New York @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 19, 2017 ) N.Y. Jets 6, Detroit 16

From the minute the New York Jets selected Sam Darnold with the No. 3 overall pick in this year's draft, it merely was a matter of when, not if, the team handed him the keys to their offense. Darnold impressed New York's brass enough to win the starting job in the preseason and will lead the Jets into Monday's season opener against the host Detroit Lions.

Darnold, who beat out Josh McCown and the since-traded Teddy Bridgewater for the job during the preseason, will make history in his NFL debut, becoming the youngest Week 1 starting quarterback at 21 years, 97 days. "We are trying to help the team win and we feel like he gives us a good chance to win," Jets coach Todd Bowles told reporters. "We’re not starting him because he’s a rookie and he’s not ready, we’re starting him because he gives us a chance to win the game.” While Darnold represents a changing of the guard in New York, the Lions will be playing their initial game under first-year coach Matt Patricia, who spent the past six seasons as the defensive coordinator for New England. Patricia inherits a team that has posted back-to-back nine-win seasons and features an experienced quarterback in Matt Stafford, but also one that hasn't won a playoff game since 1991.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Lions -6.5. O/U: 45

ABOUT THE JETS (2017: 5-11, 4TH IN AFC EAST): Darnold, the second quarterback taken in the draft, finished the preseason by completing 29-of-45 passes for 244 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. He will look to a wide receiving corps led by Robby Anderson, who paced the team with 941 yards and seven touchdowns last season, Jermaine Kearse (team-high 65 catches), Quincy Enunwa (58 catches in 2016) and quarterback-turned-receiver Terrelle Pryor. New York augmented the running game by bringing in a power back in Isaiah Crowell, who appeared in all 16 games in each of his four seasons in Cleveland, while Bilal Powell will provide a breather and serve as the third-down back. Leonard Williams anchors the defensive line and New York has a solid secondary, but it must improve on a pass rush that ranked 28th a year ago with 28 sacks.

ABOUT THE LIONS (2017: 9-7, 2ND IN NFC NORTH): Stafford has thrown for at least 4,000 yards for seven consecutive years to carry what has been a one-dimensional offense that ranked last in rushing in two of the past three seasons. To that end, Detroit drafted rookie running back Kerryon Johnson from Auburn in the second round and signed LeGarrette Blount, who is one year removed from leading the league with 18 rushing touchdowns. Marvin Jones led the Lions with 1,101 yards and nine touchdowns on 61 catches last season while fellow wideout Golden Tate also surpassed 1,000 yards on 92 receptions. Detroit has a pair of standouts on the other side of the ball in defensive end Ziggy Ansah (12 sacks) and cornerback Darius Slay (eight interceptions) but needs to find another pass rusher for a unit that ranked 27th in 2017.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Stafford has recorded four scoring passes and zero interceptions in two career meetings with New York.

2. Crowell is one of six active running backs with at least 600 yards rushing in each of the last four seasons.

3. Lions RB Theo Riddick has registered 186 catches and 10 TD receptions over the last three seasons.

PREDICTION: Lions 23, Jets 20