Jets at Texans Week 12 Preview: Who to watch, odds, best bets

ESNY previews the upcoming Jets-Texans Week 12 matchup out in Houston.

He’s back.

Zach Wilson will be returning to the game field for the first time since Week 7. The rookie Jets quarterback suffered a PCL sprain in that loss to New England and subsequently missed Weeks 8-11.

In his absence, the Jets experienced a phenomenal win over the Bengals that included a sensational performance from Mike White, a loss to Buffalo in which White threw four picks, and Joe Flacco’s first start since last season.

There was also somewhat of a quarterback controversy stirred up by fans following White’s 405 yards and three touchdowns against Cincinnati.

However, we’ve stumbled upon some normalcy — Wilson is back in the starting lineup and will attempt to make his presence felt against a putrid Texans team.

Game Info

New York Jets (2-8) @ Houston Texans (2-8)
Sunday, Nov. 28, 2021 — 1:00 PM ET
TV: CBS
Radio: ESPN NY 98.7FM

Odds

Notable Game Props
(Courtesy DraftKings Sportsbook)

• Jets Total Points: Over-21.5 (-110), Under-21.5 (-120)
• Texans Total Points: Over-23.5 (-120), Under-23.5 (-110)
• First Team to Score: Jets (-110), Texans (-120)
• Last Team to Score: Jets (-110), Texans (-120)
• Jets Total TDs: Over-2.5 (+120), Under-2.5 (-160)
• Texans Total TDs: Over-2.5 (-130), Under-2.5 (-110)

Player Prop Picks (Courtesy DraftKings Sportsbook)

Tyrod Taylor Over-225.5 Passing Yards (-115)

This Jets secondary has been putrid for much of 2021 and is last in the league with 282.2 passing yards allowed per game.

The team is really noticing the absence of safety Marcus Maye, who’s out for the year with a torn Achilles.

Having said all that, expect veteran Texans quarterback Tyrod Taylor to surpass 225.5 yards through the air.

Taylor has thrown for over 225.5 yards in two of his four appearances this season.

Tevin Coleman Over-9.5 Rushing Attempts (-120)

This is Wilson’s first game in over a month — the Jets must run the ball effectively in order to take pressure off the young quarterback.

With that said, bettors should expect veteran running back Tevin Coleman to earn a number of chances to produce, which should lead to his rushing-attempt total exceeding 9.5.

Running back Michael Carter is also out with a low-grade ankle sprain (the Jets placed him on injured reserve Saturday), so Coleman is set to see an enhanced role.

Zach Wilson Under 34.5 Pass Attempts (-120)

We just mentioned how the Jets may look to take pressure off Zach Wilson due to the fact he’s returning to the field after a four-game absence. The Jets could potentially run the ball a significant amount because of this game plan (which is why we told you to bet on the over for Tevin Coleman’s rushing-attempt total).

There’s a good chance Wilson sits under 34.5 pass attempts for the day — he’s also only surpassed this total in two of six games this year.

Odds and prop bets courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. Get up to $1,050 with a deposit bonus and free bet when you click here.

Players to Watch

Zach Wilson

The Jets’ rookie quarterback returns to the field (and spotlight) against the Texans. He missed four straight games following a PCL sprain suffered in Week 7 and will be looking to lead the Jets to their first victory since Week 8.

Prior to the injury and missed time, Wilson dealt with turnover issues — he’s thrown nine picks in six games this season.

Could he begin to fix this problem against Houston on Sunday afternoon and put together a get-right game in his return?

Jets run game

Wilson hasn’t played in over a month — the Jets will need to succeed in the run game in order to take pressure off the rookie signal-caller.

However, it’s unclear if the Jets are legitimately up for the task amid the absence of running back Michael Carter. New York placed the rookie on injured reserve Saturday after he suffered a low-grade ankle sprain against Miami last Sunday. He’ll now miss at least the next three games.

Will Tevin Coleman, Ty Johnson, and potentially La’Mical Perine step up and succeed for Gang Green on the ground?

Elijah Moore

Rookie wide receiver Elijah Moore has recently come into his own, catching four touchdown passes in the last three games. In the most recent loss to the Dolphins, Moore racked up 141 receiving yards, the most from a Jets rookie in a single game since Rob Moore gained 175 yards through the air against the Patriots in 1990.

However, none of the aforementioned stats were with Wilson throwing Moore the ball.

It’ll be an interesting storyline to see if Elijah can continue improving with Wilson under center. Can the two begin to form that on-field connection many Jets fans were hoping to see at the start of the season?

Follow Ryan Honey on Twitter: @RyanHoneyESNY

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