𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Primetime NFL games bring in the numbers — and the bets. In an attempt to boost gamer bankrolls, this only occasionally profitable bettor will attempt to stack greenbacks under the lights. As always, fade or follow — that’s up to you.

All bets are worth 1 unit plus the juice. Example: -115 equals 1.15 units wagered. Statistics in this article are via TruMedia, PFF, FFToday or PlayerProfiler unless otherwise stated.

How to watch Jets vs. Patriots

• Venue: Gillette Stadium — Foxborough, Mass.
• Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
• TV (national): Prime Video
• Jets (in market): FOX 5
• Patriots (in market): ABC 5
• Streaming (local): Fubo (Stream Free Now)
• Watching in person? Get tickets on Stubhub

Stefon Diggs anytime touchdown

“Please don’t ask me anything about the quarterbacks.”

On Monday, that’s what New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn messaged to the media. When you’re 2-7 on the season and a punching bag in a city without a football winner, the weekly quarterback inquiry is relentless. It’s warranted, though.

No matter if the sharply regressing Justin Fields performs adequately on Thursday, the Jets-Patriots matchup is bound to be a bloodbath. The gore witnessed will be on par with all 10 “Saw” movies combined.

Those who dare attempt to survive four quarters of action will need a bet — or a dozen — to raise the entertainment value.

A wager on Diggs is this bettor’s reason to watch.

Over a year removed from an ACL displacement, the prolific father-to-be has scored consistently. With a touchdown in each of his past three games, he’s quickly established himself as Drake Maye’s flavor of choice in red-zone packages.

His exceptional breaks and sharp routes often generate considerable breathing room from defenders. Inside the top 10 in red-zone target share (27.3%) and top-20 in yards per route and yards after the catch among qualifying wide receivers, he’s a threat to cross the chalk on short-field strikes or explosives.

His effective toolset, combined with Maye’s precise arm (QB4 in adjusted completion percentage), makes them a paradisiacal pair.

A matchup against the Jets should only enhance their numbers.

Entering the week, the AFC East basement dwellers are a predictable No. 26 in dropback expected points added (EPA) defense. This season, they’ve surrendered seven wide receiver touchdowns in nine games.

Diggs should line up most often against Jarvis Brownlee, a slot corner who ranks No. 74 in pass coverage grade according to Pro Football Focus. This season on 208 snaps, the defensive back has allowed a 75.0% catch rate, two touchdowns and a 105.4 passer rating.

Give yourself a reason to watch. Diggs is a strong candidate to score 6 points.

Season props record: 5-5, -0.43 units

Single-game parlay

TreVeyon Henderson 75-plus rushing yards
New England -9.5

+120 odds

Henderson: Those who spent high draft capital on the rookie running back in August fantasy drafts have seemingly lived three lifetimes waiting for the breakout to arrive. Last week, it mercifully did. Henderson rolled up 147 yards and two touchdowns in a road shakedown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Displaying terrific patience, power and open-field burst, Henderson has racked an otherworldly 6.39 yards after contact per attempt and forced eight missed tackles in the past three games. With Rhamondre Stevenson out (toe) and Terrell Jennings iffy (knee), the hot hand should receive at least a dozen carries. This season, the Jets are No. 22 in rush EPA defense, surrendering 4.24 yards per carry and 104.6 rush yards per game to running backs. In what should be a very positive game script, the former Buckeye gets a win.

Patriots: Jeff Bezos should honestly pay us to watch Thursday Night Football this week. The lowly Jets against the New England Patriots is the worst primetime matchup of the season. The embraced assumption is that New England will slaughter the Jets. The Pats have covered seven of 10 games this season. Still, with the standard line at a hefty New England -13, deploying a safety-first method is advisable. Weird and wacky occurrences have been the norm on Thursdays. And credit to the Jets, they’re 3-2 against the spread in their past five games. Still, head coach Mike Vrabel’s boys are a legit AFC title contender, ranking No. 8 in EPA per play offense and EPA per play defense. New York, meanwhile, is well outside the top 20 in both categories. If the Pats don’t cover the alternate line above, the devil’s teeth will chatter.

Season parlay record: 2-8, -5.75 units

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