Thursday Night Football Pits Top Two Quarterbacks From 2021 NFL Draft: Who Will Win?

PublishedDecember 22, 2022 12:41 PM EST|UpdatedDecember 22, 2022 12:41 PM EST

Thursday Night Football in Week 16 will be a matchup of the No. 1 and No. 2 overall picks from the 2021 draft. Jacksonville made the obvious choice in Trevor Lawrence. The Jets surprised some by selecting Zach Wilson next.

Wilson lost his starting job but now has a second consecutive week to reprove himself. As expected, Mike White is out again. When someone isn't cleared for contact due to multiple rib fractures seven days after injury, four more days with the short turnaround doesn't change anything. White does have a reasonable chance to play in Week 17 as that will be 21 days since injury and ribs start to heal quickly.

Zach Wilson and Trevor Lawrence. (Getty Images)

Green Bay won and covered easily on Monday as expected but that doesn't add to the +13 against the spread season record verified at 42-29-4. Most injury reports finalize today as the main slate of NFL games are on Saturday this week with only a three-game slate on Sunday Christmas Day. Check out Sports Injury Central later today for the jump on the lines with finalized Field Views.

JAX +1.5 @ NYJ over 37

NFL teams pay the most attention to the last four games of an opponent. That gives the latest trends as teams morph throughout the season. Looking at things this way along with the injury analysis leads our algorithm to lean to the Jaguars and the over.

The Jets won games early and now have lost three of four. The Jaguars are the opposite with a slow start and now winning three out of four. Jacksonville has averaged 30 points, so the normally stout Jets defense will be tested along the line. Quinnen Williams is reported to be back but we have our doubts as to how his recent calf strain will hold up. Of course, the Jags will have to deal with the loss of their left tackle Cam Robinson. No. 1 pick Travon Walker also is out defensively for Jacksonville.

This seems like a good game between two evenly matched teams where turnovers might make the difference with the young quarterbacks.