Pregame Primer: Jets need a win to "save" their season
Everything you need to know ahead of today’s game between the Jets and Chargers.
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What’s Up with the Jets? 🛩️
The Jets face-off against the Raiders tonight in Las Vegas at 8:20 PM
Robert Saleh spoke to ESPN Radio earlier in the week and “plead the fifth” when asked about why the team wasn’t considering benching QB Zach Wilson
OC Nathaniel Hackett told reporters he is “unbelievably frustrated” with the Jets offense, which is averaging 16.5 points per game this season (ranked 30th out of 32)
New York elevated OL Xavier Newman and WR Malik Taylor from the practice squad
WR Randall Cobb was inactive last week in order to give other players opportunities on special teams
Injury Report 🏥
❌ OUT
OL Duane Brown (hip)
OL Billy Turner (hand)
LB Chazz Surratt (ankle)
❔ QUESTIONABLE
DE Will McDonald IV (ankle)
Today’s Game 🗓
Match-up: Jets (4-4) at Raiders (4-5)
Where: Allegiant Stadium – Las Vegas, NV
When: 8:20 PM EST
Where to Watch: NBC
The Odds 🎲
ESPN Analytics: Jets 55.6% chance to win
Line: Jets -1.5
Over/Under: 35.5 points
Postseason Odds: +300
⬇️ from +225 last week
Super Bowl Odds: +7500
⬇️ from +6000 last week
Our Prediction 🔮
Being a Jets fan, at times, can feel akin to being trapped within a Doctor Strange time loop.
After New York lost to the abysmal New England Patriots in Week 3, the wolves were already out for Zach Wilson and this offense. It was the low-point of the young season, bringing back a wealth of horrible memories from this quarterback just one season ago. Entering their match-up vs the Chiefs, everything was on the line and it truly felt as if we were one more “bad Zach” game away from a change at the position.
But, to everyone’s surprise, Wilson had one of the best performances of his entire career, rallying the Jets to an exciting comeback effort against Patrick Mahomes that ultimately fell just short. Despite coming in a loss, the performance was scintillating enough to tantalize Jets fans and this organization to once again dream about the potential being unlocked from the former second overall selection.
The Jets followed that performance up with three straight wins, changing the tenor of their entire season. Then Monday night happened – a performance so abysmal that once again, this team’s season and the quarterback’s career feel like they’re on the brink all over again.
Despite everything that’s happened, we have found ourselves in the exact same position we were in six weeks ago. Not much has truly changed.
The Jets offense has been a mess, and it’s certainly not solely the fault of the quarterback as there have been a lot of drops, bad penalties, shoddy playcalling and less-than-optimal play by a perpetually injured offensive line. It would certainly be challenging for quarterbacks to play at their peak within this situation, but it shouldn’t look this bad. There are plenty of other teams dealing with a ton of adversity, and you’re still seeing back-ups throughout the league put together better performances than what we’ve seen.
Even in the four-game stretch where the team went 3-1, Wilson did not exactly inspire. In those four games, Wilson has thrown one touchdown, one interception, has fumbled seven times and lost four, while averaging 222 passing yards per game. And in two of those three wins, the Jets had scored 12 points or less by the two-minute warning and needed a pair of miracle comeback efforts in order to avoid a loss.
In my head, the Jets are clearly the better team than the Raiders, and I don’t think Las Vegas is going to come out with as much fire as they did last week after firing Josh McDaniels. Still, though, I just have a really hard time trusting this quarterback right now. The Jets offense is averaging 16.5 points per game this season, and over their last three games it’s been just 13 points per game. They have scored one red zone touchdown over their last four games, and it was on a play where the defense allowed them to score.
I’ve picked the Jets to win more games than not this season, and I want to pick them here. I think they should win and could win… but I’m simply not confident in the offense. The defense will come out to play, the special teams will get back on track, but this team simply cannot score points…
Raiders 16, Jets 10.