NFL Week Nine Thursday Night Football: Jets vs. Colts Betting Preview

The New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts are currently on the outside looking in when it comes to the AFC playoff picture. But both teams have a chance to pick up a win this week as they start Week 9 action in the NFL on Thursday Night Football. To do that, both teams will have to overcome their current quarterback situations to reach the level necessary to win in the NFL.

New York Jets

Last week, the New York Jets pulled off a massive upset, beating a Cincinnati Bengals team that entered last week as the top-seeded team in the AFC. The Jets entered that game as 11-point underdogs, but managed to win a high-scoring game against Cincinnati thanks to the surprisingly good play of backup quarterback Mike White. This week, the Jets will look for a repeat performance as a double-digit underdog against the Colts.

It is highly unlikely that Mike White will throw for 400 yards like he did last week against the Bengals. But if he can avoid making any catastrophic mistakes for the second straight game, the Jets could contend as a sizable underdog once again. Being on the road with a short week to prepare could make this a much more difficult task for White, though.

Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts have to be disappointed in the way they played last week, as they had every chance to beat the Tennessee Titans before losing in overtime. In a high-scoring affair, the Colts relinquished an early two-touchdown lead and couldn’t make the plays they needed down the stretch to win. The biggest reason for their late-game failures was quarterback Carson Wentz, who committed two backbreaking turnovers toward the end of the game.

Wentz threw an interception in the fourth quarter from his own goal line, as he was being wrapped up by a defender that was returned for a Titans touchdown. He also threw an interception in his own territory in overtime, which set the Titans up with a game-winning field goal attempt that they converted. If the Colts want to turn their season around, Wentz will need to be better.

Keys To The Game

The biggest key to this game for the Jets will be to continue to be aggressive despite their quarterback situation. Their aggression in the passing game against the Bengals helped them pull off the shock of the season in the NFL so far. If they can play fast and loose again behind Mike White against the Colts, the Jets could have their first winning streak of the 2021 NFL season.

For the Colts, the key to this game will be the performance of their defense. Indianapolis is expected to make quick work of the Jets, but the Jets proved last week that they aren’t as easy an out as bettors might think. The Colts were torched by the Titans’ offense last week, and the Colts will need to be better defensively even if they are playing an opponent thought to be weaker this Thursday night.