New York Giants at New York Jets Betting Preview
Both the New York Giants and the New York Jets have started their preseason with a 2-0 record. One of these teams will head into the regular season opener unbeaten after they meet up Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
It’s been a nice start to Brian Daboll’s head coaching career as New York has posted wins over the Patriots and Bengals this season. At the same time, the Jets’ Robert Saleh puts an onus on getting wins this time of year, too, as he’s run his mark to 4-0 in the exhibition over the past two seasons. Oddsmakers have the Jets as -4.5 favorites on Sunday.
Giants Try to Figure Out QB Situation
Daniel Jones is going to have an interesting season playing on the last year of his contract after the Giants declined the team option on the former first-round pick. Jones should go into the season as the starter, but he’s also got a couple of experienced backups in Tyrod Taylor and Davis Webb breathing down his neck.
Jones has had an efficient preseason, going 6-10 for 69 yards in the win over the Patriots and 14/16 for 116 in last week’s victory over the Bengals. He doesn’t have a TD pass, though, and threw an interception against Cincinnati.
It’s not Jones’ fault, but Taylor and Webb have played well, too, and there’s already some whispers of a QB controversy in New York. Taylor threw for 129 yards and a TD in the preseason opener, while Webb was 22/27 for 204 yards and two TD last week.
Flacco Getting the Start
Saleh has said that his starters will play a “quarter to a half” and that QB Joe Flacco would see his first action of the preseason. Flacco will likely be the week one starter with Zach Wilson out, but he’s also entering into his 15th NFL season, so how valuable are these preseason reps really?
We will see Mike White and Chris Streveler get a majority of the snaps at QB after Flacco gets a drive or two. Streveler especially has looked very good the last two games, going 6/9 for 62 yards and two TDs in a win over the Eagles and 8/11 for 119 yards and a TD last week against Atlanta.
While they should be able to trust that Flacco is ready to go for the season opener, what the Jets really want to do is give their young offensive skill position players one more chance to get used to NFL game speed.
Second-round pick Breece Hall is yet to get going with nine carries for 16 yards this preseason, while first-round WR Garrett Wilson has five catches for 40 yards in two games.
Giants at Jets Pick and Prediction
It’s been a worthwhile preseason for Daboll, and the Giants as the rookie coach is not only getting valuable experience but also in some close games. Both of the Giants’ victories have come in the final 40 seconds, and that’s stuff you just can’t simulate in joint practices.
New York seems to have the better QB depth, which is incredibly important in the preseason, and it also makes you wonder why exactly the Jets are -4.5 favorites? That’s too many points in this particular matchup.
Pick: Giants +4.5
