PRIME TIME PICK: Prefer Patriots and under to start Week 3

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LINE: N.Y. Jets by 6.5

It’s difficult to ignore the Aaron Rodgers factor as the Jets play their first game of the season at MetLife Stadium. Not including his 2023 debut with Gang Green, when he took just four snaps before suffering the season-ending Achilles injury, Rodgers is 14-1 in home openers with 36 touchdown passes and just two interceptions. The only home opener he lost was on Sept. 9, 2012, when his Packers fell 30-22 to the Niners … Will a home opener snap Rodgers back to his old self, or at 40 is he well beyond that? In going 1-1 this season he has thrown for 167 and 176 yards, while he hasn’t passed for more than 238 yards in his last 10 starts and hasn’t hit the 300-yard mark in his last 23 starts … Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett isn’t exactly going to light up the skies either. He has thrown for 149 yards and 121 yards as New England’s starter … The Patriots should be able to move the ball along the ground. In two games, Rhamondre Stevenson is fifth in league rushing with 201 yards. In two games, the Jets have allowed Jordan Mason (147) and Tony Pollard (62) 209 yards … Jets running back Breece Hall is averaging 103.5 yards from scrimmage in two games but hasn’t really got it rolling with his rushing the ball. Expect him to break loose against a Patriots run defence that last week only had to deal with Zach Charbonnet (14 carries, 38 yards) and the week before Zack Moss (nine carries, 44 yards) … The Jets ended a 15-game losing streak to the Patriots last season with a 17-3 victory on Week 18. They have still lost the last eight games in which they have hosted the Patriots, and to find the last time the Jets defeated New England in regulation time on home turf you have to go back 14 meetings to 2010 … Also worth noting: Teams playing Thursday night following an overtime game on Sunday — like the Patriots, who are coming off a 23-20 loss to the Seahawks that needed extra time to settle — are 5-24 ATS … With defences and ground games prominent, I’m hitting the under hard in a close one.

TAKING: NEW ENGLAND +6.5

DAN BILICKI: NEW ENGLAND +6.5

(O/U 45.5): Jets 17, Patriots 14

DON BRENNAN

LAST WEEK: 7-9

SEASON: 16–15-1

BEST BETS LAST WEEK: 1-2

BEST BETS SEASON: 2-3-1

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