Whereas the standings say the Jets are in final, they preserve rolling up the firsts.
In October, when the Patriots beat them 25-22 in New England, the Jets grew to become the primary staff in NFL historical past to lose a sport by which they scored 20-plus factors, didn’t commit a turnover and gave up lower than 250 whole yards. Earlier than that day, groups with that stat profile had gone 750-0.
Now there’s new piece of ignominy: In accordance with ESPN Stats & Data, they’re the primary staff within the Tremendous Bowl period to be favored in 9 of their first 12 video games and have a file of 3-9 or worse.
To place it in perspective, the Jets are 3-6 (33.3 p.c) straight up in video games by which they’ve been favored. Per Covers.com, favorites have an outright file of 135-60 (69.2 p.c).
The primary purpose for that is the intense — in all probability unprecedented — overhype of this staff. When Aaron Rodgers was deemed recovered from his Achilles tear, the bandwagon handed go and went on to Tremendous Bowl, skipping the mandatory stops of respectability, a profitable file and the primary playoff berth in 14 years.
The Jets have been scheduled for six prime-time video games (one was since flexed out) and may very well be discovered on the left facet of the betting line for fairly a couple of video games by which there was no justification for them to be favored — comparable to on the highway in opposition to the Steelers and Cardinals. It appears so insane now.
Extremely, they’ve been the favourite every of the previous six video games, going 1-5 SU and 1-5 ATS because the season went from unhealthy to worse to over to embarrassing to all-time low.
On Sunday, the Jets are — lastly — underdogs of 6.5 factors at Miami. I see a motivational mismatch. The Dolphins have received three of their final 4 video games to get to 5-7 and will probably be taking part in for his or her postseason lives. The Jets have misplaced eight of their final 9 and get a free weekend getaway to solar, 77 levels and South Seashore. The unfold, whereas it seems giant within the Put up Line, is absolutely only one scoring play.
The choose: Dolphins -6.5.
New Orleans Saints (-4.5) over NEW YORK GIANTS
The Saints are available in lacking Chris Olave, Rasheed Shaheed and Swiss Military knife Taysom Hill, and listing their three inside offensive linemen as questionable. They nonetheless have Derek Carr and Alvin Kamara to go in opposition to a Giants protection that will probably be with out Dexter Lawrence.
Not solely that, the Giants are the final winless dwelling staff within the league and have set an NFL file by going 11 video games with out an interception. And the forecast of 47 and partly sunny is truthful sufficient for a southern dome staff coming north in December.
Jacksonville Jaguars (+3.5) over TENNESSEE TITANS
The Jaguars perked up after Azeez Al-Shaair’s hit on a sliding Trevor Lawrence final week. Mac Jones got here in and threw for 235 yards, two touchdowns and led a backdoor cowl. Query is: Can you set any inventory in two late scores given up by a staff that was method forward? One other query: Do you wish to lay greater than a area purpose with a Titans staff that’s 3-9?
MINNESOTA VIKINGS (-5.5) over Atlanta Falcons
Sure, many Falcons video games find yourself getting determined by lower than this unfold, however their final highway sport was a 38-6 loss in Denver, the place the underside fell out. The Soiled Birds have gone from 6-3 to 6-6 and scored a median of 12.0 ppg within the three losses with Kirk Cousins throwing six interceptions and nil landing passes in these video games. He’d had designs on returning to Minnesota as a conquering hero however Brian Flores’ protection can have different concepts.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (-12.5) over Carolina Panthers
Kudos to the Cats, who’ve salvaged Bryce Younger’s profession and lined 4 spreads in a row, together with near-misses in opposition to the Chiefs and Bucs. Nonetheless, there’s two touchdowns value of distinction between these rosters. That’s if the Eagles are motivated to deliver the hammer down — and they need to be, with DeVonta Smith returning and the push to get Saquon Barkley to 2,000 dashing yards in excessive gear.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS (-6.5) over Cleveland Browns
We received the complete Jameis Winston Expertise on Monday evening — 4 landing passes and 497 passing yards when 5 and 499 would have been sufficient to cowl in Denver. As an alternative, Winston threw an interception, his third of the sport after two pick-sixes. You must marvel how a lot the Browns have left emotionally at 3-9 on a brief week with journey after such a disappointment. And now they face the 9-3 Steelers, who’ve needed to wait solely 2¹/₂ weeks to hunt revenge for his or her 24-19 loss in Cleveland.
Las Vegas Raiders (+6.5) over TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
The Bucs received by a giant margin two weeks in the past on the Giants however that’s been a uncommon prevalence for the reason that starting of October. Whereas the Raiders are 2-10 and have change into considerably of an nameless staff, they’ve two current covers in opposition to the Chiefs.
ARIZONA CARDINALS (-2.5) over Seattle Seahawks
The Cardinals had received and lined 4 in a row earlier than disintegrating offensively in a 16-6 loss at Seattle two weeks in the past. They then blew a 19-6 lead in Minnesota and misplaced, 23-22. So Kyler Murray’s on the controls of a wholesome, offended staff that additionally has a speedy revenge motive in opposition to a Seattle foe that had no enterprise profitable final week’s sport on the Jets.
Buffalo Payments (-4.5) over LOS ANGELES RAMS
The Payments needed to take the cross-country journey after their 35-10 snow globe rout of the 49ers that was punctuated by Josh Allen’s MVP second on the landing he each threw and scored. Are they ripe for a little bit of a lull in opposition to a harmful Rams staff? Usually I’d say sure, however at 10-2, the Payments sit only a sport behind the Chiefs for prime seed — with the tiebreaker — and the potential to get the AFC title sport in Orchard Park will preserve them very a lot .
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (-4) over Chicago Bears
The Bears are definitely a candidate for the new-coach bounce as Thomas Brown replaces Matt Eberflus after the disastrous ending in Detroit on Thanksgiving. Not like Robert Saleh, who was extra a scapegoat, a case could be made that Eberflus was the Bears’ largest downside. Nevertheless, there are damage considerations for his or her prime weapons D’Andre Swift, DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, and the 49ers are removed from out of it within the NFC West even at 5-7.
Los Angeles Chargers (+4) over KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
The Chiefs have the very best file within the NFL at 11-1 and their file in opposition to the unfold is lower-middle of the pack at 5-7. The actual alarms sound whenever you have a look at the final six video games, the place they’re 5-1 SU and 0-6 ATS. Sure, Kansas Metropolis has not lined an expansion since Oct. 20 (Week 7) — so way back, the Mets performed that evening. Jim Harbaugh will look to show this right into a slugfest, and Andy Reid received’t have Harrison Butker round on the finish.
Betting on the NFL?
Monday
DALLAS COWBOYS (+5.5) over Cincinnati Bengals
Cowboys have some additional relaxation after Thanksgiving and can throw at Joe Burrow the healthiest model of their protection they’ve had all season. DeMarcus Lawrence and Trevon Diggs might return to affix the likes of Micah Parsons, Daron Bland and DeMarvion Overshown. The Bengals have misplaced 4 video games by which they’ve scored 33 factors or extra.
Greatest bets: Cardinals, Chargers, Cowboys
Lock of the week: Cardinals (Locks 7-6 in 2024)
Final week: 8-8 total, 2-1 Greatest Bets
Thursday: Packers.
