NFL betting players have watched coach Rex Ryan make some comments about his New York Jets, saying that they should be the favorites for the Super Bowl. That’s a lot of confidence to show in your team, and now they’ll have to prove it when they head to San Diego this Sunday.
Jets vs Chargers odds – Sunday, January 17, 4:40 PM ET
For the second week in a row, the Jets’ defense dominated in a 24-14 win over Cincinnati, holding the Bengals to 281 yards, including only 110 yards through the air. A lot of this had to do with the job Darrelle Revis did on Chad Ochocinco, limiting the receiver to two catches in two games. Ryan thought Revis was jobbed out of the Defensive Player of the Year award, which went to Green Bay’s Charles Woodson, but he should just be happy to have the premier cover corner in the game. Mark Sanchez was 12-of-15 for 182 yards and two touchdowns in his playoff debut.
The Chargers had a bye week for winning the AFC West, and there wasn’t a hotter team in the league as San Diego won their final 11 games of the season. Philip Rivers led a pass-happy offense, throwing to Vincent Jackson and Antonio Gates, while LaDainian Tomlinson grinded out yards, but the big-play ability is gone. The defense would bend, but not break, usually coming up with big plays when they’re most needed.
Bookmakers odds have the Chargers as a seven-point favorite, and they’ve won their last two meetings with the Jets, who don’t back down from anyone. Sanchez will be back in southern California, where he grew up and went to school at USC. However, the Chargers will do their best to stack the line and stop the Jets’ running duo of Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene. This will put pressure on Sanchez, who may try to do too much in his homestate. Meanwhile, on the other side of the ball, Rivers will be able to deal with the Jets’ pressure, and look for Gates to be a big target as Revis will probably cancel out Jackson’s big-play ability. The Jets have a great foundation in Ryan, a rookie coach, Sanchez, a rookie pivot, and Revis, who is only in his third year, but it stops in San Diego.
Bet NFL football: Chargers -7
