SI Analyst Features Jets vs. Chargers Point Total as Week 9 'Best Bet'

Jets' offensive woes coupled with defensive prowess could lead to low-scoring affair

Recent results suggest scoring will be at a premium when the New York Jets host the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 9 on Monday Night Football.

The Jets' offense has managed only eight touchdowns through seven games this season. They have not completed a touchdown drive of more than 50 yards in length during either of their last two outings. 

The Green & White have also made a habit of settling for field goals inside the opponent's 20-yard line. The Jets rank last amongst all 32 NFL teams in red zone touchdown percentage (26.32). 

Despite a total of only three offensive touchdowns in three weeks, the Jets carry a three-game win streak into their primetime battle against the Bolts. The Gang Green defense has been stout to say the least, limiting opponents to 4.78 yards per play (fourth in NFL). 

The Jets own the eight-ranked scoring defense on the circuit, allowing 18.4 points per contest.  They have stepped up against prime competition to boot. Buffalo and Philadelphia are two of the NFL's top-four teams in points scored. The Jets defeated both opponents, limiting them to 16 and 14 points, respectively.

On the other side, the Chargers' defense has been inept, permitting 5.91 yards per play (30th in NFL), but the Jets' injury-ravaged offensive line is in a state of flux and will have to find a way to neutralize a Joey Bosa-led unit that registers sacks on 8.61 percent of pass rush snaps.

After examining the aforementioned factor, it's understandable why SI Betting writer Kyle Wood likes the "Under" in the Jets vs. Chargers game as a Week 9 "Best Bet." The total opened at 41.0 points but has since dipped to 39.5 according to SI Sportsbook.

From Best Bets and Predictions for ‘Monday Night Football’:

Chargers vs. Jets Best Bet: Under 39.5 (+100)

"The Chargers (3–4) and Jets (4–3) are perfect foils. Los Angeles boasts one of the best offenses in the NFL but can’t stop anyone on the other end, while New York struggles to score and prides itself in its elite defense. ... Unders have hit more often than not for both teams this season and the over hasn’t hit for Los Angeles since Week 2. In a primetime game on the road against one of the league’s toughest defenses, look for that streak of unders to stretch to six."

Wood also pointed out that "fewer than 39 points have been scored in four of the Jets’ seven games this season."

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