The New York Jets have covered the spread in just three of their past 13 AFC East games ahead of their Sunday opener in Buffalo, Gang Green is just 3-17 straight up overall in their past 20 as road dogs. On the bright side for Jets backers, the underdog has covered four in a row in this series.
Jets star safety Jamal Adams asked for a trade earlier this offseason and got his wish, sent to Seattle along with a 2022 first-round pick in exchange for the hefty price of the Seahawks' 2021 first-round pick, a 2021 third-round pick, a 2022 first-round pick, and safety Bradley McDougald.
Jets GM Joe Douglas insists his team isn't punting on 2020 by dealing its best defensive player: "You're gonna see a team that's very hungry and has a lot of desire to prove that a 6-2 finish (last season) was not a fluke against 'soft schedule.' " While trading Adams was Douglas' choice, he also has lost arguably the second-best defender on the team, linebacker CJ Mosley, to an opt-out. Mosley cited family concerns during the pandemic. The four-time Pro Bowler with the Ravens was limited to only two games last year for Gang Green after signing a huge free-agent deal.
Meanwhile, Jets coach Adam Gase must show progress this after an underwhelming 7-9 debut -- although not having Adams or Mosley won't help (Jets visit Adams' Seahawks in Week 14). Still, thanks to a foundational draft by Douglas, New York could contend in a wide-open AFC East.
But the team faces a brutal opening stretch: at Buffalo, vs. defending NFC-champion San Francisco, at AFC South favorite Indianapolis. It won't be pretty around the Meadowlands if the Jets start 0-3.
Consider betting the Jets +6 in their season opener at Buffalo. New York has won three of its last four visits to Orchard Park, N.Y., and the Jets have covered six of their last seven road openers.
NEW YORK JETS BETTING PROFILE
2019 record: 7-9 (third, AFC East)
2019 against the spread: 7-9 ATS
2019 ATS margin: -0.4
2019 Over-Under: 7-9 O-U
2020 strength of schedule: Second-toughest; Jets' opponents combined for a .533 winning percentage last year (136-119-1).
WILLIAM HILL 2020 NEW YORK JETS FUTURES ODDS
Win total: 6.5 (Under -130)
To make playoffs: Yes +480, no -650
Division: +800 to win AFC East
Conference: +5000 to win AFC
Super Bowl: +10000 to win SB 55
MVP: QB Sam Darnold +10000, RB LeVeon Bell +25000
Coach of the Year: Adam Gase +3000
Offensive ROY: WR Denzel Mims +3300, RB Lamical Perine +5000
Defensive ROY: S Ashtyn Davis +2800
SportsLine Model's projection: 5.9 wins (lean to the Under)
NEW YORK JETS GAME-BY-GAME BETTING TRENDS
Week 1 at Buffalo, 1 p.m. ET: The Jets are 6-1 ATS in their last seven road openers.
Week 2 vs. San Francisco, 1 p.m. ET: The Jets went 3-1 ATS vs. NFC foes in Adam Gase's first season.
Week 3 at Indianapolis, 4:05 p.m. ET: The Jets are 11-20-3 (36 percent) ATS as road underdogs since 2014.
Week 4 vs. Denver, 8:20 p.m. ET (TNF): The Jets got manhandled in their only Thursday night appearance last year, falling 42-21 at Baltimore as 16-point dogs.
Week 5 vs. Arizona, 1 p.m. ET: In the past four seasons, the Jets have only been home favorites nine times, going 3-6 ATS.
Week 6 at LA Chargers, 4:05 p.m. ET: The Jets are 0-3 SU and ATS in the past three meetings.
Week 7 vs. Buffalo, 1 p.m. ET: The Jets are 2-4 SU and ATS in the past six home meetings, scoring a combined 26 points in the past two losses.
Week 8 at Kansas City, 1 p.m. ET: The Jets are 0-7 ATS after hosting the Bills, losing by an average of 14.6 ppg.
Week 9 vs. New England, 8:15 p.m. ET (MNF): The Jets have lost the past two home meetings by a combined 60-13, part of a 7-14 ATS run against the Pats at MetLife Stadium.
Week 10 at Miami, 4:05 p.m. ET: The Jets are 1-6-1 ATS in the last eight meetings.
Week 11: Bye
Week 12 vs. Miami, 1 p.m. ET: Eight of the last 10 home meetings have gone Under.
Week 13 vs. Las Vegas, 1 p.m. ET: The Jets are 8-15-1 ATS vs. AFC foes the past two years.
Week 14 at Seattle, 4:05 p.m. ET: The Jets are 1-6 SU and 3-4 ATS in their last seven December games as road underdogs.
Week 15 at LA Rams, TBA: The Jets are 2-8 SU and ATS in the last 10 meetings.
Week 16 vs. Cleveland, TBA: This is the sixth straight year these teams are playing. Cleveland has won and covered the last two, but last year didn't have to face Sam Darnold (mono) in a 23-3 Monday night win.
Week 17 at New England, 1 p.m. ET: The Jets have lost 11 straight visits. Over the last four, they've been outscored 135-26 while going 1-3 ATS.
Some trends contributed by SDQL Gurus
EXPERT PLAY FROM SENIOR ANALYST LARRY HARTSTEIN (60 percent ATS last year): Over 6.5 wins (-120)
The Jets won seven games last year despite C.J. Mosley's 14-game absence and Sam Darnold's bout with mono. They enter 2020 with momentum following a 6-2 finish and a strong draft featuring massive left tackle Mekhi Becton and wideout Denzel Mims, a 6-3 Baylor product who runs a 4.38 forty and scored at least eight touchdowns each of the past three seasons. There's early sharp money on the Jets' Over, and I agree with it.
SO WHAT 2020 FANTASY FOOTBALL SLEEPER SHOULD YOU SNATCH IN YOUR DRAFT? AND WHICH WR1 CANDIDATE CAN YOU WAIT ON UNTIL LATE? JOIN SPORTSLINE NOW TO GET 2020 FANTASY FOOTBALL CHEAT SHEETS FROM THE MODEL THAT WAS ALL OVER DERRICK HENRY'S HUGE SEASON, AND FIND OUT.
