New York Jets Take On Houston Texans As 5 1/2 Point Underdogs

NFL News - September 8th, 2009 - Written by Jimmy

The New York Jets visit the big state of Texas, as they go on the road to face the Houston Texans in week 1 of the 2009 NFL regular season. The Texans have assembled a young, talented team and there is plenty of excitement surrounding them heading into the 2009 season. The New York Jets fared well most of last year but faltered coming down the stretch which saw them miss the playoffs. Both the Texans and Jets will be looking to get off to a good start when they meet in Houston for this week 1 contest.

The 2008 NFL season did not start as planned for the Houston Texans as they started 0-4. Houston was able to rebound but was only able to scratch out 8 wins after losing the first 4. Houston is talented on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, which is why there hype around a 2009 playoff run. This would be a first for the Texans as they have never reached the playoffs or had a winning record. Houston will be led by QB Matt Schaub and star WR Andre Johnson. Coming off a very impressive rookie season, Steve Slaton will provide them with big plays and speed out of the backfield. Houston is centered around a very solid defense anchored by DE Mario Williams. The Texans also secured LB Brian Cushing in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. Other formidable players on defense include LB DeMecco Ryans and DB Dunta Robinson. The Texans should be a tough matchup for most teams, however they play in the AFC South, a division that includes the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans.

Last season, the addition of Brett Favre brought much buzz around the New York Jets. The news brought much hype from the fans as well as New York media outlets. The Jets started out the season strong, looking as if they were the best in the AFC before ultimately faltering and missing the playoffs. New Jets' Head Coach, Rex Ryan, comes over from the Baltimore Ravens, to help revamp the Jets' defense. In the 2009 NFL Draft, the Jets moved up to the 5th overall pick to select QB Mark Sanchez in a hope to find a franchise quarterback for years to come. Back again is veteran RB Thomas Jones and his back up Leon Washington. Gone is WR Laveranues Coles who left for the Bengals, leaving Jericho Cotchery and Chansi Stucky as the teams' top receivers. Coming with Rex Ryan, to New York, is ex-Ravens LB Bart Scott. Scott along with DB Lito Sheppard are two of the main guys responsible for boosting the Jets' defense. Sheppard will be joining 2nd year DB Darrelle Revis, in the Jets' secondary. The two will be looking to shut down receivers and boost interception rate.

Currently, Las Vegas oddsmakers have the game line set at 5 1/2 points going to the New York Jets with a -110 payout on both sides. 5 1/2 points will be tough for the Texans to cover, but they are more than capable of it. The Texans' big play ability from the skill positions makes them dangerous from any spot on the field. Those looking for straight up action will find that the Jets are getting +205, on the payout, for a win against Houston, in comparison to -245 for the Texans to win. As it stands now, the over/under for this NFL week 1 matchup is at 44 points, which pays evenly on both sides. First half betting has the Jets getting 3 points at a payday of -115. The Texans, giving 3, pay out to -105. Total for the 1st half is right down the middle at 22 points with even payouts.

The New York Jets and new head coach, Rex Ryan, are sure to have their hands full with the Texans. In order to be successful, the Jets must quickly learn to play the defense that Ryan is accustomed to. Look for this game to be an all out war come Sunday at 1pm EST.

Odds found at: Bodog, Bookmaker and DSI Sportsbook

To discuss this and other NFL related stories be sure to check out our new forum at:
https://www.usaplayers.com/forums/nfl-news/