Published Nov 26, 7:23pm ET by
Paul Lebowitz - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Nov 26, 7:23pm ET
Grok AI
Updated Nov 26, 7:23pm ET
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| New York Jets | +2.5 (-106) |
| Atlanta Falcons | -2.5 (-114) |
This is the second consecutive season in which the Falcons have gotten off to a reasonably good start only to collapse. 2025 has been far worse than 2024.
Starting QB Michael Penix Jr. had surgery to repair a torn ACL and is expected to miss at least nine months. Veteran Kirk Cousins has taken over as the starter after losing his job to Penix a year ago.
Against the Saints, Cousins was efficient, completing 16 of 23 passes for 199 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 interception. Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier combined for 114 yards on 26 carries.
What a pass and what a feeling for Kirk Cousins
— NFL (@NFL) November 23, 2025
ATLvsNO on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/XPrUVN67dI
On defense, they sacked Saints' QB Tyler Shough five times.
The Falcons had lost their previous two games in overtime. Apart from blowout losses to the Panthers and Dolphins, they have been generally competitive. For their remaining schedule, they have four games they could or should win.
Will that be enough to save head coach Raheem Morris' job? Arthur Smith got three years and went 7-10 in each.
It will likely come down to how they finish the season and if there are off-field problems that Arthur Blank does not trust Morris to solve.
Atlanta's defense is poor against the rush, ranked 26th in yards per game. That is a Jets' strength, so expect New York to push its running game. The Falcons' offense operates differently under Cousins, with his short, precision passes that were not particularly precise before he was benched last season. But if his Achilles is fully healed, perhaps he will be close to what he was with the Vikings.
ALSO SEE: NFL: 49ers vs Browns Injuries, Odds, & Picks, Week 13 (Nov 30)
| PLAYER | STATUS |
|---|---|
| Michael Penix Jr., QB | INJURED |
| Tyrone Wheatley Jr., OT | INJURED |
| Chris Lindstrom, G | INJURED |
| Matthew Bergeron, G | INJURED |
| JD Bertrand, LB | INJURED |
| Drake London, WR | INJURED |
| Josh Woods, LB | INJURED |
| Billy Bowman Jr., S | INJURED |
The Jets' season was essentially over before the end of September. They have clearly seen enough of Justin Fields and came to the same conclusion the Bears and Steelers did: he ain't the guy.
Now, with Tyrod Taylor, at least they have a competent, veteran signal-caller under center.
Still, they have lost two straight after having won two straight. At 2-9, they will get a very high pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
In Week 12's loss to the Ravens, they jumped out to a 7-0 lead on a Taylor pass to John Metchie. But Derrick Henry scored two rushing TDs, and Baltimore eventually prevailed 23-10.
For the second week in a row John Metchie III extends the #BamaTDStreak which is now at 114 weeks and that is TD 624 pic.twitter.com/R7tBIHpK3x
— Bama NFL (@TheBamaNFL) November 23, 2025
Having traded away Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner for draft picks, the Jets were already looking toward the future at the trade deadline.
The Jets are last in the NFL in turnover differential at -13. Unfathomably, they have only one takeaway this season on a fumble recovery and have not recorded a single interception.
Their season-long numbers in general should be largely ignored, given the trade of two defensive stalwarts and replacing Fields with Taylor.
| PLAYER | STATUS |
|---|---|
| Harrison Phillips, DT | INJURED |
In NFL Week 13 Falcons-Jets, the game is more important to Atlanta than it is to New York. Although New York head coach Aaron Glenn is stressing that the games matter and he is trying to win them all, reality is what it is. They're better off losing to get a higher draft pick.
Falcons' head coach Morris is trying to save his job. It might already be too late, but a loss to the Jets would likely push him off the cliff.
This is an odd game that will have an odd result. The underdog Jets will keep the score within 2.5 points.
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Pick
New York Jets +2.5
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