The players on the field and the coaches might really not care all that much, but you know that the New York media is just chomping at the bit to see which of the New York Jets or New York Giants look superior based on their Week 3 preseason matchup in the Meadowlands Sports Complex.
ODDS ANALYSIS
The Giants are technically the hosts here, but there isn't a real home field advantage on either side. The oddsmakers have pinned the men in blue as 1.5-point favorites regardless, insinuating that these two teams are really close to one another in stature.
The total is set at a seemingly stock 42.5, right around where many of the games are lined for this weekend.
QUARTERBACK ROTATION
Ryan Fitzpatrick was allowed to play a lot longer than many expected last week against the Falcons, but he wasn't the one who stole the show. Rookie Bryce Petty played the whole second half and went 12-of-19 for 168 yards and a TD.
The Jets will very likely let new signee Matt Flynn take some snaps in this one just to get accustomed with the system, but we fully expect to see Fitzpatrick play much of the first half and perhaps into the third quarter as well.
Tom Coughlin will want to make sure Eli Manning gets something positive going after he went just 4-of-14 last week against the Jaguars. Ryan Nassib did a nice job to ensure a victory for New York, but this game is about getting ready for the regular season, and Manning playing well, no matter how long it takes, is pivotal.
COACHES' MOTIVATION
To show just how important this game isn't going to be for Coughlin though, his teams are just 3-8 in Week 3 of the preseason in his coaching career.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"I think pass protection for the most part was good. We had some tipped balls which is not something we want to have happen, but I think we were physical in the pass game, kept Eli (Manning) clean." – Giants center Weston Richburg on a struggling New York offensive line
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH
With an injury to Daryl Richardson last week, the Jets have some real competition brewing in the backfield. Odds have it, Chris Ivory, Bilal Powell and Zac Stacy are the ones who have roster spots nailed down.
With those men being the only healthy running backs on the roster for New York, don't be surprised if Todd Bowles uses this game to throw it a bit more, which will create more big plays and stoppages of the clock.
INJURIES
The Jets had a rough go of it last week against the Falcons. Jeremy Kerley, Richardson, Durell Eskridge, Shaquille Evans, Ben Ijalana and Dashaun Phillips were all knocked out of the game.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The over is the right play here in the Big Apple battle. The Giants really need to get something going for Manning in the positive direction before next week, and the Jets are almost certainly going to let the ball fly a little bit, especially when later in the game and Petty is cleaning things up against a porous defense.
We suspect that the Jets will win this one, but we are far more comfortable with the idea of this game getting into at least the 50s than anything else.
Jets 30, Giants 24
The NFL odds for this Saturday contest were first released by BookMaker, and the New York Giants were position as 1.5-point favorites with a total of 42.5. Now you can wager in-game while the action unfolds with BookMaker's live betting option.
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