Why are Jets favored this week on ‘Thursday Night Football?’

How can the Jets be favored over the Texans?

That’s been a popular question this week after New York bottomed out Sunday with its fifth straight loss — straight-up and against the spread — in a 25-22 defeat at New England.

The Jets opened as 1-point underdogs to Houston on “Thursday Night Football” at BetMGM sportsbook before flipping to 1½-point favorites when sharp bettors backed the home team.

They moved to consensus 2-point favorites on Thursday morning and climbed to -2½ on Thursday afternoon at the SuperBook, Circa Sports, Station Sports and Caesars Sportsbook.

“Sharp money has pushed the Jets to -2 -110,” Westgate SuperBook vice president of risk Jeff Sherman said in a text message Thursday before the line inched higher. “Took some last at -2 -105. Public siding more with Texans.”

The game also shapes up as a “Pros versus Joes” matchup at Station Sports, where the pro bettors are on the Jets and recreational bettors are on the Texans.

“Seventy percent of the tickets are on the Texans but the larger money is on the Jets to force that number up,” Red Rock Resort sportsbook director Chuck Esposito said. “The public is backing more the Texans but we’ve seen some sharp play on the Jets.”

Esposito sees several reasons why sharps are backing New York (2-6, 2-6 ATS).

“It’s a short week and you look at the Texans and how many teams have struggled when they lose their receivers. They’ve got no Nico Collins, no Stefon Diggs, they’re on the road, they host Detroit next week on ‘Sunday Night Football,’” Esposito said. “It’s a game that’s much bigger for the Jets than for the Texans. They lose here and go 2-7, they’re done. I think that’ll be the end of it for Aaron Rodgers as well. The end of the year, he retires if they can’t make a run.

“In the Texans case, they’re really banged up, but they’re really in control of their division.”

Houston (6-2, 3-5 ATS), which has a two-game lead over the Colts in the AFC South, has won four of its last five games and covered three of its last four. The Texans beat Indianapolis 23-20 on Sunday but failed to cover as 5-point favorites.

The consensus total is 42½. The Texans are 2-6 to the under this season while the Jets have gone over in three straight.

“We’re also going to need the under,” Esposito said. “Seventy percent of the tickets are on the over.”

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on X.