Patriots @ Jets NFL betting picks & predictions | Week 3 preview

Patriots @ Jets best bets

Patriots @ Jets NFL Week 3 preview

The New England Patriots travel to face the New York Jets this Thursday night in an AFC East showdown to kick off Week 3 of the 2024 NFL season.

The Patriots were disappointing at home last Sunday, falling to the Seattle Seahawks by three points in an overtime thriller. Led by the run game from Rhamondre Stevenson (81 yards, one touchdown) and Antonio Gibson (96 yards), New England showed some good signs but could not quite match it with a quality opponent.

Jerod Mayo’s men are now 1-1 after two weeks, with the third-best defensive record in the AFC. However, their passing game is a clear problem, with Jacoby Brissett throwing for just 270 yards over the two games.

Tight end Hunter Henry has been excellent with 10 receptions for 127 yards, but the wide-receiver room has struggled, combining for just 85 yards between five players. As a result, it is no surprise to see them as clear underdogs at +225 with Bovada.

The injury report is also a concern. Offensive linemen David Andrews (hip), Vederian Lowe (knee) and Sidy Sow (ankle) are all out, as are linebackers Ja’Whaun Bentley (shoulder) and Oshane Ximines (knee).

It was a different story for the Jets last Sunday as they secured their first win of the season against the Tennessee Titans. Despite a scoreless opening quarter, the Jets were too strong for the rest of the day as running backs Breece Hall (114 yards, one touchdown) and Braelon Allen (56 yards, two touchdowns) ran riot.

With veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers securing his first win for the Jets, paired with the injury to Dolphins star Tua Tagovailoa, the New Yorkers have risen to second in the odds for the AFC East at +200 with leading NFL bookies.

With a much stronger skill-position group on offense and a playmaking defense, they are also clear favourites for this clash at -277.78.

Star linebacker Jermaine Johnson suffered a season-ending Achilles injury against the Titans, while defensive trio Michael Carter (ankle), C.J. Mosley (toe) and D.J. Reed (knee) are questionable. Off-season recruit Haason Reddick continues to hold out due to a contract dispute.

Patriots @ Jets betting strategy

If the Patriots are any chance of upsetting the Jets, Jacoby Brissett and the passing game will need to get going. Their running game can compete, but if the Jets get ahead early, it will be a major struggle to keep up. While the spread of 6.5 points is tempting, the Patriots’ strong defense suggests that the safer bet is taking the Jets straight-up at -277.78 with top NFL bookmakers.

As two excellent running teams face off, expect the clock to run down quickly. Also, the Patriots have been excellent defensively so far, while the Jets are still figuring out their offense with Rodgers at the helm. As such, back this game to go under the total points line of 38.5 at -111.11 with leading sports betting sites.

Jets rookie Braelon Allen had a breakout performance in Week 2, scoring the first two touchdowns of his NFL career. Although Breece Hall will be the main back, Allen still had seven carries and two catches last week, with more redzone touches than Hall. At +333 with Bovada, Allen offers excellent value to get into the endzone again.

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