The only people who might think less of the Jets than their fans are the oddsmakers in Las Vegas.
The Jets are 16 ½-point underdogs in Saturday’s game against the Patriots. That is the biggest spread in an NFL game this season, according to Bovada.lv. It is also the most lopsided spread in a Jets game since 2007, when they were 20 ½-point underdogs to … you guessed it, the Patriots.
The 4-10 Jets did not have much to say about being such big underdogs. How could they? It is easy to see why the 12-2 Patriots would be thought of as locks to win and win big.
Do the Jets think it is disrespectful?
“No,” wide receiver Brandon Marshall said. “We’re just playing really bad football right now. That’s it, and the Patriots are playing really good football.”
Jets coach Todd Bowles has plenty of things to worry about. The spread is not one of them.
“I don’t concern myself with point spreads,” he said.
The Jets have not been this big of an underdog since Dec. 6, 2007, when they faced an undefeated New England team. The Patriots won that game, but failed to cover the spread, 20-10.
This spread is the biggest in an NFL game since Sept. 27, 2015, when the Seahawks were favored by 16 ½ points over the Bears. Seattle won that game 26-0.
Bowles still will not reveal whether he will dress three quarterbacks for this game. It would make sense with Bryce Petty still recovering from a chest injury, in case he aggravates it.
Ryan Fitzpatrick will be the backup, but this could be Christian Hackenberg’s first active game. Hackenberg has not played all year and runs the scout team in practice. Is he ready to play?
“If I dress him, he’ll be ready to play,” Bowles said. “If I feel confident in him playing, he’ll be able to go in and execute whatever we ask him to execute. If we get down to the third quarterback, we’re probably getting killed in the first place.”
Bowles said the decision will come down to other injuries and how the Jets need to use their inactives.
RB Matt Forte (shoulder, knee) missed his second straight practice Thursday. Bowles said it could be a game-time decision if Forte plays.
Bowles said he would be OK playing Forte even without practicing at all this week. OLB Lorenzo Mauldin (ankle) and DT Steve McLendon (hamstring) did not practice.
For the Patriots, LB Dont’a Hightower (knee) did not practice. QB Tom Brady (thigh) was limited for the second straight day.