New York Jets vs. Oakland Raiders: 5 Reasons the Jets Should Be on Upset Alert

The New York Jets head to Oakland this weekend after two impressive wins at home.  After gutting out a dramatic come from behind win over the Cowboys in Week 1, Gang Green embarrassed Josh McCown and the Jaguars in Week 2.

Most expect the Jets to win their third-straight this weekend, and they very well could.  But as Lee Corso would say—Not so fast my friend!  Here are five reasons the Raiders may give the Jets some trouble.

5. Recent West Coast History

The Jets have struggled on the west coast in recent years.  They didn't play in the west coast time zone last season, but they are 1-4 over the past three seasons when making a cross-country flight.  This will also be the Raiders' first home game.  Players usually get fired up for something like that.

This may be a complete non-factor.  Mark Sanchez is a California guy and I'm sure he'll be excited to play in his home state.  He lead the Jets to a 38-0 pounding of the Raiders in Oakland back in 2009.  But let's just hope that he turns that excitement into a win, and not jitters.

Playing with the baseball diamond on the field can get a little confusing as well.

4. The Upcoming Schedule

This will be the first of three consecutive road games for the Jets.  After the Raiders, they will head to Baltimore and Foxboro to play the Ravens and the Patriots.

This is a crucial early season stretch for the Jets.  Is there any chance that they're looking ahead to their tougher opponents?  I doubt it.  I'm sure Rex Ryan will keep his guys focused and will have them prepared for the Raiders.  The possibility of this being a trap game is there however.

3. The Raiders Have Momentum

Although they're coming off of a loss, the Raiders impressed a lot of people in Buffalo last week.  They have weapons on offense—there's no denying that.  They just need to find a way to defend. 

Being without Nick Mangold may turn out to be more difficult to overcome than some think.  The Cowboys blitzed and put pressure on Mark Sanchez in the first half of their Week 1 game, and he struggled big time.  If the Raiders can force Sanchez to move out of the pocket, they may force the Jets to rely on an unproven ground game.

Not to mention that the Jets have been, and will continue to be without Robert Turner for a while.  Depth has been a concern for the Jets. Holes in the middle of their offensive line may help Oakland get to Sanchez.

2. The Raiders Are Simply Better Than the Jaguars

The Jets had a field day on defense last weekend, but let's not get too carried away.  Luke McCown is a very one-dimensional quarterback, and the Jags don't really have any weapons besides Maurice Jones-Drew.  The Jets were able to force turnovers and gave their offense a small field to work with all day.

I don't think the Jets will be so lucky this week.  Their offense won't have the luxury of working with small fields and they'll be forced to make plays.  I think the Jets will try running the ball early—something they haven't done a whole lot yet.  Get Shonn Greene and LT involved, and open up some easy throws for Sanchez.  Their offense must be ready for some long drives, and they should focus on wearing down the Oakland defense.

1. The Raiders Offense Is Tough to Defend

I touched on this earlier, but I think Oakland's offense is way better than most give them credit for.  They don't have great weapons at receiver, but Darren McFadden is as versatile as you can get.  They can work swing passes his way or line him up as a slot receiver.  The Jets have to zero in on him, and try to prevent him from getting into the open field.

Former Giant, TE Kevin Boss will be returning from an injury.  For whatever reason, the Jets usually struggle to cover tight ends.  So look for Jason Campbell to sling the ball his way quite a bit.  And Campbell also has the ability to make plays with his legs - something the Jets haven't really had to deal with yet from a quarterback. 

I know the Jets have perhaps the best defense in the league, but the Raiders are a team that can frustrate the best teams.  I think the Jets will come away with a close win, but they better be prepared for a battle.

My Prediction: 24-20 Jets.