Jets vs Giants NFL Preseason: Can Aaron Rodgers Win the Battle of New York?

Aaron Rodgers will be lacing up his cleats, donning his green colors yet again. Only this time it’ll be for the Gang Green as the Packers legend makes his debut for the New York Jets as they take on the New York Giants.

That’s certainly the story of the day as Rodgers suits up for a new team for the first time in his 19-year career. His start comes against who else but the Giants, a team the Jets share a state and stadium with. With Rodgers set to play with his fellow starters the Jets open as healthy favorites, with Vegas favoring them by six points.

It’s not known yet how much, if at all, the Giants will play their starters. Daniel Jones was precise and close to perfect in the team’s win over Carolina, and there are many roster decisions for head coach Brian Daboll to make. Saleh has all but confirmed that Rodgers will play more than one drive, so the early-game advantage is easily in the Jets’ favor.

The Green and White took a tumble last week after a strong Week 1 victory over Carolina. The Jets lost in Week 2 against the Buccaneers, managing a measly six points in a road loss. Both New York teams now sit 1-1 in preseason games — excluding the Jets’ exhibition in the Hall of Fame game — with Saturday serving as the decider between a preseason winning record.

That winning record doesn’t matter much to either team, but it does matter to the pockets of bettors trying to find value within MetLife Stadium. Let’s dive into the matchup.

Jets vs Giants Betting Odds

Lines via DraftKings Sportsbook. Check out other NFL betting sites for more betting opportunities. 

Favorite Bet: Under 39 (via DraftKings Sportsbook)

Score Prediction

• Jets: 20
• Giants: 13

Jets vs Giants - The Spread

Getting Rodgers for a couple of series or more should all but ensure a score on at least one of those possessions as the Giants test out numerous names on defense. One of those could be Isaiah Simmons, the fourth-overall pick in the 2020 draft, who the Giants traded for on Thursday.

Regardless, the Jets defense should prevail on most possessions. It held the Panthers and the Buccaneers to a combined 13 points, all of which came from Tampa Bay. Carolina went on to put up 19 points on the Giants this past week.

Expect the Jets to bounce back from last week’s embarrassing display. The defense should give the Giants fits all night, especially when third-string quarterback Tommy DeVito faces that fearsome pass rush.

• Our Pick: The Jets narrowly cover a six-point spread, a high line for a preseason game.

Jets vs Giants - The Over/Under

Under, under, and under. Rodgers will be the story of the night, but the story of the Jets’ preseason thus far has been its dominant pass rush which figures to continue against the Giants.

The G-Men have allowed seven sacks in its two preseason games against middling defenses in Detroit and Carolina. They face their toughest test yet against the Jets, who have the depth to hound quarterbacks all night long. 

A line of 39 is representative of Rodgers’ presence, but even the soon-to-be Hall of Fame quarterback won’t get this game to the over. It’ll be a more contested affair between backups as the Jets displayed last week as both defenses take center stage. 

• Our Pick: Take the under, as 39 points is a shockingly high line given the defensive efforts of the Jets.

How to Watch Jets vs Giants

• What: Jets vs Giants
• When: 6 p.m. EST on Saturday, August 26
• Where: NFL Network