Jets vs Lions Prediction, Top Picks & TD Scorer: NFL Week 3

Ed Scimia - Contributor at Covers.com
Ed Scimia • Betting Analyst 17+ years betting experience
Updated: Sep 27, 2026 , 10:14 AM ET • 4 min read

After a disappointing start to their season, the Lions will get back on track vs. New York.

nfl

Sep 27 • 9:00 AM ET
Jets vs Lions Predictions
Photo By - Reuters Connect. ahmyr Gibbs (0) runs against Buffalo Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson

The Detroit Lions are 6.5-point favorites against the New York Jets at Ford Field in Week 3, and my Lions vs. Jets prediction is that the home side will get back on track.

New York doesn't have the offense to keep up, which is why I'm riding with the Lions in my free NFL picks. The clash gets underway at 1 p.m. ET (FOX).

 TOP Pick
Jets vs Lions prediction: Lions -6.5

The New York Jets have split their first two games, but the team's level of opposition is about to increase significantly.

PFF rates the Jets as having the fourth-easiest schedule in the NFL through the first two weeks, and they now travel to face a Detroit Lions team that's scored 31 points in each of its first two games.

Detroit's defense will get a breather this week, with the Jets ranking 19th in scoring offense (20.0 ppg) and 27th in yards per play (4.8). That's a significant downgrade from the Buffalo Bills offense that put up 41 points on the Lions last week.

I like Detroit to cover at home as long as the spread remains below a touchdown at 6.5 points.

Covers COVERS INTEL: The Jets rank 28th in the NFL at -0.23 EPA per run, which will help negate one of Detroit's biggest defensive weaknesses, as the Lions have allowed 294 rushing yards through two games.

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Jets vs Lions combo

The Jets are struggling to put up points, but their defense has shown up big to start the season, allowing only 15.0 ppg.

The Lions will be New York's toughest test yet, but the Jets' defensive EPA per play of -0.21 suggests they'll be a tough nut to crack regardless of how explosive the opponent is. I'm backing the Under at a generous total of 48.5 points.

Still, the lion's share of the points should come from Detroit. Jared Goff has already thrown for six touchdowns without an interception this season, and he'll find Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta plenty on Sunday.

I like Goff to throw for at least two scores to round out our combo.

Jets vs Lions combo

  • Lions -6.5
  • Under 48.5
  • Jared Goff 2+ passing TDs

Jets vs Lions touchdown scorer: Amon-Ra St. Brown

St. Brown has now scored 10+ touchdowns in three straight seasons, and he's off to an even faster start in 2026.

Detroit's star receiver has scored twice in each of his first two games of the season, catching 19 passes for 209 yards in that span.

There's no reason to think St. Brown will get less of the ball against the Jets, who have been equally effective against the pass and the run.

I'm taking St. Brown to score at up to 55% in Week 3.


Jets vs Lions player prop: Jahmyr Gibbs Over 130 rushing + receiving yards

Jahmyr Gibbs continues to be one of the most productive all-around offensive weapons in the NFL. A year after generating 1,839 total yards from scrimmage, he's rushed for 208 yards and added 91 more through the air in the first two weeks of 2026.

The Jets have been stingy on defense, allowing only 197.0 yards per game. But Gibbs and the Lions are going to push those numbers higher. New York has allowed 4.1 yards per rush, which Gibbs can take advantage of.

I like Gibbs to go for 130+ total yards at up to 50%.

Want more NFL player props? Check out our NFL player prop projections!

Ed Scimia's 2026 Transparency Record
  • Top picks: 1-0, +0.82 units
  • Combos: 0-1, -1.00 unit

Jets vs Lions odds

For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.

  • Spread: Jets +6.5 | Lions -6.5
  • Over/Under: Over 48.5 (49%) | Under 48.5 (52%)
  • Moneyline: Jets 28% | Lions 72%

For the full slate of NFL matchups, check out our NFL odds board!

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Jets vs Lions weather

This game is taking place under the dome at Ford Field, so weather won't be a factor.

Check out our NFL weather page for up-to-date info on every matchup.

Jets vs Lions trend to know

Lions are 8-0 ATS in their last 8 games in Week 3. Find more NFL betting trends for Jets vs. Lions.

How to watch Jets vs Lions

Location Ford Field, Detroit, Mich.
Date Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026
Kickoff 1 p.m. ET
TV FOX

Jets vs Lions latest injuries

Check out our NFL injuries page for updates on every team. 

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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Ed Scimia - Covers.com
Betting Analyst

Ed Scimia has been writing about the gaming industry for over 15 years. He graduated from Syracuse University with degrees in Magazine Journalism and Political Science in 2003, and has covered major gambling events like the World Series of Poker in his career. Since joining Covers in 2022, Ed has offered his sports betting analysis primarily on MLB, NFL, college football, and college basketball games, but is willing to take on any sport.

His betting strategy focuses more on finding line value based on deviations from the market rather than traditional handicapping, primarily shopping between DraftKings, FanDuel, and Fanatics in his home state of Connecticut, though he’s not afraid to do deep game analysis to find profitable bets at any book.

Outside of gambling, Ed is an avid curler who competes in mixed doubles on the World Curling Tour and runs a popular curling YouTube channel, Chess on Ice. That experience has come in handy during the Olympics, when he has proven to be a successful curling bettor as well. 

Ed's advice to new bettors is to always open multiple sportsbook accounts and check the odds at each before placing any bet. Successful sports betting is about consistently beating the closing line value, which requires finding spots where one book is offering odds far better than the rest of the market and jumping on those opportunities.

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