New York Jets (3-10) will take on the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-10) this Sunday at 1 p.m., featured on FOX.
BetMGM has set the odds with the Jets favored by 3½ points.
In terms of performance against the spread, New York holds a record of 4-9 while Jacksonville has fared better at 7-5-1.
The series history shows the Jaguars leading with a record of 9-8, and their last encounter saw Jacksonville triumph over New York 19-3 in New Jersey on December 22, 2022.
In their most recent games, the Jets fell to the Miami Dolphins 32-26 in overtime, while the Jaguars managed a narrow 10-6 victory against the Tennessee Titans.
Offensively, the Jets rank near the bottom of the league, sitting at 27th overall, 31st in rushing, 19th for passing, and 25th in scoring.
Their defense, however, stands out, holding the 4th overall position, 16th against the rush, 4th against the pass, and 19th for scoring.
The Jaguars’ offense is similarly struggling, ranking 28th overall, 26th in rushing, 24th in passing, and also 26th in scoring, while their defense is last in the league, being 32nd overall, 24th against the run, 31st against the pass, and 28th in scoring.
When it comes to turnovers, the Jets have a differential of minus-3, and the Jaguars are at minus-11.
A standout player for the Jets is quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
The seasoned former MVP is coming off a significant performance, throwing for 339 yards and snapping a long 34-game streak without breaching the 300-yard threshold in a regular-season game.
This week, Rodgers aims to achieve back-to-back 300-yard outings for the first time since he accomplished three in a row with Green Bay in 2021.
On the Jaguars’ side, keep an eye on defensive end Josh Hines-Allen, who is just 3.5 sacks away from breaking the franchise record of 55 held by Tony Brackens.
Hines-Allen has been impressive this season with seven sacks, marking his fourth consecutive year with at least seven, joining Yannick Ngakoue in this achievement.
A crucial matchup to watch is between Jaguars rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. and Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner.
Thomas caught eight passes for 86 yards last week and is just 15 yards shy of breaking Justin Blackmon’s franchise record for rookie receiving yards.
Gardner, who missed last week’s game due to a hamstring issue, is expected to play and is on the hunt for his first interception of the season.
Injuries could play a significant role this week.
Jets running back Breece Hall might return after sitting out for an MCL injury and hyperextension, with interim coach Jeff Ulbrich stating that his status “looks promising.”
Cornerback D.J. Reed is doubtful due to a groin issue, and with backup Brandin Echols out, either veteran Isaiah Oliver or rookie Qwan’tez Stiggers could step in.
Unfortunately, special teams player Irvin Charles has been placed on injured reserve with a torn ACL, while kick returner Kene Nwangwu has also joined him after fracturing his hand.
The Jaguars appear to be in relatively good shape with their defense, although tight end Evan Engram is now on injured reserve, alongside three other starters including quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
In the recent series notes, the Jaguars have come out on top in three of the last four matchups and have won two consecutive games against the Jets in Jacksonville.
Notably, New York is amongst six NFL teams with a losing record against Jacksonville.
Statistically, the Jets are officially out of playoff contention, which is compounded by their staggering 14-year postseason drought, the longest in the league.
They have lost four straight games and nine of their last ten, yet have managed to secure two wins against the AFC South teams, namely the Texans and Titans.
Since taking over from the fired Robert Saleh, Ulbrich has seen a dismal 1-7 record.
The Jets have also set a franchise record by losing five games after leading in the fourth quarter, and this has occurred in three matches consecutively.
Quarterback Rodgers has a historic connection with wide receiver Davante Adams, with the two having 79 touchdown connections, putting them fourth all-time for a QB-WR duo.
For personal achievements, wide receiver Garrett Wilson needs just 123 receiving yards to become the fifth player in NFL history to have 80 or more catches and surpass 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons.
Adams, since joining the Jets from Las Vegas, has 40 receptions for 453 yards and three touchdowns in just seven games.
Linebacker Jamien Sherwood made an impressive 18 tackles last week, including 13 solo efforts, a standout among NFL players this season.
The Jets notably failed to achieve a quarterback hit against Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa in a game where he passed 47 times.
The Jaguars’ close game record stands at 2-7 this season, with a disappointing 1-4 at EverBank Stadium.
In the realm of fantasy football, Jets tight end Tyler Conklin has had at least one reception in 23 consecutive games, suggesting he might have a productive day ahead against Jacksonville’s defense, which has struggled with covering tight ends throughout the season.