The New York Jets received an encouraging sign after watching the NFL debut of one of their future stars. The Washington Redskins were devastated upon losing one of theirs to a season-ending injury. Both clubs will move forward when they meet Thursday in a Preseason Week 2 game at FedEx Field at 8 p.m. ET. The Redskins are three-point sportsbook favorites, while the over-under for total points scored is 39.5.

Before you lock in any Redskins vs. Jets picks, listen to what SportsLine Expert Mike Tierney has to say. The veteran sportswriter and handicapper saw his expertise lead to a profit of more than $16,000 for $100 bettors who followed his plays last year.

He also has a keen eye for these two clubs, with a spread record of 12-1 in games involving either the Jets or Redskins. This mark includes an astounding 9-0 clip on against the spread picks involving Washington.

We can tell you Tierney is eyeing the Under for Thursday, but he has unearthed the critical x-factor that determines which side of the spread hits hard. He's sharing this selection only over at SportsLine.

Tierney knows the Redskins will be looking to address their running game after losing projected starter Derrius Guice to a season-ending ACL injury in last week's exhibition opener against the Patriots. The second-round pick from LSU was expected to bolster a rushing attack that ranked just No. 27 in the NFL last season.

Now, holdovers Rob Kelley and Samaje Perine are expected to compete for the job, and both should see plenty of action Thursday. Third-down back Chris Thompson also is in the mix.

Quarterback Alex Smith is slated to make his Washington debut after he and most first-stringers on both sides of the ball were held out against New England. Backups Colt McCoy and Kevin Hogan split time in the 26-17 defeat.

Meanwhile, the Jets had a more encouraging exhibition debut in their 17-0 victory over the Falcons. Their fan base is flush with excitement following the debut of No. 3 overall pick Sam Darnold. The rookie quarterback went 13-of-18 for 96 yards and a touchdown. Darnold is expected to see significant playing time Thursday.

So who wins, and what huge x-factor determines the outcome of Jets-Redskins? Visit SportsLine now to see which side you need to jump on, all from an accomplished expert who netted followers more than $16,000 in profit last season and is a perfect 9-0 on Redskins games.