NFL Week 2 Picks: New York Jets vs. New England Patriots

New York Jets vs. New England Patriots
Thursday, 9/12/13, 8:25 PM EST
Opening Point Spread: New England -10
Current Betting Line: New England -11.5
Opening Total: 44.5
Current Total: 43.5
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker

Patriots Jets AFC Playoff Preview — The New England Patriots have had their way with the New York Jets recently during the regular season

New York escaped with a 18-17 come-from-behind victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday, while going UNDER the betting total of 40. “Man, we talk about a resilient group,” commented Jets head coach Rex Ryan. The Jets will now turn their focus on ending a six-game regular season losing streak to the Patriots, which is important to consider when making your pro football picks Thursday night. New York is 6-8-1 ATS as an underdog the last two-plus seasons, with no clear edge in terms of the betting total (7-7 Over/Under).

The Jets are hoping that rookie quarterback Geno Smith can build off his league debut, as he completed 24 of 38 passes for 256 yards with a touchdown, interception and fumble. New York may want to take things to the ground offensively, as New England allowed the Buffalo Bills to gain 136 yards on the ground in Week 1. On the defensive end, the team will have to find a way of slowing down this week’s opponent, as the Patriots have averaged 419.2 yards per game during their winning streak in this series during the regular season.

New England picked up a 23-21 victory over Buffalo as 10-point road favorites—extending its season-opening win streak to 10 games in the process. The Patriots have also managed to win their last 11 games against division opponents, which is important to consider when looking over the NFL betting lines. Since 2002, the team has compiled a dominating 28-5 record at Gillette Stadium when hosting AFC East opposition, with quarterback Tom Brady being the main reason for that success. New England is 2-3 ATS as home favorites of 10.5 to 14 points the last two-plus seasons, with the OVER going 3-2 in that situation.

The Patriots are 26-14 against the Jets since owner Robert Kraft purchased the team in 1994, with Brady completing 67.6 percent of his passes and throwing 13 touchdowns with one interception during the winning streak in this series. New England may struggle in the early going offensively in 2013, as it learns how to play without tight end Aaron Hernandez and Wes Welker.