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NFL · Week 3 · 2026 Final

Jets at Lions

Sun, 27 Sep 2026 · 17:00 UTC
New York Jets logo
New York
Jets
1-1 · L1
24
@
Detroit Lions logo
Detroit
Lions
1-1 · L1
31
Detroit Lions to win 74% win probability · projected 20–28 · Strong

Result & Grading

Published before kickoff, graded after. No edits, no quiet deletions.

Final score
24–31
NYJ at DET
Our pick
DET ✓
Correct
Margin error
1.2
points from our projection
Against the spread
Covered ✓
vs line of DET −6.5

Pre-Game Win Probabilities

From the engine's power ratings, adjusted for home field and rest, then mapped through the margin distribution. Not a blend of the market — this is our own number.

NYJ 26%
DET 74%
Projected score
20–28
NYJ at DET
Projected margin
+8.2
home perspective
Projected total
48.3
combined points
Confidence
Strong
published before kickoff

Engine vs The Line

We agree with the market on the winner. The margins may still differ.

8th Day Engine
Detroit Lions
by 8.2 points · total 48.3
Closing line
Detroit Lions
by 6.5 points · total 48.5

Matchup Facts

Venue and rest come from the schedule feed and feed directly into the model; surface and weather are context we show but don't yet model.

Venue
Ford Field
Roof
Dome
Surface
Fieldturf
Rest · NYJ
7 days
Rest · DET
10 days
QB · NYJ
Geno Smith
QB · DET
Jared Goff

Recent Form

Last five completed games this season, most recent first.

New York Jets

L vs GB 17–20
W @ TEN 23–10

Detroit Lions

L @ BUF 31–41
W vs NO 31–30

Season Scoring

Points per game either side of the ball, 2026 season to date.

NYJ · scored
20.0
per game · 2 played
NYJ · allowed
15.0
per game
DET · scored
31.0
per game · 2 played
DET · allowed
35.5
per game

How The Model Sees It

Our rating has Detroit Lions as the stronger side by 163 rating points, which on its own is worth about 6.5 points on the scoreboard (NYJ 1,370, DET 1,533).

Home field adds 1.4 points to DET — a measured figure from our backtest, not the traditional three, because home advantage in the modern NFL is considerably smaller than it used to be. Rest shifts it a further +0.3 points (NYJ 7 days, DET 10).

That lands on a projected margin of +8.2, and running that through the historical spread of actual results against projections gives Detroit Lions at 74%.

The closing line agrees on the winner, making Detroit Lions favourite by 6.5 against our 8.2.

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