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This past offseason, the New York Jets traded one-time franchise quarterback Sam Darnold to the Carolina Panthers for a couple of draft picks. Darnold now gets a chance to stick it to his former club as the Panthers are home NFL Betting favorites vs. the Jets in Week 1 on Sunday.

NFL Betting Preview for New York Jets vs Carolina Panthers

How to Bet Jets at Panthers NFL Odds & TV Info

When: Sunday, 1 PM ET
Where: Bank of America Stadium
TV: CBS
Radio: http://www.siriusxm.com/nfl
Stream Option: NFLSUNDAYTICKET.TV
Opening NFL Lines: Panthers -5 (total 44.5)

Series History

Carolina is 4-3 all-time against the Jets, including a 3-1 record at home. The Jets were the first opponents the Panthers ever beat in 1995. Carolina won the last matchup 35-27 in 2017 in New Jersey. Sunday marks the first time playing the Jets in September for Carolina and first time opening the season against the AFC East.

Why Bet on NY Jets?

After an impressive preseason, Jets rookie QB Zach Wilson is gearing up for his first NFL regular-season game. Wilson, the No. 2 overall pick in April, led scoring drives on four of his six preseason drives (2 TD, 2 FG). He completed 15-of-20 passes (75%) for 191 yards and 2 TDs for a rating of 137.7.

Will the Jets have top wideout Jamison Crowder? He fairly recently tested positive for COVID, but Crowder is vaccinated, giving him a chance to return after two negative tests 24 hours apart this week. The Jets are listing him day-to-day and haven’t ruled out Crowder for Sunday’s opener.

If Crowder had been unvaccinated, he would’ve been required to sit out a minimum of 10 days, meaning he likely would’ve missed the opener. “We’re just taking it a day at a time,” first-year coach Robert Saleh said, adding that Crowder’s positive test was an isolated incident with no other close contacts among the team.

Crowder, the Jets‘ leading receiver in 2019 and 2020, is their top slot receiver this year. If he can’t play, they could use rookie Elijah Moore or Braxton Berrios in the slot. Moore holds one of the three starting spots on the Jets’ Week 1 depth chart with Crowder still on the reserve/COVID list. Moore’s snap count in the opener could be directly tied to Crowder’s availability. Corey Davis and Keelan Cole are the other two listed starters for the opener.

Starting left tackle Mekhi Becton is out of concussion protocol and back at practice Monday. He will play. Becton suffered a concussion in a head-to-head collision two weeks ago during a joint practice with the Eagles.

Saleh has named veteran Tevin Coleman as his starting running back. Coleman’s familiarity with the team’s new offense proved insurmountable for Ty Johnson and rookie Michael Carter. The seventh-year pro Coleman looking to lead the Jets backfield after racking up 811 yards from scrimmage and 7 touchdowns during his two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers.

Why Bet on Carolina?

All eyes will be on former Jets QB Sam Darnold, who will become the 11th different QB to start in Week 1 for Carolina. He was taken third overall in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Southern Cal by the Jets. In 2020, he started 12 games and threw for 2,208 yards with nine touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Coming to Carolina after three years in New York, he’s settled in comfortably. The Panthers were looking to start fresh at quarterback as much as he needed a fresh start after three tumultuous years in New York. So they fit each other.

“I think Sam is just in a new beginning,” former Jets teammate Robby Anderson said. “A lot of times, new beginnings are what a lot of us need. Just sometimes turning that page to a new chapter. “I’m not going to overspeak on that, but I feel like it’s a new beginning. I think that excites everybody sometimes.”

The Panthers will be without starting right guard John Miller, who was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Monday. The Panthers, under NFL guidelines, cannot say whether a player tested positive for COVID-19. But an unvaccinated player who tests positive must be out for at least 10 days, and coach Matt Rhule said Miller will be out for 10 days. Dennis Daley will replace Miller as the starter Sunday. Daley Played in five games, starting three at left guard, for Carolina in 2020 before landing on the reserve/injured list.

Rookie wide receiver Shi Smith was the lone player listed on Carolina’s first injury report of the season on Wednesday.

Running back Christian McCaffrey returns after playing in just three games in 2020. He has 5,817 scrimmage yards in his first 51 career games, ninth-most in the NFL since 2000, while his 320 receptions are fourth-most by a player in his first 51 games. McCaffrey has the scored the team’s first touchdown of the season in each of the last two openers. If he scores first on Sunday, he ties Wesley Walls (1997-99) for the most consecutive opening TDs in franchise history.

Carolina is 10-16 all-time in season openers and 4-9 when opening the year at home. This marks the fourth straight home opener for the Panthers after playing four straight openers on the road from 2014-17.