Patriots - Jets odds and predictions: Who is the favorite in the NFL week 3 game?
Week 3 of the 2023 NFL season will give us an intense clash in the AFC East between the New England Patriots and New York Jets. There’s a lot in this one.
While the Jets continue to come to terms with the prospect of playing the entire season without their newly signed and now injured star, the Patriots are in the middle of a less than desirable start to their campaign. Both teams need a positive result in this one and the fact they’re rivals makes it all the more intense.
Patriots vs Jets: The lay of the land
When the Patriots meet the Jets on Sunday, September 24th, at 1:00 p.m. ET at the MetLife Stadium in New York, it will be the first time they’re on the road this season following two straight losses at home. While both games were extremely tight, the reality is the Pats fell short on both occasions which means that this is the first time since 2001 that the team has started a season with an 0-2 record. With that said, it would be a mistake to think that Bill Belichick’s men are playing badly i.e., the Jets will have to watch themselves.
Speaking of the Jets, the guys in green are 1-1 after getting abused by the Dallas Cowboys in a 30-10 Week 2 loss. That as you can imagine was a major blow to the momentum that the team had built up following the way in which it picked itself up after Aaron Rodgers’ season-ending injury in the first moments of their Week 1 win against the Buffalo Bills. Nonetheless, it’s clear that there isn’t much to separate these two as they have both got off to clumsy starts and to that end, aren’t projected to be contenders. That’s precisely why we think this one could be full of fireworks.
Zach Wilson needs to deliver for the Jets
With the aforementioned Aaron Rodgers out for the foreseeable future, the Jets will be relying on Zach Wilson once more. Drafted second overall in 2021, you’d think that Wilson would be ready to fill the void, but sadly that’s not been the case. Indeed, it’s hard to consider the time he’s spent in the NFL so far as anything more than a failure. Consider for a moment that the 24-year-old has seen his completion rate which currently sits at 54.2% drop in each of the three seasons that he’s played. The former BYU player is also leading the NFL in interceptions with 4 which is twice the number of TD’s that he’s thrown. This is before we get to his record against the Patriots, which has seen him go 0-4 while completing 50.9% of his passes to the tune of two touchdowns and 7 interceptions. Ultimately, it’s starting to look like a now-or-never situation for Wilson.
The Patriots own the Jets
It’s hard to argue with New England’s record when it comes to the Jets i.e., the Pats have won 14 straight games against the Jets. This is to say that it would take a brave man to bet against quarterback Mac Jones and Co. rebounding from what appears to be an early season slump. That notion is given even more credence when you consider the contribution of the above-mentioned Zach Wilson who has failed to impose himself on Belichick’s charges. Now, it would be unfair not to mention the idea that the Jets despite the issues under center, do actually boast a solid all-around roster, however, the offensive line has definitely struggled. This is to say, that should New England contain the Jets’ ground game, then there is little to prevent them from ending their skate. After all, should they lose, it will be the first time since Belichick took charge that the team has started 0-3. That’s hard to imagine.
Patriots vs Jets: The odds
| Categories | New England Patriots | New York Jets |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | -150 | +126 |
| Picks | -2.5 (-120) | +2.5 (+100) |
| Points Total Over/Under | u36 (-110) | u36 (-110) |
Patriots vs Jets: The prediction
Now, while it’s true that we’ve fleshed out Wilson’s performances or lack thereof, as well as the Jets’ overall record against the Patriots, there’s an interesting school of thought emerging ahead of what promises to be a tight affair, and that’s the end of the Pats’ winning run against New York. Hear me out. Yes, the idea of Wilson suddenly becoming MVP material is a bit much to swallow, on the other hand, maybe he won’t have to. Between the Jets’ capable defense - think Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed - it’s almost assured that New England’s quarterback Mac Jones is going to find it tough going.
While Jones has led the NFL so far in completions with 66, his 5.7 yards per pass attempt suggests that he’s struggling to stretch the field. He ranks 29th in the league if you’re wondering. This is to say that between Gardner and Reed, Jones is going to have some issues. With that, the stage is set for a not-so-predictable finale. Regardless, it seems to us that the Pats will still prove a little too much for the Jets. Truthfully, they need to right here and now. The prediction? Patriots for the win.