Thursday Night Football Preview & Free Tips: Jaguars @ Jets

The New York Jets will try to keep their fading playoff hopes alive when they host the Jacksonville Jaguars to kick off NFL Week 16.

The Jets were beaten by the surging Lions last week for their third straight one-score loss and are now one game out in the AFC wild-card chase.

The Jets defence has led the way for the team this season and ranks third in yards allowed and fifth in points allowed. For nine consecutive games, they haven’t allowed a quarterback to throw for 300+ yards or a rusher or receiver to go for 100+ yards.

Starting QB Mike White is still recovering from a broken rib so he’ll miss again and that means former number-two draft pick Zach Wilson will be back under centre. He’s had a very inconsistent season but the Jets are still 5-3 in games that he’s started.

“There are quarterbacks through the history of time that needed just a little bit longer to find their groove,” coach Robert Saleh said. “So, when you see Zach, he’s got a lot of things you just can’t teach. For him, it’s just learning the timing and rhythm aspect of it, the intermediate passing game and finding that consistency for four quarters. When he’s in rhythm, and he is hitting on all cylinders, it’s pretty cool to watch.”

The Jags fought their way back from a 17-point deficit for a crazy comeback win against the Cowboys in overtime. It was their fourth win in the last six games, having also beaten the Titans, Ravens and Raiders to go from cellar dwellers to potential AFC South champions in under a month.

QB Trevor Lawrence has been red-hot over the last six games with 14 touchdowns to just one interception and an impressive 111.2 passer rating. Overall this season the Jaguars rank 10th for passing offence. Lawrence led the comeback against the Cowboys and was helped by the Jags rushing attack going for over 190 yards to put them in short-yardage situations to keep the Dallas pass rush at bay. Travis Etienne has topped the 100 yards rushing mark four times this season including last week against Dallas. Overall he’s accrued 917 rushing yards on a very healthy 4.5 yards per carry. He’s likely to be called upon again here as heavy rain and intense wind gusts are being predicted around game time.

The Jaguars’ defence has given up 27 or more points in four of their last five games. Overall this season they rank just 29th in pass defence and 16th against the run. The Jets rank 4th and 11th in those same defensive categories.

The Jags have covered the line in just two of their last 10 on the road and the best play here is to be on the Jets at home with the better defence in a must-win game. The Jets have covered the line in six straight games following an ATS loss.