The Jets and Lions both enter Week 3 trying to steady themselves after last Sunday’s letdown, and this matchup feels lined up for another tight finish.
New York opened the season with a 23-10 road win over the Titans, then watched a 17-7 fourth-quarter lead slip away in a 20-17 overtime loss to the Packers at home. Detroit started with a 31-30 escape against the Saints, then got beat 41-31 in Buffalo on Thursday night, a game that wasn’t as close as the final score makes it look.
One of the biggest offensive stories here is Jahmyr Gibbs. He split time in the backfield over the last few seasons, but with David Montgomery in Houston, he has been on the field for 111 of 142 offensive snaps through two weeks.
Gibbs has already piled up 308 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 45 carries. Most of that came against the Saints, and he’ll be aiming to bounce back after Buffalo held him to 52 yards on 16 carries. He did add six catches on eight targets for 61 yards and a score.
The Jets have been a surprise early, and the feeling here is that they can keep this one competitive in Detroit. The Lions were one play away from losing to New Orleans in Week 1, and they didn’t look sharp against Buffalo in Week 2.
Detroit is obviously not Buffalo, but New York has been better than expected so far. That makes the spread interesting, and buying the point or half point is something to think about. Even so, the +6.5 looks like enough.
In Other News...
Lions' Alex Anzalone Decision Looks Smarter With Every Week
When the Lions let Alex Anzalone walk and turned more of the linebacker room over to Derrick Barnes and Jack Campbell, it looked like a bet on youth and development. Early in the 2026 season, that choice has only gained support in Detroit, with Barnes flashing the kind of playmaking the Lions hoped for, including a two-sack opener that reminded everyone why the team was comfortable moving in a different direction.
Anzalone has settled into a tougher start with Tampa Bay, where missed tackles have been part of the early story even as Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles has stayed publicly confident in him. From the Lions side, it has been a clean validation of a personnel call that looked risky at the time, but now reads more like a prudent reset of the defense around younger, faster answers. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Defensive Collapse Is Fueling A Brad Holmes Debate
Two games into the 2026 season, the Lions defense has been pushed to the center of the conversation in Detroit after allowing 915 total yards and 71 points. The struggles have not just been about execution on the field. They have also reopened an old front-office debate about whether general manager Brad Holmes did enough in the offseason and through the draft to give this roster the kind of defensive depth it needed.
The concern goes beyond one bad stretch, because the roster holes are showing up in the same places again and again, especially at cornerback, safety and in the pass rush. Injuries to key safeties have only made the problem more visible, and with so much of the pressure falling on Aidan Hutchinson to create disruption, the Lions are leaning heavily on one star to cover for a unit that still looks short on answers. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Secondary Depth Is Suddenly A Real Concern Before The Jets
The Lions are heading into Week 3 with a secondary that suddenly needs help, and the front office is treating it like a real issue, not a minor patch job. General manager Brad Holmes is reportedly looking around for defensive depth, including possible additions from other teams practice squads, as Detroit tries to steady itself before the trip to face the Jets.
Dan Campbell confirmed Holmes is doing that work, which tells you the Lions are at least preparing for more than just a short-term adjustment. Among the names in play are Melifonwu, Hallett and Wisniewski, with the appeal coming either from prior familiarity with Detroits defense or the fact that they are available elsewhere, but the bigger question is how quickly the Lions can turn that search into something useful. [Read more 🡒]