

Until last week, LeBeau could have had a grand old time attacking his own team’s offense. Tennessee was averaging just 15.5 points before its victory in Miami, which saw DeMarco Murray rush for 121 yards on 27 carries and Marcus Mariota threw for three touchdowns and rushed for a fourth.

Of course, that was on the road and the Titans’ next three games are in Nissan Stadium. Most teams are better at home, but Tennessee isn’t most teams, as it has painfully proved over and over. Since the 2014 season’s beginning, the Titans have lost 16 of 18 at home, with both wins coming against Jacksonville.

“I don’t think consistency has been something we’ve done around here,” Mariota said. “If we’re able to do that and build one good game after another, we’ll like the direction we’re going in.”

Like his team, Mariota has struggled at home, turning the ball over three times in a 17-10 loss to Oakland on Sept. 25. But he has shown glimpses of his considerable potential with four four-touchdown games in his first 17 starts, matched only by Charlie Conerly of the 1948-49 New York Giants.

Mularkey was happy with Mariota’s decision-making at Miami.

“He really took what the defense gave us and that is what we’re looking for,” Mularkey said. “We didn’t make any crucial mistakes, which we had made in earlier games while he was trying to make more happen.”

Regardless of whether McCown or Kessler gets the call at quarterback for the Browns, they figure to base their offense around running back Isaiah Crowell. Despite being held to 22 yards last week as New England stacked the line of scrimmage, Crowell is fifth in the NFL with 416 yards through five games.

Crowell, Pryor (24 catches, 338 yards) and versatile backup running back Duke Johnson give Cleveland some nice weapons offensively. But a revolving door at quarterback and the lack of depth on the offensive line has hampered first-year coach Hue Jackson’s efforts to build a dangerous attack.

“I know it is frustrating for the fans,” Pryor said. “It is frustrating for us. It is probably frustrating for some of you guys that are Cleveland Browns fans and reporters, as well.

“This is the time we have to stick together and keep fighting. If we don’t quit, good things are going to come out.”

Cleveland:
Team record: 0-5 SU,1-4 ATS
Current Streak: lost 5 straight games.
Cleveland is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Cleveland is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Cleveland’s last 10 games

Tennessee:
Team record: 2-3 SU,2-3 ATS
Tennessee is 2-10-1 ATS in its last 13 games
Tennessee is 4-16 SU in its last 20 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Tennessee’s last 8 games

The post NFL Matchup: CLEVELAND vs. TENNESSEE Odds & Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.

Tennessee at Cleveland
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, September 20, 2015
Where: FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS.
LINE: Titans -1. O/U: 41.5.
PREDICTION: Browns 23, Titans 21
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Oddsmakers currently have the Browns listed as 3½-point favorites versus the Titans, while the game’s total is sitting at 41½.

After taking a 7-0 lead, Cleveland fell flat on its face in its opener, turning the ball over five times to lose its 11th straight season opener. Manziel was 13-for-24 passing with a touchdown but was picked off once and lost two fumbles as he again looked uncomfortable against the blitzing Jets’ defense. Wide receiver Travis Benjamin was a bright light, grabbing three passes for 89 yards and a 54-yard score. He’ll most likely be the top target again this week as counterpart Dwayne Bowe (hamstring) is still questionable.

In their last action, Cleveland was a 31-10 loser on the road against the Jets. They failed to cover the +3.5-point spread as underdogs, while the combined score (41) was profitable news for OVER bettors.

Team record: 0-1 SU,0-1 ATS
Cleveland is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Cleveland’s last 13 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Cleveland’s last 5 games at home
Cleveland is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Tennessee

The Titans finished last season with a 10-game losing streak, a skid that included a loss to the Browns where they blew a 25-point lead at home in a 29-28 setback. Tennessee raced out to a 35-7 halftime bulge last week as Mariota threw scoring passes to four different receivers, including Kendall Wright, who caught four passes for 101 yards. The Titans took their foot off the gas after that and got 74 yards rushing and a score from Bishop Sankey but they could be without star tight end Delanie Walker, who scored a touchdown last week but is questionable with a wrist injury.

Tennessee was a 42-14 winner in its last match on the road against the Buccaneers. They covered the +3-point spread as underdogs, while the total score of 56 sent OVER bettors to the payout window.

Team record: 1-0 SU,1-0 ATS
Tennessee is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games
Tennessee is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Tennessee’s last 5 games
Tennessee is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road

The post Tennessee vs. Cleveland Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

Tennessee at Jacksonville
When: 8:25 PM ET, Thursday, December 18, 2014
Where: EverBank Field, Jacksonville, Florida
TV: 8:25 p.m. ET, NFL Network.
LINE: Jaguars -3. O/U: 40.5
PREDICTION: Jaguars 21, Titans 17
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Oddsmakers currently have the Jaguars listed as 3-point favorites versus the Titans, while the game’s total is sitting at 40½.

Regardless of who starts under center, they will likely face pressure that has made life difficult for Bortles and Henne this season. Jacksonville has given up 19 sacks over the last three weeks and a league-high 62 overall, which is one shy of the franchise record set in 2001. Bortles, who was sacked eight times in a 20-12 loss at Baltimore last weekend, was in a walking boot Monday but told reporters he expects to play.

Jacksonville lost its last outing, a 20-12 result against the Ravens on December 14. The Jaguars covered in that game as a +14-point underdog, while the 32 combined points took the game UNDER the total.

Team record: 2-12 SU,4-9-1 ATS
Jacksonville is 4-11-2 ATS in its last 17 games
Jacksonville is 2-15 SU in its last 17 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Jacksonville’s last 10 games
Jacksonville is 3-11-1 ATS in its last 15 games at home

Tennessee has gone two straight games without an offensive touchdown as one of the league’s most meager attacks has bottomed out. One consistent issue has been an inability to sustain drives at all – the Titans have lost the time-of-possession battle for seven straight games and are 31st in the league in that category overall (27:03), ahead of only fast-paced Philadelphia. Tennessee is last in third-down percentage (29), although it was a bit better against New York, converting 6-of-16.

The Titans were a 16-11 loser in their most recent outing at home against the Jets. They failed to cover the +3.5-point spread as underdogs, while the total score (27) made winners of UNDER bettors.

Team record: 2-12 SU,3-10-1 ATS
Current Streak: lost 8 straight games.
Tennessee is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games
Tennessee is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Tennessee is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Tennessee is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road

The post Tennessee vs. Jacksonville Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

Keller signed a one-year contract worth $4.25 million, according to a source.

“I’m with the team I want to be with,” Keller told the South Florida media. “Everything is perfect right now.”

The AFC East rivals appear to be headed in opposite directions. The Jets have lost five free agents while the Dolphins have waged a spending spree this week, signing wide receiver Mike Wallace and linebackers Dannell Ellerbe and Philip Wheeler.

The Dolphins wanted to surround second-year quarterback Ryan Tannehill with more weapons, and they have done that by signing Keller and Wallace and retaining wide receiver Brian Hartline.

Keller’s departure comes two days after running back Shonn Greene bolted the Jets for the Tennessee Titans. Greene and Keller were key players on the 2009 and 2010 teams that reached the AFC Championship Game.

The Jets replaced Greene, signing former Oakland Raiders backup Mike Goodson on Friday to a three-year, $6.9 million contract.

The Jets finished 28th in scoring offense last season, and it’s not looking any better. Coordinator Marty Mornhinweg may have understated the matter on Monday, the day before free agency began, when he referred to his new job as a “great challenge.”

Even though they have about $14 million in cap room, the Jets didn’t make a strong push to keep Keller, Mark Sanchez’s favorite target. Keller had been hoping for a long-term deal, but he didn’t garner as much interest as expected. He signed with the Dolphins after concluding a two-day visit.

Instead of committing significant money to Keller, the Jets’ plan is to start holdover Jeff Cumberland, who caught a career-high 29 passes last season. The Dolphins needed a tight end to replace Anthony Fasano, who signed with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Keller was rebuffed last offseason when he approached the Jets about a long-term extension. There were some rumblings about the franchise tag ($6.06 million), but that never materialized. In fact, there had been little contact between the two sides in recent weeks, a source said.

A first-round pick in 2008, Keller was on the ascent until last season, when he missed eight games due to hamstring and ankle injuries, the first time in his career he missed a game.

Keller finished with career lows for catches (28), receiving yards (317) and touchdowns (two), lousy timing in a contract year. His career yardage total is 2,876, fourth in Jets history among tight ends.

The Jets added another potential starter on offense, signing former Pittsburgh Steelers guard Willie Colon to a one-year, $1.2 million contract, a source said. Brandon Moore and Matt Slauson, last year’s starting guards, are free agents, so the Jets were in the market for a low-cost insurance policy. Colon, released by the Steelers earlier this week, switched to left guard in 2012 after playing right tackle. He played well, but he missed five games late in the year due to a knee injury. Injures have tormented him in recent years. He played only one game in 2010 and 2011, missing the entire ’10 season with a torn Achilles’ tendon. It will be a homecoming for Colon, who grew up in the Bronx and attended Hofstra.

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