‘Monday Night Football’ picks: Bills at Jets open thread

Aaron Rodgers hasn’t missed a start since 2017, but he also hasn’t won a playoff game since 2020, according to Pro Football Reference. Maybe that is partially why DraftKings Sportsbook lists the New York Jets as 2-point home underdogs in their season opener. But maybe Rodgers is also at least partially why the Buffalo Bills are favored by less than a field goal. Aging veteran quarterbacks have a tendency to move around the NFL these days, with mixed success. We have seen the likes of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning take a change of scenery and parlay it into their final Super Bowl ring, but we have also seen guys like Matt Ryan land in unenviable positions, so the results aren’t always great. Are the New York Jets anywhere near being a complete enough team that they can prove to be a revival ground for the player who was once almost unanimously regarded as the most dangerous passer in the league? Debatable, but we will get our first real look when he takes the field tonight.

Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, meanwhile, have gone 5-1 against the Jets over the last three seasons, and will look to get back on track after the Gang Green defense made Allen’s life difficult last year. However, they also weren’t facing a passer who could do what even an aging Aaron Rodgers can do. The defense looks to remain formidable, and the offense has weapons. If they finally have the quarterback who can consistently feed those weapons, I think they can pull out the upset. If nothing else, I predict a higher scoring contest than last year’s sub-40 point affairs.

The pick: Over 45.5 points, New York Jets beat the spread and win straight up

Our picks via Tallysight: