More work for me this week. Probably due to Hurricane. Also being forced to make my articles more concise. Hopefully it works out. Feel free to enjoy (and criticize) the read as well as my pick. Love discussing with you Kameraden and BOL
Why You Should Expect Raiders to Cover Large Spread vs Lowly Jets
The Jets travel to the west coast to face Oakland (-13.5) this Sunday at 4:05 PM ET. The Raiders are this week's biggest favorite.
The Jets' offense looks disgusting on paper and it lived down to expectations against a sub-par Buffalo defense last week that had undergone a major overhaul during the offseason. If the Jets have a strength on offense, it's their running game. Nonetheless, former Browns quarterback Josh McCown threw 39 passes last week against the Bills.
The Jets failed to establish the run against the Bills. The Bills, despite ranking 29th last season in rush defense and losing some important run stoppers in the offseason, were able to take away the Jets' rush attack by orienting their entire defensive effort around it.
Without the help of an effective quarterback or of an adequate offensive line that boasts any notable names, the Jets only managed 38 rushing yards. In order to keep up with the Bills, they had to throw the ball. Despite throwing so many passes, McCown failed to reach 200 yards. The Jets lost their top pass catchers from last year and are relying on a lot of new faces. Not only does McCown lack ability, the entire offense lacks chemistry.
The Raiders don't have a great defense, but they don't need one against the Jets. The weakness of their pass rush won't become apparent against the run-first Jets team. Matt Forte is aging and cannot pose the same threat that he did as a Bear. BIlal Powell should be the Jets' star. Last year, he averaged 5.5 yards per carry.
The Raiders have devoted themselves in the past couple of years above all to improving their secondary. Reggie Nelson made the Pro Bowl last season in his first season with the team. The Raiders have also utilized the early rounds of the draft. Gareon Conley was a steal at cornerback for the Raiders. The first-round pick has solid size, speed and length and is most impressive in his ball skills, inside leverage and closure of passing lanes.
The gradual improvement of the Raiders' secondary will allow defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. to be more aggressive and creative in his schemes. Watch out, for instance, for the rising talent Karl Joseph to attack the run game from his safety position with downhill momentum. Against the Jets' anemic pass attack, the Raiders can transcend their normal run-stopping talent and shut down Forte and Powell. Last year, even though their rush and pass yards allowed seem worrisome on the surface, the Raiders improved in creating turnovers and points allowed. This bend-but-don't break defense will stifle a Jets team who, last season, with all of the stars on offense that they now lack, were last in red zone touchdown percentage.
The Verdict
For all of the Jets' inability to achieve big plays and produce touchdowns, the Raiders have the pieces to do just that. The Raiders can put up a lot of points in a hurry thanks to their prolific passing attack that features David Carr, Amari Cooper, and Michael Crabtree. The Jets' secondary is weak. The biggest weakness is Buster Skrine, whose lack of size makes him vulnerable to defensive pass interference penalties and the size of the Raiders' wide receivers. While the season is still young, Marshawn Lynch is looking strong and helps create the kind of balanced offensive attack that the Jets lack. Lastly, note that that since 2015, underdogs of 13+ points are 1-10 ATS.
NFL Pick: Raiders -13.5
Why You Should Expect Raiders to Cover Large Spread vs Lowly Jets
The Jets travel to the west coast to face Oakland (-13.5) this Sunday at 4:05 PM ET. The Raiders are this week's biggest favorite.
The Jets' offense looks disgusting on paper and it lived down to expectations against a sub-par Buffalo defense last week that had undergone a major overhaul during the offseason. If the Jets have a strength on offense, it's their running game. Nonetheless, former Browns quarterback Josh McCown threw 39 passes last week against the Bills.
The Jets failed to establish the run against the Bills. The Bills, despite ranking 29th last season in rush defense and losing some important run stoppers in the offseason, were able to take away the Jets' rush attack by orienting their entire defensive effort around it.
Without the help of an effective quarterback or of an adequate offensive line that boasts any notable names, the Jets only managed 38 rushing yards. In order to keep up with the Bills, they had to throw the ball. Despite throwing so many passes, McCown failed to reach 200 yards. The Jets lost their top pass catchers from last year and are relying on a lot of new faces. Not only does McCown lack ability, the entire offense lacks chemistry.
The Raiders don't have a great defense, but they don't need one against the Jets. The weakness of their pass rush won't become apparent against the run-first Jets team. Matt Forte is aging and cannot pose the same threat that he did as a Bear. BIlal Powell should be the Jets' star. Last year, he averaged 5.5 yards per carry.
The Raiders have devoted themselves in the past couple of years above all to improving their secondary. Reggie Nelson made the Pro Bowl last season in his first season with the team. The Raiders have also utilized the early rounds of the draft. Gareon Conley was a steal at cornerback for the Raiders. The first-round pick has solid size, speed and length and is most impressive in his ball skills, inside leverage and closure of passing lanes.
The gradual improvement of the Raiders' secondary will allow defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. to be more aggressive and creative in his schemes. Watch out, for instance, for the rising talent Karl Joseph to attack the run game from his safety position with downhill momentum. Against the Jets' anemic pass attack, the Raiders can transcend their normal run-stopping talent and shut down Forte and Powell. Last year, even though their rush and pass yards allowed seem worrisome on the surface, the Raiders improved in creating turnovers and points allowed. This bend-but-don't break defense will stifle a Jets team who, last season, with all of the stars on offense that they now lack, were last in red zone touchdown percentage.
The Verdict
For all of the Jets' inability to achieve big plays and produce touchdowns, the Raiders have the pieces to do just that. The Raiders can put up a lot of points in a hurry thanks to their prolific passing attack that features David Carr, Amari Cooper, and Michael Crabtree. The Jets' secondary is weak. The biggest weakness is Buster Skrine, whose lack of size makes him vulnerable to defensive pass interference penalties and the size of the Raiders' wide receivers. While the season is still young, Marshawn Lynch is looking strong and helps create the kind of balanced offensive attack that the Jets lack. Lastly, note that that since 2015, underdogs of 13+ points are 1-10 ATS.
NFL Pick: Raiders -13.5
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