The New York Jets and Detroit Lions rarely meet. Thanks to the NFL's scheduling formula, these teams will typically only meet once every four years unless they cross paths in a Super Bowl. They have met only 15 times, with Detroit holding a slim 8-7 advantage in the all-time series.
The last meeting came in 2022 when the Lions left MetLife Stadium with a victory. At the time, Aaron Glenn was still serving as Detroit's defensive coordinator under Dan Campbell. This time, the setting shifts to Ford Field.
The stakes are different. Both teams enter Week 3 looking to improve to 2-1, and the matchup offers an opportunity to learn much more about where the Jets stand after two weeks of regular-season football.
With that, here are Jets Wire's five things
to watch for in Week 3.
Aaron Glenn's homecoming
Aaron Glenn is returning to Detroit. The Jets' head coach spent four seasons helping build the Lions into one of the NFL's most respected organizations. He was a key member of Campbell's staff and played an important role in establishing the culture that helped turn Detroit into a contender.
Now he returns as an opposing head coach for the first time.
Glenn knows the environment, understands the expectations, and is familiar with many people inside the building. The emotional aspect of the game will be impossible to ignore, but the larger question is whether he can leave Ford Field with a statement victory against the coach who helped shape his path to becoming a head coach.
How much will familiarity matter?
The Glenn-Campbell connection extends beyond sentimental value. These coaches know each other well, which naturally creates intrigue. Glenn understands many of the principles Campbell wants his teams to embody, while Campbell has firsthand knowledge of Glenn's coaching style and philosophy.
The Lions have also spent the past two seasons adjusting to life without Glenn and former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who now leads the Chicago Bears. Detroit remains a talented football team, but the transition has not always been seamless. Whether familiarity creates an advantage for either side remains to be seen, but there should be few surprises when these teams take the field.
Is the Jets' defense really this good?
The numbers suggest New York has one of the best defenses in football. The Jets enter Week 3 ranked first in total defense and have played well against both the pass and the run. The challenge, however, is that skeptics can point to the competition. The Tennessee Titans and Green Bay Packers have not exactly fielded the NFL's most explosive offenses through two weeks.
Detroit presents a much different test.
If the Jets can slow down the Lions and leave Ford Field with another strong defensive performance, it will become increasingly difficult to dismiss what they have accomplished. This game should provide one of the clearest indicators yet of whether New York's defensive rankings are sustainable.
Can Frank Reich's offense take the next step?
There have been encouraging moments from Reich's offense. The Jets have moved the ball effectively at times, ranking in the middle of the league offensively while showing the ability to generate yards through both the air and on the ground. The problem has been consistency, particularly when it comes to finishing drives.
That challenge becomes even greater when injuries begin affecting personnel decisions and weekly game plans. Detroit's defense will present another opportunity for Reich's unit to prove it can do more than move the football. The next step is converting opportunities into touchdowns and avoiding the mistakes that have stalled promising drives through the first two weeks. But, with all that said, we are led to another question.
Is Geno Smith the answer?
Fair or not, quarterbacks receive the most credit when things go well and the most criticism when they don't. Smith's start to the season has featured positive moments, but questions remain about the offense's inability to consistently finish drives. The Jets have left points on the field, and offensive droughts have prevented them from fully capitalizing on strong defensive performances.
Adding another layer to the conversation is the recent signing of Will Levis to the Jets' practice squad. That move may ultimately mean very little. Teams add quarterbacks throughout the season for a variety of reasons, and no one should assume it signals an imminent change.
Still, quarterbacks are judged by results. If the Jets continue struggling to turn productive drives into touchdowns, attention will naturally shift toward the player leading the offense. Week 3 won't determine Smith's future, but it could influence how that conversation evolves over the coming weeks.
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Jets at Lions: 5 things to watch for during Week 3
