Jaguars vs. Jets Point Spread: NFL Week 16 Odds, Prediction
The New York Jets have a quarterback question when they host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night to kick off Week 16 in the NFL. New York is a 1-point favourite on the NFL odds.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
Will this game feature the quarterbacks taken No. 1 and No. 2 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft in Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence and the New York Jets’ Zach Wilson? Lawrence will start, but we may not know who is under centre for the Jets until Tuesday or Wednesday.
The Jets were “tanking” in the 2021 season as they coveted Lawrence coming out of Clemson as one of the most touted QB prospects ever, but New York “blew” its shot at the top pick that year with upset wins in Week 15 against the Rams and in Week 16 against the Browns. That allowed Jacksonville to sneak in and steal the No. 1 overall selection and grab Lawrence. New York settled for Wilson at No. 2.
These teams played Week 16 last year in New Jersey and New York won 26-21. Lawrence threw for 280 yards but no TDs, while Wilson had 102 yards with a TD as well as a 52-yard rushing score — the longest run by a QB in franchise history. It was the fourth all-time matchup of rookie quarterbacks taken with the first two picks in the draft.
The home team is 4-0 against the spread in the past four meetings.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville was a complete train wreck last season, and star QB Trevor Lawrence looked lost as a rookie under then-Coach Urban Meyer. As proof that coaching matters, the Jaguars and Lawrence are completely different this year under Doug Pederson as they enter having won three of four and at 6-8 are still alive in the wild-card hunt. The Jags were down 27-10 Sunday late in the third quarter at home vs. a very good Dallas team but tied the game on a 48-yard field goal as time expired and then won it 40-34 on a 52-yard INT return by Rayshawn Jenkins at 6:52 of overtime. Lawrence has been great in the past four games and threw for 318 yards and four TDs in the victory. Zay Jones caught three of those TDs. Jacksonville played without rookie No. 1 overall pick and linebacker Travon Walker due to injury and lost left tackle Cam Robinson during the game. The Jaguars are 2-8-1 ATS in their past 11 on the road.
New York Jets
The Jets are now on the outside of the AFC Wild-Card chase looking in as they lost for the fourth time in five games Sunday, 20-17 at home to Detroit. Mike White had started the past three games under centre, but doctors wouldn’t clear him for Sunday due to a ribs injury so Zach Wilson returned to the starting role. He was OK, completing 18 of 35 for 317 yards, two TDs and a pick. Wilson led the go-ahead TD drive with 4:41 left, but on fourth-and-1 from their own 49 with under two minutes left, the Lions scored on a tight end screen pass for a 20-17 lead. Wilson then got the Jets to the Detroit 40-yard line, but Greg Zuerlein missed the tying 58-yard field goal. Top running back Zonovan Knight and receiver Denzel Mims both left injured. The team’s best defender, tackle Quinnen Williams, didn’t play. Their statuses for Thursday are TBA. The Jets are 5-1 ATS in their past six after a loss.
JAC
NYJ