NFL Houston at N.Y. Jets Betting Preview - Thursday Night Football October 31

A funeral to begin the ninth week of the NFL season. The burial of the 2-6 New York Jets isn’t official, but undertakers are taking the measurements. The abyss of a 14th consecutive season without a postseason (longest streak in pro sports) is all but a given as Gang Green hosts the AFC South-leading (6-2) Houston Texans Thursday evening.

Making wrong headlines throughout the season. New York began with the expectations of a contender, at least in the AFC East. Then, after a 2-3 start, coach Robert Saleh was fired by owner Woody Johnson, Jeff Ulbrich the interim coach.

Changing the play-caller hasn’t worked, so New York acquired quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ former Green Bay Packer running mate in wide receiver Davante Adams. It ended the impasse with holdout acquisition Haason Reddick as well. There’s still a five-game losing skid, the latest a 25-22 loss at Foxboro to the lowly New England Patriots this past Sunday. 

They’re now 2-6 and, according to their interim coach, in “a moment of darkness.”

Houston, meanwhile, has won four of its last five, including a 23-20 victory over the Indianapolis Colts last out. It was a good bounce-back effort after losing at Green Bay on the final play.

Houston is a scant, one-point favorite (total at 42), according to NFL odds.

New York is leading the all-time series, 7-3. 

Is Wideout Out?

All wasn’t perfect in the Houston Texans’ 23-20 home win over the Indianapolis Colts this past Sunday. Houston lost star wide receiver Stefon Diggs to a third-quarter injured knee.

Diggs did eventually walk off on his own, but didn’t return. He is leading the Texans with 47 receptions (496 yards, three touchdowns), carrying the load with Nico Collins (hamstring) and his 32 receptions (leading league at time with 567 receiving yards) already on the injured list.

Houston didn’t know the severity of Diggs’ injury, at least as of this Monday writing. However, it’s probably wishful to think he’ll return with this short-week game, Tank Dell, John Metchie and Robert Woods now become the favorite targets of quarterback C.J. Stroud (1,948 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, four interceptions).

Newly-acquired Joe Mixon has hit the century rushing figure in four of his five games. 

Season’s Low Point

Sunday’s loss at the New England Patriots was, to this point, the Jets’ low point.

Despite losing prize rookie quarterback Drake Maye to a concussion, then turning to mundane Jacoby Brissett (whose poor play led to a benching in favor of Maye), New England put together a game-winning, 70-yard drive, stunning the Jets with a touchdown in the last minute. 

Just two weeks ago, the Jets spoke of turning their season around, about not panicking and playing football they way they’re capable

Now, it’s quarterback Aaron Rodgers (1,896 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, seven interceptions) lamenting how hard it is to win in the NFL. It never appeared that difficult when Packer Rodgers was tearing apart the league (owning the Chicago Bears in the process).

That’s how befuddled the Jets at this halfway juncture of the season. 

Take the Texans

Houston is odds-on (-550) to win the AFC South, while New York is 9-1 (+900) to win the AFC East, as per NFL division odds.

They’re not a good football team, these New York Jets. Good teams win the close ones. Four losses during this five-game skid have been by one, six, three and three points, respectively.  

Averaging just over 18 points/game, having surrendered just under 21. There’s blame to go around in all facets of this game, even a hit-or-miss placekicker. 

Meanwhile, Houston’s Joe Mixon, well on his way to a fifth 1,000-yards season, should be kept busy against a Jets defense that’s surrendered more than 125 ground yards/game.

In the spirit of the elections, we are endorsing the Houston Texans minus one.