New York Jets

2005 Stats

2005 Season Summary

The New York Jets entered the 2005 season touted as a wild card playoff contender in the AFC. The Jets were coming off a solid 10-6 season under head coach Herm Edwards, who had guided the Jets to ten or more wins in three of the previous four seasons entering 2005.

Pennington was coming off rotator cuff surgery

A big question entering training camp was the questionable health of quarterback Chad Pennington, who was coming off rotator cuff surgery in the offseason. It was feared that if Pennington hadn't recovered, the Jets could be in serious trouble offensively. It turned out that those fears were quite justified.

A profitable preseason

The Jets were just under sixty-percent against the spread in preseason play the previous five exhibition campaigns entering 2005. The exhibition opener was at home against Detroit , a team notorious for its weak preseason record against the spread. The Jets were installed as 2.5-point chalks and prevailed 10-3.

Next was another home date with the Minnesota Vikings, another strong preseason moneymaker through the years, particularly as a dog. The Vikings had cashed in seventy-percent of the time as preseason pups but were only getting 1.5-points here and it wasn't enough, as the Jets prevailed 28-21.

Next came the intra-Gotham affair against the New York Giants, who were an under forty-percent play in the previous five exhibition campaigns. The Jets were installed as expensive 6.5-point chalks against the designated “home” team and it proved to be a rip-off as the Giants easily won and covered 15-14.

The exhibition finale was at Philadelphia where the Eagles were made 2.5-point chalks. Philly was coming off back-to-back wins and had little incentive and it showed as the Jets blew them out 37-14 to close a profitable preseason at 4-1 both straight up and against the spread.

A difficult start

The Jets could not have drawn a more difficult opening day assignment as they were slated to travel to Kansas City 's Arrowhead Stadium to face the Chiefs in one of football's most hostile venues. The Chiefs had a long history of not only being tough at home, but of being one of sports' better opening day plays and they stayed true to form in a solid 27-7 win as 3-point chalks.

The Jets returned for their home opener against the rebuilding Miami Dolphins who were coming off a shocking upset win over Denver the previous week. The Jets were installed as 5-5point chalks and got the cash with a 17-7 win.

Upstart Jacksonville came calling next to New York and the Jets were small 2.5-point chalks. In a game that was to define their season the Jets lost 20-26 as both Pennington and his backup, Jay Fiedler, were injured leaving the Jets with third string quarterback Brooks Bollinger thrust into the pit for the next game against the brutal Baltimore Ravens defense.

Gamblers correctly overreact

Many times pro football bettors will overreact to an injury of a key player but the Jets game at Baltimore was cause to overreact as they were playing with a bottom shelf QB against one of the league's most reputable defenses. Baltimore was installed as a 7-point chalk, which was somewhat low because of their own offensive woes. The Ravens got the cash 13-3 in a game that easily went under the low total of 31.

The Jets had signed elderly Vinny Testaverde to play QB and he got his first start against the team that drafted him number one back in 1987, the resurgent Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Jets were 3-point home dogs and the total was again miniscule at 31.5. New York scored the upset in a 14-12 win that again went under the total. The Jets had gone under in four of their first five games.

Next was a tough road game against desperate division rival Buffalo , who was installed as a 3-point chalk with another low total of 33. The Bills proved too much for the Jets in a 27-17 win that soared over the total.

The Jets took off for Atlanta to face the NFC contending Falcons who were installed as 8-point chalks with a total bumped up to 40. Atlanta got the cash 27-14 as the game snuck over the number. The Jets entered the bye week at 2-5 both straight up and against the spread with four unders. New York was also 1-3 ATS since losing their top two quarterbacks, as the oddsmakers had not yet adjusted their lines enough.

The Jets were fading fast

The Jets first assignment after the bye was a playoff rematch from the previous season against red-hot San Diego , who was playing well after stumbling out of the gate and seeking revenge for a 17-20 home playoff loss to the Jets in 2004. The Chargers were installed as hefty 6.5-point chalks, which proved to be too expensive as the Jets got the cash in a 26-31 loss for their third straight over.

Back-to-back road games were next against playoff contenders Carolina and Denver . Carolina was installed as an 8.5-point chalk and blew out the Jets 30-3 and Denver was made a whopping 14-point chalk the next week in a 27-0 win and cover. The Jets now stood at 2-5 against the spread since the injuries and had gone under for the second straight week. The Jets were fading fast.

The final nail in the coffin

The Jets limped home to host the hapless New Orleans Saints, who were as bad off as the Jets as evident by their being installed as 2.5-point dogs. The Jets lost 19-21 in a game that was the final nail in the coffin.

Dead men playing

Standing at 2-9 straight up and 3-8 against the spread the Jets traveled to New England and were installed as 10-point dogs against the defending champs, losing 3-16 for their third under in four games. The Jets were now dead men playing which, interestingly enough, brought back some of their value. Now that the general betting public had written them off for good the Jets became a decent value for bargain hunters and went on to cover three of their final four games against the spread and closed with three straight overs after being an “under” play for the first twelve weeks.