Upcoming Match-ups

Odds on the Jets Going 0-16 Only Listed at +290; Is It Worth Betting?

Eric Rosales

by Eric Rosales in NFL Football

Updated Mar 3, 2021 · 12:14 PM PST

New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold
New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold runs against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
  • The New York Jets are the last team in the NFL without a win
  • The Patriots and Chargers are the only teams left on their schedule with a current losing record
  • Read below to see if we think the Jets will finish the year 0-16

If this was ever a season of “Jets gonna Jets”, this has got to be it.

We’re entering Week 8, and the New York Jets are the only winless team left in the NFL. They’ve traded away almost every asset worth a lick that isn’t named Sam Darnold, their head coach is barely hanging on at the helm and prize-at-the-end-of-the tunnel Trevor Lawrence is reportedly not enamored with joining Gang Green.

If that’s not enough, check out how short the odds are for them to go winless this year.

New York Jets 0-16 Regular Season Odds

Will the Jets finish the season 0-16? Odds
Yes +290
No -410

*Odds from FanDuel on October 28

Considering the Jets weren’t even considered as a winless candidate prior to the start of this season, is this the year they put it all together for a piece of historical ineptitude? Let’s explore and see how you should be wagering this.

Just How Bad Has It Been?

While there are many issues, New York’s pop-gun offense they trot out there week in and out is a disaster. In a league where scoring is going through the roof, the Jets are putting up a paltry 12.1 points per game and 159.9 passing yards per contest — easily the worst marks in the NFL. Their running game is a bottom-10 unit churning out 104.4 yards a contest.

New York has broken 20 points just once this season, scoring in the teens twice, and going for 10 or less four times, including a shutout to the Dolphins.

There’s no room for error, and no hope of outscoring their problems. The defense isn’t great, but it’s just in the ballpark of bad, with a bunch of other defenses. While 29 points a game surrendered is eye-popping, that’s tied for 8th-worst in the NFL. They’re giving up 259.4 passing yards a contest, which is bottom-10, and they’re 20th in run defense.

Their losses have not been close, or worse, if you’ve had the horror of watching one of their games, you’ll know that there was never even a point where you felt the Jets were in position to win. Even in last week’s loss to Buffalo, a 10-0 lead was bulldozed by an equally brutal Buffalo Bills attack that used six field goals to win.

There’s no mercy on the slate, either. This week, they’ve got a matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs, who are laying a whopping 21.5 points at some sportsbooks.

Lack of Talent Glaring

Usually, the plan is to keep your best players. But the Jets have been caught in the nether region of clearing out those players in an effort to build culture, not realizing winning, and hence, needing good players, is part of culture building. They traded their most talented player in safety Jamal Adams in the summer, not willing to pay him, and then cut highly compensated running back Le’Veon Bell, not being able to find a trade partner for even a seventh-round pick.

Head coach Adam Gase hasn’t exactly placed his young quarterback Sam Darnold in positions to succeed, either. Bereft of talent and missing time with injuries, Darnold has thrown for 912 yards in five games, with three TD passes against six picks. Backup Joe Flacco was an absolute disaster while Darnold was away. Minus o-line rookie Mekhi Becton, and d-lineman Quinnen Williams, there are next to no promising pieces on this roster.

New York Jets Remaining Schedule

Week Team Current Record
9 New England Patriots 2-4
10 BYE N/A
11 Los Angeles Chargers 2-4
12 Miami Dolphins 3-3
13 Las Vegas Raiders 3-3
14 Seattle Seahawks 5-2
15 Los Angeles Rams 5-2
16 Cleveland Browns 5-2
17 New England Patriots 2-4

Where Will The W Come From?

It’s tough sledding coming home.

Of their remaining nine games, only two teams currently own a losing record. One is the New England Patriots, who sit above the Jets at 2-4 in the AFC East. They play the Jets twice. The other team is the LA Chargers, who also sit at 2-4, but at least look promising with rookie Justin Herbert at the helm.

After KC, they likely get their best chance at a win with New England and LA back-to-back. Let those opportunities slip, and they have winnable but heavy underdog status against the Dolphins (3-3) and Raiders (3-3). It’s the Seahawks (5-1), Rams (5-2) and Browns (5-2) after that, with a final crack at the Patriots in Week 17.

What’s the Best Bet?

There’s a reason why the 2008 Lions and 2017 Browns are the only 0-16 teams in NFL history — it’s hard to lose every game. The Jets’ ineptitude and lack of any fighting spirit gives them a legit chance, but there are a lot of possibilities that we can’t account for, like injuries, the Patriots continuously looking this bad or if Tua Tagovailoa struggles.

So the +290 odds might not be great, but it’s still better than ponying up for little return in the weekly moneyline against Gang Green.

KC is currently hovering around -2200 odds, which makes it likely the ‘Hawks, Rams and Browns enter in at the -1300 range (at least). Gamer teams like the Dolphins and Raiders should probably be in at the -500 area, leaving the best chance at decent earnings with the Patriots and Chargers.

If you didn’t cash in on the Jets’ futility in the lowly battle of New York, or the last team standing props, you’ve probably missed your last chance at real value.

Author Image