NFL Predictions Week 3: New York Jets Will Shut out Oakland Raiders

By the fourth quarter of the Oakland Raiders-New York Jets game, Al Davis will change his motto from “Just win, baby” to “Just score, baby.”  Rex Ryan’s Jets defense will harass the Raiders' offensive attack to the point Jason Campbell will be on the hot set. 

New York won’t just beat Oakland on Sunday, they’ll shut them out.

The Raiders' strength on offense is their top-notch running game.  Darren McFadden is a game-breaker that can kill a defense on the ground and by catching passes out of the backfield.  Michael Bush is one of the most talented second-string halfbacks in the league and is the smash to McFadden’s dash.

New York won’t allow Oakland to establish the running game, though.

Against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1, they held feature back Felix Jones to just 44 yards on 17 carries, averaging out at 2.6 yards a carry.  Maurice Jones-Drew had a bit more success against the Jets' front seven the following week, but it’s not like it could get much worse than Jones’ output. 

The Jets managed to slow down MJD, a back more talented than McFadden, as he gained 88 yards on the ground.

With names like Bart Scott, David Harris, Sione Pouha and Muhammad Wilkerson on the Jets' front seven, it would be a miracle if the Raiders were able to control the football on the ground.  New York will force Jason Campbell to win the game for the Raiders.  Against a team like the Bills, Campbell almost pulled it off, but the Jets secondary is a different animal.

Darrelle Revis and company have picked off five passes already this season.  Four were in one game against the Jacksonville Jaguars and the other was a game-winner against the Dallas Cowboys.  There will be plenty more if Oakland is forced to abandon the running game early.

The Raiders just don’t match up well with the Jets.  Oakland was run over by Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller in Week 2 and New York will have no problem handing the football off to Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson on every single play if the Raiders front can’t slow them down. 

Al Davis’ defense will also have trouble vs. Mark Sanchez’s arsenal of weapons, featuring Santonio Holmes, Derrick Mason, Plaxico Burress and Dustin Keller.

New York will put up big numbers on offense—not that big offensive numbers are necessary for victory, because a goose egg is in the Raiders' future.

David Daniels is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report and a Syndicated Writer. Follow him on Twitter.