Jets vs. Lions odds, picks, prediction: NFL Week 3 matchup start time, betting preview, best bets

The New York Jets and Detroit Lions both come into Week 3 of the 2026 NFL season after losses in Week 2, with New York falling in overtime to the Packers while the Lions had all kinds of problems containing Josh Allen in a 41-31 loss to the Bills on Thursday. Detroit has some extended time off ahead of this game, but the Lions are dealing with major issues on the defensive side of the ball. Bet $5+ on Jets vs. Lions in Week 3 with the latest DraftKings promo code and get $150 in bonus bets:

We'll look at the latest Jets vs. Lions odds at DraftKings Sportsbook, along with insights from the SportsLine Projection Model, before highlighting our best bets for the contest. The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up well over $7,000 for $100 players on betting sites on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. The model entered Week 3 of the 2026 NFL season on a 53-41 run on top-rated picks dating back to 2024. Anybody following its picks at NFL betting sites could have seen strong returns.  

Jets vs. Lions betting odds (via DraftKings)

Jets vs. Lions betting preview

Geno Smith is completing over 70% of his passes, but the Jets are still only averaging 20.0 points per game through two weeks. Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson have done their part to complement Smith, but this offense still seems to be missing a gear. Things have improved defensively for New York so that's a positive, though going into Ford Field to take on a high-powered Lions offense might unravel any good the Jets did in the first two weeks. Detroit continues to churn out points with Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs and Amon-ra St. Brown forming one of the best offensive trios in the NFL. The Lions have topped 30 points per game in each of their first two matchups, but the problem lies on the defensive side of the ball.

Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch remain out. Avonte Maddox is on injured reserve. Safety Thomas Harper is on the injury report. If the Jets can exploit Detroit's vulnerabilities in the secondary, they might be able to find some points on deep throws to Wilson and Adonai Mitchell. Hall should also see more running lanes if Smith and the receivers keep the backup safeties at bay. In order to match Detroit's offensive output, expect New York to be aggressive and target the Lions secondary early.

 Wager on NFL Week 3 games with the BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS to get up to $1,500 in bonus bets:

Jets vs. Lions picks, prediction

Lions -6.5

The Lions are covering this spread in 67% of SportsLine simulations, and they are winning outright 81% of the time. The model also likes Over 47.5, which hits at a 74% rate. Detroit's offense has been good enough to carry a subpar defense, at least until key personnel get healthy. There are plenty of opponents who could take advantage of Detroit's injuries, but the Jets are unlikely to be one of them.