The home team in this series is 4-1 against the spread in the last five games, and the favourite is 4-1 ATS in the last five games. Those stats definitely favour the Steelers.

However, the Steelers are also 1-3 ATS in their last four games after allowing 17 points or less in three straight games. The Jets are 10-5 in their last 15 games as a home underdog, including 3-1 ATS this year as an underdog of seven points or less.

Of note, the under is a perfect 5-0 in the last five games played in New York, and also 4-0 to the under in the last four meetings overall.

The Steelers were dealt a mild setback to their post season hopes last Sunday night. They fell to the Bills 17-10, but at 8-6 are still holding onto the final wild card spot in the AFC. The Steelers also control their own playoff destiny, win the next two games and they will clinch the second wildcard spot.

First they travel to New York to play a Jets team that is out of the hunt, next week they face the league’s best team and division rival, Baltimore Ravens.

Receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster has missed four consecutive games, and hopes to be back in the lineup in New York. The Steelers are 3-1 without Smith-Schuster in the lineup but generated a season-low 229 yards of offence against the Bulls.

Of note, TJ Watt is the first player in Steelers history with multiple seasons of at least 13 sacks. He’ll try to add to it against the Jets.

The Jets have had a couple extra days rest after playing on Thursday night in Baltimore. The Jets fell to the Ravens 42-21.

Previous to their loss against the Ravens the Jets won four out of their last five games and have shown signs of improvement.

Jamison Crowder has been a good story for the Jets this season. In the off season he signed as a free agent and has put together a very solid first season in green and white. Crowder has 66 receptions for 707 yards and five touchdowns. But more importantly, he’s been a great utility short yard receiver for the yards, always finding an opening for the young quarterback.

Interesting enough, despite playing only in 24 career games, Sam Darnold moved into the Jets’ Top 10 career passing yards list with a 218 yard effort against the Ravens. He is a long way off the number one position held by Hall of Famer Joe Namath.