The 32-19 loss to San Francisco in Week 1 sent Jets fans into a state of total panic.
Despite being without starting running back Christian McCaffrey, the 49ers outplayed the Jets on the ground, racking up 180 yards on 38 carries.
Replacing a quality All-Pro player like McCaffrey is never easy, but San Francisco has a history of success with a variety of backs in its system, and some think this San Francisco team might be even deeper and better than advertised.
So if the 49ers are the strongest team, the Jets, who visit the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, unquestionably deserve to win against a less-than-strong opponent.
Jets vs Titans odds
| team | Spread the word | Money Line | total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jets | -3.5 (-115) | -196 | o41.5 (-105) |
| Titans | +3.5 (-105) | +164 | U41.5 (-115) |
Jets Outlook
Financial incentives and the fear of injury have led to a lack of emphasis on the importance of preseason in sports today.
The 49ers were Aaron Rodgers' first opponent since rupturing his Achilles a year ago, and while there's been a flurry of positive coverage coming out of New York about the quarterback's rehabilitation, nothing can replicate the in-game experience.
The Jets also effectively installed a new offensive line featuring tackles Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses and left guard John Simpson.
The offense committed two turnovers that led to points for the 49ers, but the defensive performance was more problematic given how San Francisco stuffed the ball on the field.
Rodgers at least took some of the responsibility for the loss.
“We can play better,” he said. “We messed up a couple of passes. … I felt like we threw the ball well overall, but we had some chances we'd like to get back.”
Both teams converted six third-down chances and completed 19 of 29 passes, but San Francisco had slight advantages in yards per play (5.7 vs. 5.4) and passing yards (221 vs. 198).
Could the Jets have played better? Of course they could. But this is just the first game of an 18-week schedule. Let's not get too carried away.
Titans Outlook
The Titans' loss was even more humiliating than the Jets' defeat. After jumping out to a 17-0 lead, Tennessee committed three turnovers in the second half, allowed two touchdowns on defense and special teams, and lost 24-17 to Chicago and rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.
Coach Brian Callahan may have made the best statement of the year on Monday when he said, “It was as if we had punted for 10 yards on first down every time. We could have lost that way and still won the game.”
Those comments were hardly a sign of confidence in the offense and second-year quarterback Will Revis, who completed just 19 of 32 passes for 127 yards and a QBR rating of 30.8.
Much of the Titans' success came on the ground, rushing 26 times for 140 yards (5.4 yards per carry), but if Revis struggles in the passing game, the Jets could be more aggressive in packing the box to stop the run.
Facing a Tennessee offense that relies on rushing attacks could be a blessing for the Jets run defense.
Jets vs Titans predictions
The last thing the Jets want is to start the season 0-2. Going back to 1990, when the league introduced the wild card, 279 teams started the season 0-2 and only 32 made the playoffs.
Tennessee is transitioning to a new starting quarterback and head coach, and fans are well aware that the team is in the midst of a rebuild, while the Jets have a roster that is built to win right now.
Jets tight end Tyler Conklin told The Post on Wednesday that Rodgers' message to his team after the game wasn't much different from the one he famously told Packers fans to “relax” after a 1-2 start in Green Bay a decade ago.
Do you bet on the NFL?
Mr. Rogers has always led by example, so his integrity and sense of responsibility will serve him well among his colleagues.
The Jets have some areas to improve on on the practice field, but they should do pretty well against a Titans team that isn't nearly as skilled as the 49ers.
Best bet: Jets -3.5 (-110, bet365)
Why trust New York Post Betting?
Michael Arinze writes for the New York Post and handicappers most major sports. During his betting career, he has won two 15-leg teasers and one 12-leg parlay including eight Little League World Series games. Most recently, he correctly predicted the finalists for the 2024 European Championship and Copa America.
