Phase II of the New York Jets rebuild was complete when the team got its quarterback of the future in the recent draft. Many thought Sam Darnold would be the No. 1 overall pick back in April, but the Jets had their sights on the USC slinger and got him at third. Darnold is competing to be the Jets quarterback of the present and will get plenty of opportunities to show he’s the guy when the Jets take on the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1 of the preseason.
This Week 1 preseason matchup will go down Friday, August 10, 2018, at 7:30 p.m. ET from MetLife Stadium. The game will be shown live on NFL Network.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Atlanta Falcons +3
New York Jets -3
Over/Under 34.5
Odds Analysis
Dan Quinn and Todd Bowles both took over their club in 2015 and their preseason records are nearly identical. The difference has taken place during the regular season. The Jets are 5-1 SU and ATS at home during the preseason under Bowles and opened as a 3-point favorite for this one with a total of 34.5.
Quarterback Rotation
Dan Quinn has tried in the past to get all his quarterbacks some work early in the preseason, and this year shouldn’t be any different. Matt Ryan will get at least one series of action and possibly two depending on how things play out. Backup Matt Schaub will likely play the rest of the first half in a system used the last two preseasons.
Garrett Grayson was third-round pick of the Saints in 2015 and has yet to throw a pass in a regular season game. He has 165 preseason attempts and spent last season on the Falcons practice squad learning the system. He’ll have the edge over rookie Kurt Benkert for the No. 3 job.
Todd Bowles said at the beginning of camp that it’s an open competition for the starting job. Josh McCown is the incumbent as he enters his 100th season in the league. He had one of his best seasons in 2017 before it was cut short with an injury. We probably won’t see McCown on Friday, leaving Darnold and Teddy Bridgewater to split the reps.
The job will be Darnold’s at some point as long as he doesn’t piss down his leg. In order to grab the opening day start, the No. 3 overall pick really has to shine in the preseason. His little holdout at the beginning of camp didn’t help his chances. Teddy Bridgewater is more of an insurance policy considering McCown’s advanced age and injury history.
Coaching History
As good as the Falcons have been under Quinn, they’ve struggled in the preseason. And they really scuffled last year, going winless and failing to cover the line in their four exhibition games. Proving again just how meaningless the games are, the Falcons went on to qualify for the postseason. Atlanta is 0-6 ATS in its last six exhibition games and 5-7 SU and 4-8 ATS under Quinn.
It’s a balancing act for Bowles, who needs to develop a young roster while trying to win football games. And those two go hand in hand. With a roster void of talent last season, Bowles did a masterful job winning five regular season games. The Jets went 2-2 SU and 3-1 ATS last preseason and they are 6-6 under Bowles.
Free ATS Pick
The Falcons are primed to contend in the NFC and their roster is pretty much set. They have some position battles and would like to get Calvin Ridley some routes in the offense. But for them it’s more about reps, timing and staying healthy. Don’t expect anything too exotic from Atlanta in this one.
It’s a different story for the Jets. The quarterback battle is wide open and you know newcomers Darnold and Bridgewater not only want to impress, they want to start in September. And there are young players sprinkled throughout the roster who are trying to make the coaching staff take notice. That could lead to some mistakes, but it also makes for a better product, and the Jets will get the victory because of it.
NFL Odds: Jets 22, Falcons 18
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! This Week 1 preseason matchup will go down Friday, August 10, 2018, at 7:30 p.m. ET from MetLife Stadium. The game will be shown live on NFL Network.
