Thanks to the NFL, the first day of the American work week no longer has to be resented. The time for MNF has arrived and I can already hear the iconic jingle. Are you ready for some football? Prepare yourself for the 49ers vs. Jets in primetime. Let’s see what the betting markets show for this contest.
What To Watch For
Before diving into the numbers, this bid in the Bay Area offers myriad storylines.
San Francisco — coming off their second Super Bowl loss in the past five years — took nearly every moment of the offseason to address contract issues. As it is now, offensive stars Trent Williams and Brandon Aiyuk have inked new deals and are very likely to play on MNF against New York. Also, reigning OPOY Christian McCaffrey (calf) should be ready for the opener.
The Jets are technically still waiting to commence the Aaron Rodgers era. Of course, the four-time NFL MVP suffered an Achilles injury on his first offensive series of 2023. To compound injury with irony, the player that was pursuing Rodgers when he sustained that injury, edge rusher Leonard Floyd, is now a member of the 49ers.
Naturally, it is strange any time Rodgers goes against San Francisco. As a NorCal native, Rodgers starred at nearby UC Berkeley before the Niners — despite possessing the first overall pick — infamously passed on him at the 2005 NFL draft in lieu of Alex Smith. Fast-forward to this current moment, and Rodgers would love to light up S.F. with young studs Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall.
As for Hall’s college roommate at Iowa State, this will be San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy‘s first NFL campaign with a full offseason under his belt. Football analysts, critics and bettors alike are all wondering what to expect from Purdy going forward.
Entering the weekend, here are the betting lines for 49ers vs. Jets on MNF.
All odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. Game lines may shift upon publication.
49ers vs. Jets Betting
Spread
The 49ers are holding strong as four-point favorites at home.
San Francisco was 9-11 against the spread (ATS) last season while Gang Green went 6-10-1 ATS. Simply, both sides here failed to cover in more than half of their 2023 contests.
Total
DraftKings has the total for NYJ-SF set at 43.5 points. Amongst all NFL Week 1 totals, that number is fairly average (52.5 for Lions vs. Rams is the pinnacle this week).
A year ago, the Niners were the NFL’s third-highest scoring team, churning out 28.9 PPG. Conversely, New York produced only 15.8 PPG, which was fourth lowest.
For the most recent campaign, the 49ers cashed the over in 12 of 20 games played (60%). Meanwhile, the Jets went over their combined total seven times throughout 17 contests in 2023 (41.2%).
Moneyline
New York (+164 ML) is a significant underdog for their opening romp in Santa Clara. Across the way, the Niners are -198 moneyline favorites, which carries a 66% implied probability.
San Francisco produced a 14-6 record straight up (including playoffs) last year. Of course, the Jets are coming off a forgettable football year wherein they went 7-10 outright.
NFL Week 2 Primetime Schedule
Never too early to look ahead to next week’s marquee NFL football primetime tilts …
Thursday, Sep. 12, 8:15 p.m. ET: Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins (-1.5)
Total: 51
Sunday, Sep. 15, 8:20 p.m. ET: Chicago Bears at Houston Texans (-3.5)
Total: 47
Monday, Sep. 16 (MNF), 8:15 p.m. ET: Atlanta Falcons vs. Philadelphia Eagles (-4)
Total: 48.5
Editor’s note: The advice provided by the author does not represent the views of Playboy. Taking any advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. Always use your own judgment when participating in sports betting. Still, for daily bettors, the best insight anyone ever gave me was to stay away from parlays.
