The New York Jets (2-5) play their only primetime game of the 2021 NFL season on Thursday night against the Indianapolis Colts (3-5).
Coming off an improbable win last weekend against the Cincinnati Bengals (5-3), Gang Green is feeling pretty good about themselves. Meanwhile, the Colts suffered a heartbreaking overtime loss to a division rival on Halloween.
The Jets may have also found lightning in a bottle with backup quarterback Mike White.
So, how does this long-suffering Jets fan feel after last Sunday’s win? Well, all five of my game bets lost and my sports betting bankroll is -$51.23 for the year.
In other words, last week was a perfect metaphor for being a Jets fan. The meaningless win moves New York further away from a top draft pick and costs me money.
Typical.
Let’s kick off Week 9 with my five $5 Jets bets.
Jets getting no respect…not that they’ve earned any
Betting on Jets games may be the only thing more frustrating than actually being a fan of this team. Two weeks ago, New York got blown out by an average New England Patriots team. The following week, the NYJ surprise the NFL world by upsetting the No.1 seed in the AFC playoff picture.
Who are the New York Jets?
Anyone who tells you they have this team figured out is a dirty liar.
But 10.5-point underdogs to an up-and-down Indy team seems a bit much.
I understand the reasoning behind the spread. The Jets are a bad road team and Lucas Oil Stadium has been New York’s house of horrors in the past.
Still, double digits to a team with Carson Wentz under center in 2021 is a bridge too far.
An alternate spread of Jets +9.5 points for +100 at DraftKings Sportsbook is just fine.
Was that a trick or a treat on Halloween in East Rutherford?
The Jets’ offense actually looked competent last week at MetLife Stadium.
The team scored a first-quarter touchdown for the first time all season. The team’s 34 points, 511 total yards and 414 passing yards are all season-highs.
No reasonable NYJ fan or sports gambler is expecting a repeat performance.
However, New York can score on Indy’s defense.
The Colts are ranked 14th in total defense and give up nearly 23 points per game. Indianapolis has only held three opponents — Houston Texans, Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers — to 18 points or fewer.
New York is comparable to those teams but has momentum going into Thursday night.
BetMGM Sportsbook listed +105 odds of the Jets scoring over 17.5 points.
Big plays coming at the Big Oil Drum in Indy?
All of New York City is asking the same question right now: Who the [email protected]*& is Mike White?
The 26-year-old quarterback was impressive in his first NFL start last week. He led New York to an 11-point, fourth-quarter comeback win.
White’s 405 passing yards are the second-most in NFL history for a QB making his first start. After two interceptions early in the game, White tossed three TDs.
He finished the game with a QB rating of 107.9.
Mike White outplayed the 2020 No. 1 overall pick, Joe Burrow. What?!?
The short week works in the Jets’ favor…I think.
Indy won’t have a lot of time to prepare and there is not a lot of game film on White.
Perhaps White can catch the Colts sleeping on a big play early in the game. I claimed a welcome promo with
Bet365 Sportsbook, and I used $5 to take +175 odds the NYJ have the game’s longest touchdown.
Return of ground-and-pound
The last time the New York Jets had a decent running game was when Rex Ryan was still roaming the sidelines in a black sweater vest.
Currently, the team uses a running back-by-committee-style approach.
Rookie Michael Carter, Tevin Coleman and Ty Johnson have split the bulk of the team’s carries this season. Carter was the bell cow last week, rushing for 77 yards on 15 carries. He also had nine catches for 95 yards.
Swing passes, screens and sweeps are this offense’s best friends right now.
Expect Carter to be a focal point of the Jets’ game plan on Thursday night.
PointsBet Sportsbook is offering +1000 odds Carter scores the game’s first TD. My bankroll is in desperate need of a big win this year and this feels like it could be the one.
Same ‘ol Jets
It is so on-brand of the Jets to have a highly-touted prospect on the roster and go out of their way to underutilize him.
Just ask anyone on Twitter or Jets Facebook fan page about what this team needs to do to win and the answer is (almost) always the same: throw to Denzel Mims.
The 6-foot, 3-inch wide receiver was taken in the second round last year and was considered a “steal.”
In 14 career games, Mims has 29 catches for 466 yards. He has yet to find the endzone.
With WR Corey Davis not expected to play because of a hip injury, Mims could get some extra playing time this week.
Maybe this is the week Mims finally finds the endzone. DraftKings is offering +600 odds for Mims to score a TD.
AP Photo/Noah K. Murray