The New York Giants and New York Jets square off in Week 3 of the NFL preseason tonight. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. The game will broadcast live on NFL+.
The Giants are 3-point favorites over the Jets on the spread (Giants -3), with the over/under set at 36.5 total points. The Giants are -156 moneyline favorites to win outright, while the Jets are +132 underdogs to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Giants vs. Jets predictions and NFL picks for Friday, August 28.
My Giants vs Jets Prediction
- Giants vs Jets pick: Jets +3 (-105)
My Giants vs. Jets best bet is on the Jets to cover the spread (+3), with the best price currently available at FanDuel. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NFL odds page.
Giants vs Jets Odds
| Giants Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3 -115 | 36.5 -115o / -105u | -156 |
| Jets Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3 -105 | 36.5 -115o / -105u | +132 |
Giants vs Jets NFL Preseason Preview
New York Giants Betting Preview: Protect Top 2 QBs
The New York Giants split their first two preseason contests, suffering a 13-10 loss to the Vikings before bouncing back with a 26-3 victory over the Dolphins.
Giants head coach John Harbaugh remains undecided on whether starting quarterback Jaxson Dart will see the field for Friday’s finale. However, even if Dart does suit up, we should expect very limited action from him and the starters.
Following a rookie season in which Dart struggled to protect himself and frequently visited the blue medical tent, the backup quarterback position carries massive importance for this Giants team.
Jameis Winston is entering his 12th NFL season and has already done more than enough to secure his role as QB2.
If Winston were slated to play this entire game, the Giants would likely be the side to back. He has been efficient, completing 23-of-30 passes for 239 yards while avoiding any turnovers in the preseason.
But with Harbaugh needing to prioritize the health of his top two quarterbacks, there is a strong chance we see little, if any, action from Dart and Winston in this game.
Instead, the Giants will rely on a heavy dose of Brandon Allen, likely with a sprinkle of Jake Haener.
The drop-off from Winston to Allen has been steep.
In his two preseason appearances, Allen has completed 18-of-26 passes for 146 yards, throwing zero touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. Haener looked fine in a very brief cameo, completing all three of his attempts for 15 yards.
With Allen expected to take the lion's share of the snaps, the Giants seem overpriced as home favorites.
New York Jets Betting Preview: QB2 Battle Offers Late-Game Edge
The New York Jets also enter the preseason finale with a 1-1 record, having dropped a 24-16 decision to the Buccaneers before shutting out the Steelers 17-0.
Quarterback Geno Smith and most of the starting lineup are expected to make a brief appearance in this game. Following that quick cameo, the coaching staff will turn their full attention to a surprisingly intriguing QB2 battle between Brady Cook and Cade Klubnik.
While neither reserve has completely wowed, they have both provided competent quarterback play.
Cook has completed 10-of-17 pass attempts for 139 yards and a touchdown without turning the ball over. Klubnik has been equally steady, connecting on 15-of-21 passes for 131 yards with zero touchdowns and zero interceptions.
At the very least, both Cook and Klubnik have managed to outperform the Giants' Brandon Allen, giving the Jets a distinct advantage during the middle and late stages of this game.
The Jets also have veteran Bailey Zappe operating as their QB4.
Zappe has seen the field in both preseason games, but he is no longer viewed as a legitimate contender for the QB2 spot. He has completed 12-of-18 passes for 123 yards, zero touchdowns, and two interceptions, including an ugly pick-six against Tampa Bay.
In fact, Zappe ranked 115th out of 115 quarterbacks in Director of Predictive Analytics Sean Koerner’s QB Preseason Performance Ratings heading into last week.
The Jets have likely seen enough of Zappe, meaning his playing time should fade as the team continues to try to narrow down the depth chart, paving the way for Cook and Klubnik to handle the heavy lifting in this game.
Giants vs Jets Prediction, Betting Analysis
This matchup aligns with our Bet Labs system titled "NFL Preseason: Small ‘Dogs, Low Totals." This angle isolates exhibition games featuring tight point spreads between zero and -3 alongside a closing total capped under 40.
In this spot, the Jets are catching a full field goal (+3) in a game with an over/under set at just 36.5 points.
The theory behind the system is straightforward: low totals signal a limited scoring environment driven by conservative play-calling, extensive backup rotations, and coaches prioritizing scheme evaluation over high-risk explosive plays. In these tight, low-scoring contests, points become exponentially more valuable.
Small underdogs in this specific environment routinely stay within the number or win the game outright, as the betting market consistently struggles to value underdogs correctly when overall scoring is expected to be scarce.
This game script fits that mold.
The Giants are priced as 3-point favorites based on the name recognition of their top two quarterbacks. However, with Dart and Winston not needed in this game, the Giants will likely find themselves heavily reliant on a turnover prone Brandon Allen.
Meanwhile, the Jets are expected to trot out Geno Smith for a brief spark before leaning on a competent preseason backup duo in Cook and Klubnik.
We'll trust the system, fade the public perception, and take the points with the Giants in what is expected to be a low-scoring preseason finale for these two teams.
Pick: Jets +3 (-105)
