1 week Ago
Thursday night was more than just a party for the New York Jets and the fans that packed MetLife Stadium for the home opener. In New York’s 24-3 win, it found a blowout win nearly two decades in the making, saw quarterback Aaron Rodgers look his most comfortable in a Jets uniform, and continued its march through a relatively light early-season schedule. Despite the low stakes, the Week 3 victory was an important one.
Anything less than a satisfactory performance would’ve raised concerns about the team’s season-long legitimacy and a Rodgers-led offense. Tyler Schank/Getty Images Instead, New York is a comfortable 2-1, with a winnable game looming in Week 4 when the Denver Broncos come to town. Denver is 1-2 with rookie quarterback Bo Nix under center.
And while the Jets opened as seven-point favorites, per DraftKings Sportsbook, the Broncos looked far better in Week 3 than they had the two weeks prior. On Sunday, dominated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers en route to a 26-7 victory. It was Nix’s best game as a pro, just a week removed from getting “laughed at” by Pittsburgh Steelers defensive backs for the limited playbook.
However, the Jets are still heavy favorites, for good reason. Chief among them is an elite, Robert Saleh-led defense that proved it can get home without edge rushers Haason Reddick and Jermaine Johnson. The Broncos’ offensive line is better than the Patriots’, but New York shouldn’t have much difficulty getting home again in Week 4.
Against a rookie quarterback, that could make all the difference. The Jets haven’t had trouble with rookie quarterbacks under Saleh’s reign and that shouldn’t continue in a week’s time. Further, confidence should be at its highest after Rodgers’ 281-yard, two-touchdown performance.
It goes without saying that the Jets have an advantage under center. But if Rodgers is playing like the star he was in Week 3, it won’t matter how well Nix plays. At home, in a revenge game of sorts for offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, it will be important for New York to get ahead early and put Nix behind the eight ball.
He’s yet to prove that he can beat NFL defenses in a one-dimensional offense, and the Jets are better built than most to hold onto early leads . Related: Rodgers Reveals 'Next Step' for Jets Just last week, fans got a glimpse of how excited Saleh was for a two-score lead. Expect New York to have similar goals in Week 4.
With a total of 38.5, DraftKings is projecting a 23-16 Gang Green win. Anything closer might be a sign of trouble.
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