New York Jets at Oakland Raiders
Sunday, 9/25/11, 4:05 PM EST, TV: CBS
Opening Point Spread: NY Jets -3.5
Current Betting Line: NY Jets -3.5
Opening Total: 42
Current Total: 41.5
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker
The New York Jets will head to the road for the first time this season when they visit the Oakland Raiders in their home opener on Sunday. The Jets (2-0) have been road warriors under head coach Rex Ryan with an 11-5 record away from home, and they will try to beat the Raiders (1-1) for the fifth time in six meetings.
Oakland nearly started 2-0 with both wins coming on the road, but a defensive breakdown in the final seconds last week at Buffalo prevented that from happening. The Raiders jumped out to a 21-3 halftime lead but saw the Bills come charging back in the second half behind three touchdown passes from quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, the last one coming with just 14 seconds remaining to earn the home team a 38-35 victory.
It was the running game for Oakland that got the team off to a strong start, as running backs Michael Bush and Darren McFadden scored the first two touchdowns on the ground followed by QB Jason Campbell. Buffalo responded after the intermission with a couple rushing touchdowns by RB Fred Jackson sandwiched around a touchdown pass from Fitzpatrick to Stevie Johnson. Jackson became the NFL’s leading rusher after totaling 117 yards on 15 carries.
New York (-3.5, O/U 41.5) will try to exploit the Raiders defensively by running the ball, something the team still has yet to do exceptionally well this season. The Jets got 49 yards on 16 carries from RB Shonn Greene in a 32-3 win over Jacksonville last week, but QB Mark Sanchez was their second-leading rusher with 29 yards on three carries. LaDainian Tomlinson finished with eight yards on six carries and has just 24 yards in two games.
The team’s defense turned in a stellar effort against the Jaguars, picking off QB Luke McCown four times and sacking him twice, including once for a safety. New York is hoping to get to Campbell on Sunday and limit him through the air as well after he threw for 323 yards and two touchdowns against the Bills.
The Jets will be without starting center Nick Mangold, who suffered a high ankle sprain last week against Jacksonville and did not travel to Oakland. That could prevent them from coming close to duplicating the 316 rushing yards they gained in a 38-0 win the last time they met the Raiders two years ago. Sanchez threw for just 143 yards in that game.
New York is 3-1-1 against the spread in the last five meetings with the Raiders, and the UNDER is 4-2-1 in the past seven. The Jets are also 7-2 ATS in their last nine games on grass.
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