Raiders open season 4.5 point dogs to Jets

As soon as the schedules came out, the Vegas betting odds quickly came in. And the early line on the Raiders versus Jets in the season opener is the Jets are a 4.5 point favorite in New York.

Part of the Jets being the favorite in the opener has to do with them beating the Raiders in New York just a few months ago. That time it was with Geno (freaking) Smith at quarterback. This season it could likely be with a fresh Mike Vick at the helm.

If I were a betting man, I would bet the under on this one. Vick, for all his hype, has not been any good for quite some time. The Eagles were terrible last season until he was benched in favor of Nick Foles. And suddenly they were one of the best teams in football.

While the Jets were putting up a season-high 37 points on the Raiders defense, that was a very different defense. And while the new defense may have some older players, they will be fresh and at their best in the opener.

There is a good chance the line on this will tighten up a bit by the time the game rolls around. It will certainly change one way or the other. That will depend on how each team looks in the preseason.

For now, the Vegas odds makers (who are very good at their jobs) have the Jets as the favorite by more than a field goal.

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