The New York Jets and New York Giants are set to renew their rivalry in the second week of the preseason this weekend, and as both head coaches hold their plans close to the vest we’ll do our best to figure out how this one will go.
With the visitors showing a bit more promise on defense, my Jets vs. Giants predictions will cover how their defense could win out in a game featuring two exciting offenses.
Read below for my free NFL picks for Saturday, August 16.
Jets vs Giants prediction
Jets vs Giants Best bet: Jets +3.5 (-102)
Despite adding some great talent on the defensive side of the ball in recent years, neither the New York Jets or New York Giants’ units had a great season a year ago. Now, entering the new season, evaluators are still not sold on either team’s ability to hang around in games.
Brian Daboll hasn’t yet committed to how much he’ll play his starters in Saturday’s game, but judging by the fact that Russell Wilson and the starters played one offensive series last week, and the first unit played the first quarter on defense, we can reasonably expect his best players to be out there for around a quarter.
That should set up for a fun meeting between the shifty Justin Fields, who had a solid preseason debut a week ago, and the Giants’ very quick group of edge rushers and outside linebackers. Fields carried two times for 14 yards and a touchdown in the Jets’ victory over the Green Bay Packers last Saturday, and he went 3-for-4 through the air for 42 yards on his lone drive.
The Jets’ offensive line looks a lot better with Olu Fashanu impressing and Alijah Vera-Tucker returning from injury. Like Daboll, head coach Aaron Glenn hasn’t revealed the plan for his starters, but it would seem both teams will increase their workload just a little bit – especially with two new faces under center.
The Jets’ rushing attack looked very comfortable in their Week 1 win over the Packers, and now they’ll meet a Giants team that ranked eighth-worst in yards per carry a year ago. Behind Fields, too, Adrian Martinez looked capable of running and throwing the ball, going 11-for-16 through the air with 152 yards and a touchdown.
This new-and-improved line should work together with a bolstered ground game to torment the Giants, and after hanging 30 points on the Packers last week, there shouldn’t be many concerns over this offense. Defensively, things could be a bit harder for the Jets as they move from a brutal quarterback room to a young and exciting one in New York, but I’m much higher on this defense than most.
The Jets were able to at least have some moderate success on this side of the ball last year, even if it was a disappointing showing for a once-elite unit, and behind the starters, they’ve got some very exciting talents who will be vying for roster position, such as Michael Clemons and Isaiah Oliver.
This secondary is still one of the best in football entering the new season, and that should put these Giants quarterbacks — especially the inexperienced Jaxson Dart — under pressure. There’s a lot to like about both offenses here, but I do think the Jets’ personnel on defense is a bit better than the reserves we saw from Buffalo last week. Their defense also allowed 25 points in the win, and they are a clear second to the Jets on that side of the ball right now.
Jets vs Giants odds
- Spread: Jets -2.5 | Giants +2.5
- Moneyline: Jets -145 | Giants +125
- Over/Under: Over 36.5 | Under 36.5
How to watch Jets vs Giants
| Location: | MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ |
| Date: | Saturday, 8-16, 2025 |
| Kickoff: | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | NBC4-NY |
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