How do the experts see Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New York Jets on Sunday?
Earlier this season, the Jacksonville Jaguars ended a nearly history-making streak — they avoided their 21st consecutive loss by beating the Miami Dolphins, 23-20.
(Had they lost they would've been closer to the all-time record of 26, set by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.)
But there's still a streak dogging them heading into Sunday's game against the New York Jets in East Rutherford, N.J.
The Jags (2-12) have lost 15 in a row on the road, dating back to Dec. 15, 2019. Jacksonville beat the then-Oakland Raiders 20-16, as Gardner Minshew hit Chris Conley with a 4-yard touchdown pass to cap a fourth-quarter rally and give a boost to Minshew-mania.
In 2021, Jacksonville has only come close to a road win once in its 24-21 loss to Cincinnati in Week 4. But the Bengals won as time expired on former Florida Gators kicker Evan McPherson's 35-yard field goal.
The Jets (3-11) are trying to break a more modest three-game losing streak, and have lost their last four games at MetLife Stadium. They're also trying to avoid the lodestone of the No. 1 pick, something the Jags hope don't land in their laps for the second straight year.
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NFL reporters and analysts weigh in with their picks on how this game will go:
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: Jets, 20-17
The Jaguars haven't done right by Trevor Lawrence with either Urban Meyer and Darrell Bevell during his rookie season as the No. 1 overall pick. The Jets have done their best to lift Zach Wilson under Robert Saleh and Mike LaFleur, but his progress as the No. 2 overall pick has been slowed by injuries and a dwindling supporting cast. Wilson has had a few bigger individual moments than Lawrence and his team is a little more put-together and motivated in a tossup game.
Brad Gagnon, Bleacher Report: Jets, 23-20
I don't care how bad the Jets are. I'm not getting behind the Jags on the road with no points in my back pocket. We're talking about a team that has lost 15 consecutive road games dating back two calendar years. They're reeling on and off the field and have been destroyed in three consecutive games. The Jets at least put up a fight last week in Miami.
Mike Florio, Pro Football Talk: Jets, 20-14
If a game falls in the woods, does it make a sound?
Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Jets, 15-11
This is the last decent chance for the Jaguars to win another game this season because they finish the season with the Colts and Patriots. But, after losing to the two-win Texans, their chances are about as good as Urban Meyer being named man of the year. And that’s saying something when facing the Jets.
Gregg Rosenthal, NFL.com: Jets, 19-16
My picks have been erratic this year, but I successfully predicted both upset legs of the Texans' season sweep of the Jaguars. This has been part of a successful strategy to never pick these Jags because they make me watch them play football every week. Now comes the strategy's toughest test. This is a rare game in which Jacksonville has an edge at quarterback and New York has 17 players on the reserve/COVID-19 list as of this writing, including some of the Jets' best linemen. Still can't do it. Play the hits!
Bill Bender, Sporting News: Jaguars, 23-20
The loser of this game will battle with the Lions for the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Jacksonville fired their first-year coach last week. New York is still playing for Robert Saleh. It comes down to who protects rookie quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson better. In this case, the Jaguars pull the lightweight upset behind Lawrence.
Michael David Smith, Pro Football Talk: Jets, 17-13
The Jaguars are in a march toward their second consecutive first overall draft pick.
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: Jets, 19-14
This is the dog game of the week, with two teams looking to next year. The Jaguars didn't get a bump from firing Urban Meyer last week, and now must head out for a road game in the cold. The Jets have shown some fight lately, which will play out here. The Jaguars don't do enough on offense.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Week 16 picks: How the experts see Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New York Jets
