09/28 10:00 AM NFL (261) DETROIT LIONS at (262) NEW YORK JETS
FREE PICK: (262) NEW YORK JETS +1.5
I never really know how to bill a team like the Jets. One can argue that the fact they’re 1-2 when they could easily be 3-0 indicates they’re a bad team. Or maybe they’re just underachievers. Either way, there is zero question in my mind that this team should be sporting a winning record right now. That’s kind of the rub here, as I’m asking a team that is entirely capable of screwing this up to play to its potential.
The Jets obliterated the Raiders every way except with the final score in Week One. They had Green Bay on the canvas in Week Two, with a huge lead, and they managed to lose that game. This past Monday, the Jets were clearly superior to Chicago, but botched it when it mattered most and ended up with the loss.
I’m hoping the Jets learned their lesson on Monday. This team is going to be solid if they play power football and don’t ask Geno Smith to do what he’s currently not capable of doing. The defense is strong, and there’s no reason I can see other than the coaching that this team can’t be a +.500 entry.
As for the Lions, I’m not convinced of anything. Good work in Week One, but that was against Giants team that is not nearly as dangerous as the one we’ve started to see the last couple of weeks. Detroit picked up its other win last week and they looked pretty good against the Packers. But it’s also true that Green Bay looked pretty bad in that game as well. The one Lions road test to date was a fairly substantial loss at Carolina.
There’s no mystery for me here. I have the Jets as the better team, and if they can for once not be their own worst enemy, there’s no reason they shouldn’t win this. I don’t agree with the line on the game, and feel it’s a public perception number off the Monday night loss and the Jets now being 1-2. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve got an open mind on the Lions and I might change my view of this team if they win here. But the setup seems right to me for the hosts, and for what it’s worth, the Jets will be the sharp side in this contest. I see the Jets as absolutely playable as long as they’re the dog.
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My selectivity with big picks means when I do fire, my confidence is strong. My one & only NFL Game of Month goes today.