At long last... it's GAME WEEK! After months of speculating about Kirk Cousins, moving up in the draft, debating the price it cost to actually do it, debating which QB to take, analyzing the decision, following the QB competition and compressing months of Khalil Mack arguments into 3 days, it's finally time to play some football! Presumably, Sam Darnold will become the youngest QB ever to start week 1. Although it wouldn't surprise me at all if we still went with Josh McCown because #Jets. Watch out: although the game will be broadcast on Monday Night Football, it will start at 7:10 ET (not the usual 8:25) as part of the week 1 double header. As a reward for going 5-11, the game will be called by ESPN's B-team of Beth Mowins and Brian Griese. The Lions don't scare me too much, but they are a solid team. Stafford can tear us apart if (when) we give him too much time in the pocket and they have some quality weapons in Golden Tate, Marvin Jones, and Kenny Golladay. They've invested heavily in the backfield, adding Blount and rookie Kerryon Johnson to Ameer Abdullah and Theo Riddick. All of them besides Blount are very good pass catchers, which poses a matchup problem for us. The defense, led by turnover machine Darius Slay, pass rusher Ziggy Ansah and safety Glover Quinn, isn't terrifying but it can pose problems for a first time starter. As far as injuries go, Bowles was noncommittal on Kelvin Beachum and Jermaine Kearse recently underwent an abdominal procedure that has him questionable for the game. We definitely need Beachum on the field to protect against Ansah, but I think we can survive without Kearse for a couple weeks unless Robby gets suspended at the last minute before the game (spoiler alert: we're the Jets so he will). It's week 1 so pretty much anything can happen. There have been some truly odd Week 1 results retrospectively over the last few years. How are you guys feeling about the opener?
Lions 27-17. I'll be happy if Darnold stays healthy (the non pre-season blitz extravaganza is coming) with this crap O-line and shows more poise and potential.
Not to harp on what could’ve been, but I think this is a pretty clear example of a game that would’ve been winnable with Mack but not without him. Stafford is just going to have too much time to pick us apart. 31-20 Detroit.
Jets 27 Lions 16, Lions D isn't anything to be scared of even with a rookie QB, Jets should be able to establish a run game which will take away some of Ansah's ability to get after Darnold. On the other side of the ball the Lions will probably be able to move down the field but when they get in the red zone, this is where they will have problems.
The fat, bearded, rapist of a coach will find out how hard it is to win when you don't know the other team's plays in advance. Jets 24 - Lions 20
I agree the Lions front 7 does not scare me problem is I believe that our front 7 could be worse than theirs,,,,,,,and we know what they are on offense ,,,I'm sticking with Lions 31-13
Road games are very difficult to win, throw in a rookie QB, lack of a pass rush against a very good QB in Stafford. Jets terrible special teams play. I believe Jets conservative game plan might keep it close but they will need some big plays from Robbie Anderson and Darnold to overcome a lot of deficiencies. 27-20 Detroit.
Sam Darnold's presence alone will spark this team and rejuvenate this Franchise. These 2018 Jets are starting off 1-0.
Jets D will bend but won't break giving up a plethora of first downs and field goals and our "special teams" will give the Lions offense an average starting field position at their 40 yardline. Darnold will lead the Jets in the endzone two times. One through the air, and another punched in by Crowell. New Jack City will score the other Jets td. What Jets game is complete without a couple field goals. Jets 27 Lions 19
I think it will be because our special teams. The lions had a 80 Yard Punt Return TD in the 3rd preseason game I believe. I really think we give up at least one TD on special teams directly or indirectly.
Let's breakdown the Lions: -Matthew Stafford is a good QB. He can make all the throws and has a rocket arm. -O-line is okay, nothing special. The Jets should get some pressure, but maybe not with what they showed in the pre-season. -Blount and Riddick are pretty good RB's. -Johnson needs to take care of Golden Tate. That is what he is paid to do. Marvin Jones and TJ Jones are okay too. -Ziggy Ansah leads their Defense, but it is nothing special either. Playing at home and it being the debut of a new Head Coach could give them a bit of an edge. Plus starting a veteran QB vs a rookie QB. I assume the Lions will be the favorites, but I will take the Jets, in a 24-17 win, which is the opposite score of the last time they played in 2014.
Lions will be able to move the ball but their red zone game is not good at all. They added a little in the backfield but I don't see them being too much better than last season.
That was with about 4 minutes left in the game so it was scrubs on scrubs. Powell, who had the return, barely made the final cut down. First 3 Bucs to Powell just about ran past him as he caught the ball, Jets ST isn't great but not Bucs scrubs bad.
I'm not judging the team by a win or loss. I just want them to play solid football. There are so many ? for the Jets to answer like, how Sam handles a real game situation, how will the O-line hold up in pass & run offence. Can we get pressure on the QB, can they cut down on penalties. This game could go sour in a hurry if we don't answer these ? positively. I don't want Sam to be playing catch up ball all game. & not knowing how things will play out, I will start the season off optimistically giving us the benefit of the doubt with my prediction....23-20 JETS WIN.
I think Staffords is going to see a lot more blitzing than we even hinted at in the PS. We may surprise and show more pressure than people think. This defense is predicated on the blitz and we showed zero this PS
