We’re now less than a week away from the first NFL Sunday of the season. If you’re a Jets fan you’re getting ready for the team’s home opener against the Ravens.
The Jets will be coming off a 4-13 season that still came as a two-win improvement from the previous year. 2022 will mark the second season with Robert Saleh as the team’s head coach, and Zach Wilson as the quarterback.
Sunday’s contest against the Ravens might end up telling us a lot about what this team has to offer this year. Let’s take a look at the betting odds so we know where to place our bets on the most popular NY Sportsbook.
How Can the Jets Stay In This Game?
FanDuel has the spread listed at Ravens by 6.5. Most sportsbooks have this one at 7 or 7.5, so the Jets are a consensus big underdog in this one. Week one spreads are generally thinner because it’s harder to evaluate teams before the season begins. The spread for this game is in a tie for the second biggest of week one.
The Jets biggest off-season drama surrounded quarterback Zach Wilson, whose love life became the subject of the New York media and online memes. Lately, he’s been in the news for issues more related to football. Wilson suffered a bone bruise and a meniscus tear in the first quarter of the team’s first preseason game. His timetable makes him questionable for the team’s week one matchup.
If Wilson isn’t a go on Sunday, the team will likely turn to veteran quarterback Joe Flacco. Flacco, 37, hasn’t been a regular starter in the league in a few years. His years of experience will still provide value for a team that hasn’t had experience at the quarterback position in quite some time.
Because of Wilson’s shaky rookie year and injury uncertainty, don’t expect much of a shift in the spread when a quarterback gets named between now and Sunday.
How To Bet On This Matchup
Jets fans aren’t going to like to hear this, but the spread makes this a perfect Ravens -6.5 bet. Lamar Jackson will be ready to go for Sunday’s contest, and with him, the Ravens have the best rushing attack in football. Last year, the Jets defense was fourth worst in the league at preventing the run. Expect the Ravens to take advantage of that on Sunday.
If you’re a big believer in this Jets team I suggest heading over to BetRivers and placing your bets there. They’ve got a Jets +240 Moneyline, but if you look further there’s something intriguing. If you want to take the Jets to win by a margin of 1-6, you can get +525 odds. The Jets aren’t at all positioned for a blowout victory, making this bet the one to place.
The Jets will be coming off a 3-0 preseason that included a last-second win over their rival New York Giants. They also are coming off a draft where they had three first-round picks.
There’s much more to be excited about as a Jets fan this year than in the prior two. This being said, they’re not in a position to win on Sunday.
