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THE GAME
The Jets (4-9) against the Houston Texans (9-4) at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Saturday, Dec. 15, at 4:30 p.m. ET.
THE WEATHER
The Jets and Texans will be just a few degrees away from a snow game … but it doesn't look like they're going to make it. Temperatures should be above 40 at kickoff but will drop through the mid-30s as the game goes on. There is also plenty of rain sprinkled into the forecast throughout the night.
WHAT IT MEANS
They showed a little pride earlier this week against the Bills, but in the process they blew a chance to gain control of their destiny in the race for the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. They're only one game behind the Cardinals, Raiders and 49ers in that race, though. So a loss to the Texans here and they're right back in it.
PLAYER TO WATCH: DE Leonard Williams
Williams and the rest of the Jets' defensive front will be stretched thin trying to catch and/or contain Texans QB DeShaun Watson. But there's an opportunity there because the Texans' offensive line is not good and Watson has been sacked a ridiculous 46 times this season, including 20 times in the last five games. Twice this season, he's been sacked seven times in a game. Williams, though, has just three sacks this season and five in his last 29 games.
He's only 24, but in his fourth season, it seems pretty clear that he's not at all the pass rusher the Jets once expected him to be. The Jets have already picked up his fifth-year option for 2019 at a hefty $14.2 million, but his future beyond that isn't secure. The Jets have to decide at some point if they want to sign him to a long-term contract or maybe try to trade him, or perhaps just let him walk after 2019. There's a long way to go, but if Williams can't come up with a sack in a game like this, where so many others seem to have no problem getting to Watson, it's another strike against him as the Jets ponder his place on this rebuilding team.
THE PICK
It's nice that the Jets were able to beat the Bills, and encouraging that rookie QB Sam Darnold was able to lead a game-winning drive against them. But these aren't the Bills. Even if Darnold is on his game, the Jets' defense is just not playing well enough to stop a Texans team that is running the ball as any team in the league, and has a dangerously elusive quarterback in Watson. Plus, what are the chances Darnold is going to be on his game when facing a pass rush from J.J. Watt (12 ½ sacks) and Jadeveon Clowney (seven), and a secondary that features Jonathan Joseph and Tyrann Mathieu? The Texans had won nine in a row before a narrow loss to the Colts last week. They're rolling toward the playoffs and the Jets aren't going to stop them. ... Texans 34, Jets 20.
MY RECORD: 6-7
MY RECORD WHEN PICKING JETS TO WIN: 1-4
MY RECORD WHEN PICKING JETS TO LOSE: 5-3