The spread keeps nudging toward New York, and that’s enough to make Sunday’s Jets-Lions matchup look a little less lopsided than it did when the line first opened. Detroit was listed at -7 on Sunday night, then moved to -6.5, while the Jets have already cashed as underdogs in both of their first two games.
That matters because New York has done more than just survive. The Jets are 1-1, but they’ve looked sharper than a lot of people expected, especially with Geno Smith steering the offense. They lost in overtime to Green Bay in Week 2 after a chance to get to 2-0 slipped away, but they still forced that game into overtime and have opened the year with back-to-back covers.
Detroit, meanwhile, is trying to steady itself after a Thursday Night Football loss to Buffalo. The Lions are 1-1, but the bigger issue is what’s happened on defense.
They’ve given up 71 points through two games, and the secondary is missing starting safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph. That’s not a small problem, especially after Detroit also had to survive blowing a major lead before beating New Orleans in overtime in Week 1.
SI Betting senior editor Iain MacMillan is on the Lions to cover in his Road to 272 column, and he didn’t hide where he stands on Detroit’s side of the ledger:
There's no denying the Lions' defense has some significant issues. There's also no denying that their offense has looked very good through the first two weeks. I refuse to sell my Lions stock after betting on them to win the Super Bowl before the season began.
Meanwhile, I still don't believe in the Jets, and a win against the Titans and an overtime loss to the Packers isn't going to change my opinion of them. Aaron Glenn's lack of in-game coaching was on display late against the Packers, and I wouldn't be surprised if that plays a factor in the outcome of this game.
The banged-up Lions' defense may only need to get a few stops to let their offense take over and lead the team to a win and cover on Sunday.
The case for New York is pretty simple: the Jets have been efficient enough to make this game uncomfortable. They rank sixth in the league in EPA/Play and third in yards per play allowed on defense, and Smith gives them a steadier floor than most teams can count on. Detroit’s defense, on the other hand, has been tagged for the second-most passing yards in the NFL and sits 28th in EPA/Play.
That’s why the pick here leans toward the Jets to keep this one tighter than the market may have expected and move to 3-0 against the spread. MacMillan may be backing Detroit, but there’s a real path for New York to hang around long enough to make Sunday’s final margin interesting.
In Other News...
Lions Fans Are Losing Faith But Still See One Immediate Chance
A rough Week 2 has clearly taken some shine off the Lions early-season buzz, at least in the eyes of the fan base. In the latest SB Nation Reacts survey sponsored by FanDuel Sportsbook, confidence in the direction of the organization slipped from the previous week, and fewer than half of respondents said they still felt good about where things are headed.
Even so, the mood is not close to panic just yet, because Detroit has an immediate chance to steady itself in Week 3 against the New York Jets. Fans may be cooling on the bigger picture after the loss, but the upcoming matchup still looks like the kind of spot where the Lions can quickly remind everyone why optimism had been running so high a week ago. [Read more 🡒]
Amon-Ra St. Brown's Bills Fallout Just Got More Complicated
The aftermath of the Lions Week 2 loss in Buffalo has extended well beyond the final whistle, with Amon-Ra St. Brown among the players hit by the NFL for postgame discipline tied to celebration-related penalties. St. Brown was fined $59,704 for multiple unsportsmanlike conduct infractions, adding another layer to a night that already left Detroit with plenty to sort through.
He was not alone in feeling the leagues reach, either. Five other Lions players also drew fines for a range of violations, including Jameson Williams, Jahmyr Gibbs, Penei Sewell, Tyler Lacy and Devin White, pushing Detroits total in Week 2 past $120,000. For a team still trying to settle in after a tough loss, the financial hit is a reminder that the fallout in Buffalo reached well beyond the scoreboard. [Read more 🡒]
Three Underused Lions Could Decide More Than Fans Expect Vs Jets
Through two games of the 2026 season, the Lions have gotten only modest early returns from a few players who may still matter plenty as the year unfolds. Kerry Wonnum, Jalen McCreary and TeSlaa have all been around the action without making much of a dent yet, but that can change quickly in a league where roles expand fast and one strong Sunday can alter a rotation.
Week 3 against the Jets gives Detroit a chance to see whether that quiet start was just a slow opening or the beginning of something more limited. Each of those players is in position for more playing time and a bigger statistical footprint, and for a team trying to stack wins early, even the lesser-used pieces can end up shaping how far the depth chart reaches. [Read more 🡒]