Can the Jets Break Their Curse This Sunday and Finally Secure That Elusive First Win?

Sometimes in sports betting, you find yourself torn between regret and relief—like watching a movie where you both love and loathe the main character. This week, I’m feeling exactly that heading into the Panthers vs. Jets showdown at 1:00 ET. The Bills’ surprising stumble and my decision to steer clear of the Monday Night Football chaos have left me scratching my head—but it’s the Panthers and Jets game that’s really got me second-guessing. Carolina isn’t exactly the trainwreck they used to be, but their erratic quarterback play and puzzling roster moves make you wonder if they’re figuring it out—or just fumbling through another season. Meanwhile, the Jets—well, they’ve been reinventing their identity for years, but wins remain as elusive as ever. Yet, somehow, I’m backing New York on the moneyline. Ever wonder if perseverance finally pays off, or if we’re just rooting for the underdog to break its curse? This matchup serves up a gritty battle of young guns and struggling franchises—who comes out on top might just surprise you… or break your heart. LEARN MORE.

Panthers vs. Jets, 1:00 ET

There are some weeks where you get really frustrated by bets you made and others where you’re really thankful for the decisions. I was a bit of both this week as I was very frustrated by my bet with the Bills because they embarrassed themselves, and I knowingly faded the sharp money that pushed the side in favor of the Falcons. I was also thankful that I stayed off of the other Monday Night Football game, as I probably would’ve taken the Commanders. I may regret this decision in the game between the Panthers and Jets.

The Panthers are not terrible, which isn’t a sentence you could honestly write for the past few years. Carolina is one of those teams that you just wonder about some of the decisions that they make. Within the past five years, they’ve had multiple picks they’ve traded away, a #1 pick as a quarterback, Sam Darnold, who looks great in Minnesota and Seattle, Christian McCaffery, and Baker Mayfield (probably the current MVP) all on their roster. That’s a lot of talent, but only the #1 pick remains, Bryce Young. There have been flashes of good performances from Young, but he has been rather inconsistent. I suppose I can give him a bit of a pass, as it could show growth that he has improved this season. He still has five interceptions this season, and he has 10 touchdowns for the year, so a 2:1 ratio isn’t exactly great. I also wouldn’t call his offensive weapons all that great, so it isn’t all his fault. The Jets have been surprisingly good against wide receivers, but they have allowed six receiving touchdowns to tight ends this season. Tommy Tremble is fourth on the team in receptions and has a touchdown, so he has a bit of a possibility to have a good game here. I still think Rico Dowdle is probably a better option. The Jets have been decent against the run, though.

The Jets are terrible, which is a sentence you could honestly write for most of the past decade. I can’t say it is for a lack of trying. They’ve altered coaches. They’ve added quarterbacks. They’ve tried to adjust a number of combinations in hopes that they could make a lasting impact for the club. It just hasn’t worked out. They have two good offensive weapons and some good defensive pieces, but that’s not enough to make it last. We will see where they go from here, but this team hasn’t found really any offensive luck and has been picked apart at times by opponents. They have been competitive in a few games – the opener against the Steelers, the comeback against the Buccaneers, the game against the Dolphins, and even last week against the Broncos. Nothing has given them a win, though. How can this offense get going against the Panthers? It probably won’t be on the ground. The defense has been pretty strong at preventing touchdowns from opposing running backs. They also have given up just four receiving touchdowns to wide receivers, but another four to tight ends.

I told you at the beginning of this that I probably will regret the decision for this bet. I won’t beat around the bush, I’m backing the Jets on the moneyline. When you look at your schedule, you see your 0-6 with some competitive opportunities that you let slip, this is one that you think you could win. They do have Cincinnati next week, but that’s a road game. You have the Browns at home after a bye week, and maybe the Saints (again on the road) in week 16. Those are the possibilities for a win. The Panthers are 0-3 on the road this season with losses of 16, five, and 29 points. I know the Jets are coming back from London, but I think they’ve been teetering on a win. I think they get it here as the young Panthers are still learning how to win on the road.

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