Published Dec 15, 1:43pm ET by
Paul Lebowitz - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Dec 15, 1:43pm ET
Grok AI
Updated Dec 15, 1:43pm ET
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|---|---|
| New Orleans Saints | -4 (-116) |
| New York Jets | +4 (-104) |
After the Jaguars ran up and down the field on the Jets' defense, New York head coach Aaron Glenn fired defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.
There's no defending Wilks. The Jets' defense is near the bottom of the league in every meaningful category. In a mind-boggling stat, they still don't have an interception this season.
Lawrence looked like Tom Brady against the Jets, throwing 5 TD passes and rushing for another with a passer rating of 136.7.
This guy Trevor Lawrence is pretty good at football.
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) December 14, 2025
RT to #ProBowlVote!#NYJvsJAX on CBSpic.twitter.com/0aRrNO8Ase
While changing the defensive coordinator is a cosmetic maneuver with three games left in the season, it speaks to the likelihood of significant changes on New York's staff this offseason.
The Jets were forced to start rookie Brady Cook at QB with both Tyrod Taylor and Justin Fields injured. He was 22 for 33 with his 1st career NFL TD pass. But he was picked off three times. The Jags held Breece Hall to 23 yards on the ground, mitigating New York's lone strength in the running game.
As they head to New Orleans, the Jets are -17 in takeaway differential. While Taylor and Fields are still hurt, at this point, they might as well look at Cook and try to get the highest draft pick possible. They will spend the offseason assessing college QBs and checking in with the Bengals to see if Joe Burrow wants out. The Jets now have the picks to get something of that magnitude done.
| PLAYER | STATUS |
|---|---|
| Tyrod Taylor, QB | INJURED |
| Justin Fields, QB | INJURED |
| Mason Taylor, TE | INJURED |
| Kiko Mauigoa, LB | INJURED |
New Orleans' 2025 season, when looked at in retrospect a few years from now, might be seen in a positive light. With the schedule exceedingly weak for the final three games, facing the Jets, Titans, and Falcons, the Saints could finish at 7-10, winning their final five games.
Yes, that would lower their draft position, but they might — might — have found their QB in Tyler Shough. Facing a Panthers team that needed to win this game to boost its playoff hopes, Shough completed 24 of 32 passes for 272 yards with 1 TD pass and a 110.4 passer rating.
Tyler Shough 24/32, 304 Total YDS, 1 TD vs CAR Today.
— Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) December 15, 2025
Clutch.pic.twitter.com/HMIImLjeBi https://t.co/JsCPkTf8tb
The week before, they beat the Bucs 24-20. Whether the Bucs or Panthers win the war of attrition that is the NFC South, the loser will point to the loss to New Orleans as a key reason for their failure.
The Saints are 6th in the league in defensive passing yards per game. They have multiple holes to fill, particularly on defense and their pass rush. They need to get younger. But they do have pieces with Shough, Kool-Aid McKinstry, Chris Olave, and veteran Alvin Kamara.
They're not playing for draft picks; they're playing to win. That's a positive on rookie head coach Kellen Moore's ledger.
| PLAYER | STATUS |
|---|---|
| Asim Richards, OT | INJURED |
| Justin Reid, S | INJURED |
| Alvin Kamara, RB | INJURED |
Week 16 Jets-Saints is a tale of two rebuilding teams with different agendas. New York traded away several good players at the trade deadline in exchange for high draft picks. With Sauce Gardner hurt for the collapsing Colts and the Cowboys fading with Quinnen Williams, that seems to have been a rare New York victory this season. The changes have expanded to the coaching staff with Glenn firing Wilks.
Even against the Saints, it's unreasonable to expect rookie QB Brady Cook to carry the Jets. New Orleans is trying to win. They've damaged both NFC South division title contenders in the past two weeks and have their eye on a moderately respectable record given the circumstances. They will cover the spread at home against the Jets.
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Pick
New Orleans Saints -4
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