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The Jets-Raiders betting line was listed at -3 in favor of New York after opening earlier in the week at -4.
Sportsbook.com Line & Total: New York -3 (-130) & 41
Opening Line & Total: NYJ -4 & 42
Oakland’s power running game will get its first major test when the Raiders host the Jets and a defense that’s consistently one of the best in stopping the run.
The last time these teams met, in 2009, the Jets ran up a whopping 316 rushing yards in a 38-0 trouncing of the Raiders in Oakland. This is the first road game of the year for the Jets, who went 8-3 SU and 7-4 ATS away from home a year ago, including 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS prior to Thanksgiving. Gang Green’s defense is coming off what was essentially a bye week after getting no challenge from QB Luke McCown and the Jaguars in a 32-3 Week 2 beatdown. Oakland’s defense allowed Buffalo to score five touchdowns on five drives in the second half, as it squandered a 21-3 halftime lead and lost 38-35. Look for Hue Jackson’s team to quickly forget about what could’ve been and focus on playing the Jets in front of a raucous home crowd.
New York is 4-1 SU (3-0-1 ATS) in the past five meetings with Oakland. The Jets ranked fourth in the NFL in rushing last year (148 YPG), but this year they have the league’s fifth-worst ground game, gaining a pathetic 146 yards on 48 carries (3.0 YPC). Shonn Greene is rushing for 2.9 YPC, while LaDainian Tomlinson has 11 carries for 24 yards (2.2 YPC). They really need to improve in this area, especially with their top three receivers slowed by injuries -- Santonio Holmes (knee/quadriceps), Plaxico Burress (ankle) and Derrick Mason (knee). Though all three WRs are expected to play in Oakland. Nick Mangold, one of the top centers in the NFL, will be out 2-to-3 weeks due to a high ankle sprain. Defensively, the Jets have forced seven turnovers this year, and held Jacksonville to 203 yards of total offense last week. This was a huge improvement from allowing 326 passing yards to Dallas in the season opener.
The Raiders offense only gained 289 yards in the season opener in Denver, but improved that number to 454 yards in Buffalo. Darren McFadden has 299 total yards on 5.3 YPC this season. Rookie WR Denarius Moore has done a nice job replacing injured receivers Jacoby Ford and Louis Murphy, who are both inflicted by hamstring woes. Moore caught five Jason Campbell passes for 146 yards (29.2 avg) in last week’s loss to the Bills. WR Darrius Heyward-Bey and TE Kevin Boss are both questionable due to knee injuries. The Raiders defense appears to be healthy, although S Michael Huff didn’t play his normal amount of snaps in Buffalo because of a groin injury. Oakland ranks 25th in the league in total defense (396 YPG) after allowing the Bills to rack up 481 yards last Sunday.
