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This time of year is for the true believers. No, I don’t mean Christmastime, I’m talking about the final weeks of the season when the bad teams are unwatchable to everyone but the hopeless football romantics.
And nothing says hopeless like the New York Jets facing the New Orleans Saints in Week 16. The Jets are 3-11 and the Saints are 4-10; all there is to look forward to right now is where each team will finish in the NFL Draft.
Since a game will be played, oddsmakers have given us a line and the Saints are 6.5-point favorites at home with a total that has settled at 40.5 across the market.
Jets vs. Saints odds, prediction
Between the lines, there are still some important things to take away from this game on both sides. The Saints have been rolling with rookie quarterback Tyler Shough as the starter since Week 9 with mixed results, as to be expected. Shough was the starting quarterback for three of the Saints’ four wins and has been on the winning side of things for back-to-back weeks.
His maturation as a quarterback is one of the few bright spots for a Saints team that has been inept offensively, averaging just 16.1 points per game this season, which is tied for 31st among all 32 NFL teams.
This matchup against the Jets comes at a great time for Shough. The Jets allowed 82 combined points over the past two games, including 48 points to the Jacksonville Jaguars last week. A unit that was once expected to be the strength of the Jets has been unimpressive lately.
The Jets have blitzed at the ninth-highest rate this season, but that has resulted in the second-fewest sacks in the NFL. What’s even more confounding is their pass defense hasn’t recorded an interception through 14 games, which is the longest streak in NFL history.
Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood (44) comes off the field after a loss. Bill Kostroun/New York Post
Betting on the NFL?
It’s hard to have any faith in a defense that brings a ton of pressure but can’t convert those plays into sacks or turnovers consistently.
Both teams are mired in miserable losing seasons, but I think the Saints are playing with momentum right now behind Shough, while the Jets are just hoping to run the clock out. I’m fading their defense once again and expect the Saints to put up some numbers against this listless unit.
The Pick: Saints Over 23.5 points (-106, FanDuel)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Malik Smith has been immersed in the sports betting industry since 2017. He’s a data nerd with a particular focus on the NBA and combat sports. He spends his weeknights in the winter looking for edges on plus-money NBA player props.