After the Green Bay Packers dropped to 1-2 following a loss to the Atlanta Falcons in their home opener, it sure does feel like anything is possible for the NFC North this season.
This kind of loss should definitely be eye-opening for the Detroit Lions as they're already heavy favorites against the New York Jets for Week 3. The Jets of 2026 are not the Jets of 2025, and their defense can absolutely force this to be a much more competitive game than we'd initially think.
There are many keys to a victory in this contest for the Lions, but here, we'll discuss three specific areas that Detroit could control en route to a win.
3 keys to a Lions win vs. Jets in Week 3
Field a competent starting offensive line
Easier said than done, right?
The Lions' offensive line is set to get two major reinforcements back for Week 3: Blake Miller and Christian Mahogany. This gives the Lions a more similar line to what they had in Week 1 against the New Orleans Saints, which looked really solid and allowed Jahmyr Gibbs to rush for over 100 yards.
Without a strong front to protect Jared Goff and Gibbs, the Jets' defense could control Detroit's greatest strengths (run game and Goff's resilience). They cannnot underestimate New York's pass rush or interior defensive line. David Bailey is one to watch on that front.
Stop relying so heavily on zone coverage
The Lions have played a ton of zone coverage on defense this season, which would probably be fine if the team had the personnel to make it work. Without proper talent available, Detroit leaves themselves vulnerable in the intermediate passing game. Geno Smith loves those shorter passes, and the Jets' receivers are too talented to leave open by any means.
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Of course, the Lions also don't have enough personnel to play man coverage either. So, the best the Lions can hope for is that their linebacker unit - specifically Jack Campbell - can step up in coverage for this contest. We're banking that he will.
Involve deep shots far earlier in the game
The Lions have been focused on getting Gibbs going, and have been feeding Amon-Ra St. Brown exclusively for the most part. But, they haven't been able to get their bigger plays going in the air. The offensive line, and a few drops in Week 1 from Jameson Williams, are to thank for this discrepancy.
Detroit should get as much pressure on the Jets' secondary as possible in this game. Containing the explosiveness of this offense will be New York's biggest task in this game, so why not really challenge them to do so earlier in the game? Additionally, the Lions have struggled to get themselves going on offense since that first half against the Saints in Week 1. This could spark them right away and help them gain momentum early on.
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