The Detroit Lions (1-1) return home to Ford Field in Week 3 to square off against the New York Jets (1-1). Detroit enters after a 41-31 road loss at the Buffalo Bills on "Thursday Night Football."
The Jets come in after their first loss of the season, too. New York fell to the Green Bay Packers, 20-17, last Sunday in overtime. Just two games in, it looks like an improved New York team under former Lions defensive coordinator and now second-year Jets head coach Aaron Glenn.
Glenn appears to have rebuilt a Jets defense that ranked 31st last year in scoring defense (29.6 points per game). Through its first two contests in 2026, the Jets boast the NFL's top total defense (197.0 yards per game) and the No. 6 scoring defense (15.0).
Meanwhile, though
Detroit's offense has put up 31 points in each of its first two games under new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, the Lions' defense has been exposed. Defensively, the Lions currently rank second-to-last in both passing defense (310.5 passing yards per game) and scoring defense (35.5 points per game).
Detroit build a big lead, but then needed a two-point conversion stop in order to survive the New Orleans Saints in overtime, 31-30, in Week 1.
Still, that's not scaring off ESPN's Matt Bowen from backing the Lions against the Jets. Bowen featured the Lions as one of his best Week 3 bets.
The Lions need to make defensive corrections. We can all see that, right? But with extra rest/prep off the Thursday night game, I think Detroit builds a game plan to limit Geno Smith and the Jets. Plus, this Detroit offense, which has averaged 31 points per game over the first two weeks of the season, will have answers for the New York defense. Yes, it's a big spread, but it's also one I'm willing to bet for Dan Campbell's team. - Matt Bowen, ESPN
There's familiarity both ways in this matchup thanks to the amount of time that Glenn spent on Dan Campbell's staff in Detroit.
But, Campbell should have a beat on some of what Glenn wants to do defensively. With the weapons that Detroit possesses, the Lions at home as a 6.5-point favorite isn't a bad play at all. Plus, the Lions ought to enter this game with some desperation after the way they've started the year defensively and coming off a loss.
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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: ESPN likes Detroit Lions vs. New York Jets in best Week 3 bets
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