NFL Picks Week 16: New York Giants vs. New York Jets

New York Giants at New York Jets
Sunday, 12/24/11, 1:00 PM EST, TV: FOX
Opening Point Spread: NY Jets -3
Current Betting Line: NY Jets -3
Opening Total: 47
Current Total: 47
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker

New York Jets WR Plaxico Burress takes on his former team Saturday inside MetLife Stadium

The New York Giants will be the visiting team in their home stadium when they take on the New York Jets inside MetLife Stadium. The two teams have met 11 times during the regular season and the Giants are leading the series, 7-4, including a 35-24 win in the last meeting as 3.5-point home favorites. Giants head coach Tom Coughlin has been tired of all the talk of Jets front man Rex Ryan, knowing that Saturday’s contest will come down to the players on the field. “Talk is cheap, play the game,” commented Coughlin this week. New York is 7-14 ATS when playing a winning team the last two-plus years.

The Giants are 8-7 when playing inside MetLife Stadium, including a 3-4 mark during the 2011 campaign. New York is led offensively by quarterback Eli Manning, who has thrown for 4,362 yards and 25 touchdowns this season. He has now thrown for at least 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns in seven consecutive seasons. On the defensive end, Jason Pierre-Paul has become one of the most dominating linemen in the league, registering 13.5 sacks and 76 tackles in 14 games.

The New York Jets can improve their home record to 7-1 with a victory this afternoon, which would equal the best mark in team history. The Jets will look to bounce back from a humiliating 45-19 road loss to the Philadelphia Eagles and keep their playoff hopes alive. “There’s a lot of talk going back and forth, most of it driven by me,” commented Ryan about challenging the Giants due to playing in the same venue. Getting the ball into the hands of running back Shonn Greene will be very important, sitting just 59 yards shy of his first 1,000-yard season. New York is 14-7 ATS when the line is between a field goal on either side the last two-plus years.

The Jets defense will need to win this game, ranking seventh in the league against the pass, giving up an average of 205.1 yards per game. New York’s secondary is one of the best in the league and matches up well with Manning and his receivers on the outside. Jets wide receiver Plaxico Burress should be highly motivated for this contest, facing his old team during the regular season for the first time.