New York Jets vs. Houston Texans Thursday Night Football, Week 9: Game Prediction, Open Thread

Once again, the NFL decided to put a “New York” team in prime time, giving football fans exactly what they were hoping for. Tonight the New York Jets welcome the Houston Texans to MetLife Stadium Thursday Night Football.

A game that provided plenty of intrigue early in the season now features a talent-bloated Jets team that has decided to derail the season by parting ways with head coach Robert Saleh. The Jets, now 2-6, haven't won a game since Saleh was personally escorted from their New Jersey campus — and they currently inhabit the basement of the AFC East. A team-wide retreat into the darkness with special tea might be just the thing you need to fix whatever's broken.

Or not.

As for the Texans, they arrived at the Meadowlands with an AFC South-best record of 6-2. Quarterback CJ Stroud has found his second season more challenging, but he is playing very well, providing complementary football to Houston's stout defense. Things don't get any easier for Stroud tonight, as he'll have to face the Jets' defense without wide receivers Nico Collins (on IR for another week) and Stefon Diggs (out for the season with an ACL injury).

Despite all that, it seems like a game the Texans should easily win. These Jets are not up to the standard of recent seasons, and their follies are made all the more amusing by the constant meddling initiated by Rodgers in a short-sighted attempt to recapture the classic Green Bay magic.

Buffalo Bills fans should root for the Jets tonight because the Bills could really benefit if the Texans lose a few games. Maybe it's that particular Leaf drink that Rodgers disregards, but the Jets enter today's game as 2.5-point favorites (-2.5) with FanDuel Sportsbook. Crazy, right? Yes. The Jets are actually the favorite because they are the home team in this short midweek game, not because they are obviously better than Houston.

Here's what Rachel Auberger explained about her support for the Jets tonight:

It makes sense to root for the division opponent here, but don't worry – they're the cellar dwellers right now, so a win won't hurt the Bills. In fact, it would be a big help if someone beat the Texans. Because of its Week 5 loss at Texas, Buffalo can't do anything on its own to overtake Houston. So until they're a few games well behind the Bills, we'll root for whoever they play.

The Texans will most likely look to use running back Joe Mixon heavily, while Stroud will have to learn to view wide receiver Tank Dell as his new current WR1. If the Jets want to win tonight, they'll have to capture the lightning in an interim head coaching bottle – and find standout play from players like Rodgers, Breece Hall, Davante Adams, Garrett Wilson and a host of defensive players. Regardless of who plays football for these Jets, everything feels broken. So much for the Super Bowl. This team feels like a bust.

While it benefits the Bills to root for the Jets, I can't pick them to win against the Texans, regardless of their injuries at receiver.

This could get ugly quickly. I'll be paying more attention to the costumes in the audience and of course tuning in to catch Fitzmagic and the always great TNF crew.

Houston Texans 31, New York Jets 20

Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images