NFL Week 3 Picks: New York Jets Will Pass First Road Test vs Oakland Raiders

If Tony Romo doesn't help them out in Week 1, the New York Jets are probably entering this Sunday's game at the Oakland Raiders as overrated buffoons and probably underdogs as well.

As it is, the Jets will enter Sunday's contest at 2-0, and as 3.5-point favorites. Which, in my estimation, sounds about right.

Unlike their Week 2 tilt against the Jacksonville Jaguars, this is not going to be a cakewalk for the Jets. For the second year in a row, the Raiders look like they are going to at least make it interesting on a week to week basis. In fact, they too could be heading into this game at 2-0 had things gone a little differently.

Be that as it may, I like the Jets to come away with the victory in this one at the end of the day. It's not going to be a blowout, which is something the Jets rarely give us anyway, but the matchup does favor the Jets.

First and foremost, New York's offense matches up pretty well against Oakland's defense. The Raiders have an excellent defensive line that can wreak havoc on quarterbacks, but the Buffalo Bills showed us in Week 2 that this is a threat that is relatively easy to neutralize.

All you have to do is run a lot of quick-developing passing plays such as slants and hooks and the like, which the Raiders secondary showed it is totally incapable of covering. If Mark Sanchez can be on point, which I realize is a big if, the Jets should be able to move the ball and simultaneously frustrate the Raiders defense.

If the Jets can frustrate the Raiders to the point where the front seven tries to do too much, there should be running lanes for Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson.

The true danger is that of the Raiders having their way with the Jets offensively, which is something they are certainly capable of doing with the weapons at their disposal. In particular, I just don't think there's any stopping Darren McFadden and Michael Bush, who form what is easily the best running back tandem in the league.

But McFadden and Bush are only going to be able to do so much if they don't get some help from Jason Campbell. He's coming off a 323-yard performance against the Bills, but it's not going to be easy for him to repeat it against a team like the Jets.

The Jets' numbers against the pass are a little inflated by their domination of the Jaguars, but that doesn't change the fact that Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie present problems for the Raiders.

Revis should have no trouble frustrating Raiders receivers in press coverage, and Cromartie's speed will help neutralize the speed of receivers like Darrius Heyward-Bey and Denarius Moore.

What it comes down to, I think, is a simple matter of the Jets being the more balanced team. In the end, I think they'll have just enough defense to get the job done.

Prediction: Jets 27, Raiders 21