The Pittsburgh Steelers are probably going to need to win their final two regular season games to make the playoffs after losing at home in Week 15 and their first of those two contests will be on the road next Sunday against the (5-9) New York Jets. Not surprisingly, the Steelers opened Monday as consensus 3-point road favorites over the Jets, according to Sports Insights.
The Jets, who were beaten handily by the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night, are 4-3 at home this season. Their offense is led by quarterback Sam Darnold, who has passed for 2,642 yards and 17 touchdowns this season on 379 total pass attempts. Darnold has also thrown 12 interceptions this season and has been sacked 29 times.
The Jets leading pass catcher entering Week 16 is wide receiver Jamison Crowder, who has 66 receptions for 707 yards and five touchdowns on the season. The Jets leading rusher after 14 games played is former Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell, who has 676 yards and three touchdowns on 204 total carries. Bell has also caught 57 passes for 404 yards and a touchdown this season.
Defensively for the Jets, safety Jamal Adams leads the unit in total tackles with 64 and has 6.5 sacks on the season, the second-most on the team. Adams also has registered an interception, six passes defensed, two forced fumbles and has a recovered a fumble so far this season. Defensive end Jordan Jenkins leads the Jets in sacks with seven while linebacker Neville Hewitt leads the defense in interceptions with two.
The Jets defense enters Week 16 with 30 total sacks and 16 total takeaways. The Jets offense has 23 total turnovers on the season.
The Steelers and Jets have met each other 25 times (including 2 postseason games), with Pittsburgh winning 20 games and New York winning 5 games. The Steelers are 4-3 against the Jets under head coach Mike Tomlin including one playoff game win.
Tomlin’s Steelers are 1-2 against the Jets on the road since he took over in 2007. The Steelers last played the Jets in New York in 29014 and they lost that game 20-13.
