NY Jets: Game breakdown and prediction for Week 3 at Indianapolis Colts
By Sean Basile
The NY Jets will take on the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium in Week 3.
There’s no spinning it — the NY Jets are a dumpster fire as of right now. The first two weeks of the season have been anything but productive for this team and I wholeheartedly understand the anger Jets fans around this great nation are feeling.
Last week’s game was a losing battle the Jets were fighting. Yes, the San Francisco 49ers had a bunch of guys hurt before the game and even got some key guys hurt during the game, but the Jets didn’t exactly have their cream of the crop available either.
One big component of Sam Darnold‘s game is Jamison Crowder. He loves throwing to him, and really, how can you blame him? Crowder is one of the most reliable pair of hands in the league.
Not having him last week was a big loss for Darnold. Not having him again this week against the Indianapolis Colts is going to be a severe hitch in his game as well.
There’s a lot wrong with this Jets team as it sits today, but one thing I can definitively tell you is not wrong with them is Sam Darnold.
This team has perhaps the worst coaching situation in the league right now and if you don’t think so, just look at the offensive play-calling the past couple of weeks.
All that being said, I love the Jets +12.5 in this week’s game.
The NY Jets might find a way to steal their first win of the season.
Remember last year way back when we heard all the famous sports show guys and gals (or gals and guys if that floats your boat) have a field day with the 0-2 Miami Dolphins when they started with two blowout losses to the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots?
What was it? Something about the worst team in the history of the NFL? How’d that turn out? Wait, didn’t they win 5-of-9 to close out the season? We never really heard the sports folk follow up on their post Week 2 takes.
Similarly, everybody this year is riding the Jets hard. “Worst team in the league” is a phrase so many are spouting. “Fire Adam Gase” is out there too.
Look, we all know Sam Darnold has a pain in the neck head coach who the players don’t really like. We all know said head coach ran Ryan Tannehill out of Miami only for Tanny to be a legitimate MVP contender the following season in Tennessee.
But Darnold is one of a handful of quarterbacks who can win games even with the worst of situations around him. 6-2 to finish the season last year. He had mononucleosis and still went 7-6.
It looks bleak as it sits right now, but his offensive line is actually playing pretty well believe it or not, especially Mekhi Becton.
And you have to admit, as angered as you are at the Jets right now, Darnold’s touchdown last week was pretty sweet. Not many quarterbacks in this league can do that.
Adam Gase is certainly not doing him any favors, but this week’s game is one that is going to turn things around for this team.
The Jets are 4-1 in their last five and 5-2 in their last seven against the Colts, not to mention 4-2 in Indianapolis in their last six trips. The Colts own the series historically 42-32.
Some may call that “not very bad for the Jets” considering the rich history the Colts have. Sam has also already beaten the Colts before.
To me, this is clearly a game everybody is sleeping on. The Colts just dominated the Minnesota Vikings while the Jets couldn’t beat San Francisco’s B-team.
The Colts are riding high and their defense is playing very well. First in yards per game allowed. Fist in passing yards per game allowed. Fifth in rushing yards per game allowed. Third in sacks.
But at the same time, didn’t Gardner Minshew light them up for three touchdowns on 19-of-20 passing?
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The Colts are one of my sleeper teams this year. They’re very good on both sides of their defensive and offensive fronts. But I think everybody, including the Colts, is going to take Sam Darnold and the measly Jets lightly.
Keep an eye out for this — the Jets are top-10 right now in sacks with six. Who’s probably the most immobile quarterback in football today? One Mr. Philip Rivers. Quinnen Williams is off to a pretty strong start, is he not?
Who was also run out of town because he had a touchdown to interception ratio of 23-to-20…….and who also already has three interceptions this year? That would be Mr. Philip Rivers as well. The Jets have three takeaways this year. Marcus Maye is a pretty good safety, is he not?
I think we’re going to see the Jets defense show up this week and Sam Darnold is going to make do with what he has at his disposal in the passing game to will this team to its first victory.
I have the Jets 27-21 in this game upsetting the Rivers and the Colts. At the very least, that 12.5 point spread is too good to pass up. Jets +12.5 seems like easy money to me.
I think they win outright as well. Insert shrugging emoji.