Indianapolis Colts

2005 Stats

2005 Season Summary

Although they were coming off an impressive 9-7 season and near miss in the AFC playoffs, which was a 4-game improvement over the previous season, the Jacksonville Jaguars had done so by the closest of margins, winning razor thin decisions that easily could have gone the other way. The Jags got the cash in 10 out of their 16 games for 2004 but it was apparent that the tides could easily turn. It was also apparent that after a season in which 12 of their 16 games went under, that a sports betting market correction was likely on the over/under boards as well, particularly with Del Rio 's renewed commitment to offense.

Offense needed to open up

Head coach Jack Del Rio was entering this third season and realized that his offense needed to open up in order to reach the next level so he exchanged offensive coordinators during the offseason with the goal of developing a down field passing attack for his 21 st ranked “attack.” The 11 th ranked defense looked to be solid again.

Solid and simple road play

Heading into the 2005 preseason Jacksonville had developed a pattern as a solid and simple road play over the previous five seasons as the visitor in Jaguar exhibitions was well over sixty-percent against the betting boards. The preseason opener had a conflict to that trend, however, as the visiting Miami Dolphins were a proven cash grabber as preseason travelers. Jacksonville was a 2.5-point chalk and covered 27-17.

Things returned to form, however, in the Jags next preseason game at Tampa Bay as Jacksonville won 20-17 as 3-point dogs. They returned home to face Atlanta as 3-point chalks and the visiting Falcons took the game and cash 23-7. This was followed by a 20-27 loss at Dallas as 3-point dogs as the Jags completed preseason play 2-2 both SU and ATS, as did the road team in their exhibition campaign.

A difficult early read

Jacksonville opened the regular season as a question mark to many pro football bettors, who were somewhat leery and skeptical about their high wire act of a winning season of a year ago. Many bettors had a wait and see approach to the Jags, who had suffered three consecutive losing seasons both straight up and against the spread prior to 2004.

Yet another team that faced a lot of doubters, Seattle, was the Jags opponent on opening day where Jacksonville was installed as a 3-point home chalk, getting the cash in a 26-14 win. That was followed by a hard fought 3-10 loss at Indianapolis , where the Jags paid off as 9-point dogs.

Next was a road game against the New York Jets, who were installed as 2.5-point chalks with a low total posted on the boards of 33.5. The Jags got the cash 26-20 as the game soared over the total.

Jacksonville proved to be a difficult early read as they dropped their next game, 7-20, to the Denver Broncos as 4-point home chalks to stand at 2-2 straight up, 3-1 against the spread, and 2-2 on totals at the quarter pole.

Looking stronger into the bye week

Jacksonville may have been peaking ahead against Denver as a home showdown against upstart Cincinnati was next. The Jags were installed as 3-point chalks and earned a 23-20 push/win that sailed over the total.

The following week Jacksonville earned some much-deserved recognition as a contender rather than pretender as they were 23-17 winners at Pittsburgh as 3-point dogs, posting their fourth over in six games. The Jags were looking stronger into the bye week standing at 4-2 straight up and 4-1-1 against the spread.

One step back before five steps forward

Jacksonville was to meet up with reeling St. Louis after their bye week and, as is often the case, once the masses begin believing in a team, (and against its opponent), you have all the makings of a disaster. The Jags were installed as 5.5-point road chalks and lost straight up 21-24 in a classic, as well as expensive, pro football betting value lesson. The loss proved to be, however, a one step back before five steps forward type of deal.

Ascending to an unexpected level

Jacksonville next hosted the hapless Houston Texans and won the game 21-14 as 13.5-point chalks in a listless effort that went under. The Jags next hosted Baltimore and were 6.5-point chalks. The number seemed a little high for a team that had covered just one of its previous five games, which served to set Jacksonville up as a good bargain. The Jaguars played one of their most complete games of the season in a 30-3 win that pushed against the over/under board.

Jacksonville opened a three game road trip at rebuilding Tennessee , where the Jags were installed as 3.5-point chalks. That half-point turned out to be the difference between a trip to the window and lost cash as the Jags were good for only a 31-28 win and easy over. The second stop was at struggling Arizona where the Jags were, again, 3.5-point chalks in a 24-17 win and cover that snuck under the posted total of 43. The last game of the road trip was a 20-14 win at Cleveland as 3-point chalks, with the game clearing the posted total of 31.5. Jacksonville's fifth consecutive straight up win gave them a mark of 9-3 straight up, 7-4-1 against the spread, and 7-4-1 on the overs as they headed into the home stretch as one of betting's hottest commodities.

Jags Closed strong

Jacksonville soared home to face undefeated Indianapolis as whopping 8-point home dogs, incredible for a team that was 9-3. The oddsmakers had it “just right” as Indianapolis won/pushed 26-18.

The Jags closed strong with three consecutive straight up wins. The first was a meek 10-9 home win, as whopping 16-point chalks against rebuilding San Francisco . This was followed by a 38-20 win at Houston as 6-point dogs as the Jags were resting key players for the playoffs. The home finale was a 40-13 win and cover as 4-point chalks. Four of the Jags final five games went over the total as the market completely flipped on their totals from the previous year.

Playoff inexperience exposed

Jacksonville 's playoff inexperienced was exposed at New England as the defending world champs scored a 28-3 win as 7.5-point chalks.