NFL

Jets vs. Lions, 9/10/18 NFL Week 1 Predictions

Jets vs. Lions

The first game of tonight’s doubleheader on Monday Night Football will pit the Jets versus the Lions at 7:10 p.m. ET. Can the Jets pull off the upset in Sam Darnold’s debut?

Game Snapshot

479 New York Jets at 480 Detroit Lions

10:20 p.m. ET, Monday, September 20, 2018

Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, California

Public Betting Trends

According to oddsmakers, the Rams are 6-point favorites to beat the Raiders. The total, meanwhile, sits at 47.5 points. As of this writing, 66% of the public betting tickets are on the Rams to cover the point spread.

Los Angeles Rams

Rams signed DT Aaron Donald to a six-year, $135 million extension through 2024. Donald gets $87 million guaranteed. At $22.5 million per year in new money, Donald is now the league’s highest-paid defensive player. He’s well worth it after winning Defensive Player of the Year honors last season and being named a first-team All Pro each of the last three seasons. Donald has 39 sacks through four seasons and has established himself as the premier interior lineman in the NFL. With Donald’s situation resolved, the Rams are pretty well set moving forward. Todd Gurley was also locked up this summer.

Oakland Raiders

Seth Roberts will remain the Raiders’ slot receiver. It’s an upset after the Raiders traded for Martavis Bryant and Ryan Switzer, but neither addition worked out, to put it mildly. It’s a shame for both Amari Cooper and Jordy Nelson, who could have benefitted from more snaps in the middle of the field. Hopefully new coach Jon Gruden will work to move Cooper around the formation like ex-OC Todd Downing finally did near the end of last season.

NFL Betting Trends

Los Angeles

In the last four meetings between these two teams, the Rams are a perfect 4-0 against the spread.

Oakland

In their last 14 games overall, the Raiders are just 3-9-2 at the betting window.

Prediction

This line seems a tad high given how much turnover the Lions have on the defensive side of the ball. Not only is there new personnel at some positions, the Lions have a new defensive scheme, new defensive coordinator, and a new defensive-minded head coach. It could take some time for Detroit’s defenders to settle into their roles under new coach Matt Patricia and thus, I see value in taking the Jets plus the points.

NFL Week 1 Prediction: New York Jets +7

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