New York Jets giving 3.5 points to Visiting St. Louis Rams

NFL News - August 14th, 2009 - Written by Bruce

The first game of the preseason for the New York Jets marks an exciting day for players and fans. Eric Mangini is now ex-coach Mangini, and Rex Ryan will have his shot at glory, by proxy, through the New York Jets. Quarterback Mark Sanchez is also instilling the field with excitement, as he is expected to perform well enough to constitute his fifth overall pick in the draft. Kellen Clemens, fourth year veteran, will have to share the field with Sanchez, and the QB showdown is going to be a highlight of the night.

On the offensive end, the Jets are missing several key players due to injuries. Mangold, Faneca, and Damien Woody are all going to be watching from the side lines or their hotel rooms, as each one has a game limiting injury. While today was meant to be a test for Sanchez and a warm up for Clemens, the lack of these players could reduce the effectiveness the quarterbacks stylings.

Conversely, the defense for the Jets should be performing at peak efficiency. Coach Ryan was a defensive coordinator prior to becoming head coach, which supplements Jets' defensive coordinator, Mike Pettine. Bart Scott, defensive end Marques Douglas, and Jim Leonhard are all expected to keep down enemy offenses, as they all have experience with one another and the talent to the line locked.

The Rams will have to double their efforts, as they do not have the home team advantage. Steve Spagnuolo will be playing his first preseason game with the Rams, with Pat Shurmur and Ken Flajole as his offensive and defensive arms. The Rams have trained extensively on different situations, most notably the fourth and short, backing the offense on the red line, and conversions.

A few injuries were also found on the Rams, as recorded on August 7th. While minor, these key players may still miss the first game of the preseason. Safety Craig Dahl had been benched on the 7th for an injured hamstring, and TE Daniel Fells was reported to "have trouble breathing." Ankles and knees were damaged with Adam Carriker and Eric Bassey. While these players are expected to be able to perform, they may see the preseason game as an opportunity to rest, and for the Rams to test their new blood.

The odds at BetUS favor the Jets. The Rams have a spread of +3, paying at -105. Conversely, the Jets have the -3 and a -115 pay out. On the money line, the Rams are running +160 while the Jets are at -190. The over/under sits at 33 points, with both lines paying at -110. The Jets are the obvious favored, despite their injuries. The Rams may or may not have a difficult time with this spread.

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