The plan the New York Jets had for quarterback Sam Darnold was actually quite different. The intention was for him to sit and learn a little about the NFL, then ease his way into the lineup, depending on how the Jets were doing in the standings at the time. And they kept Josh McCown for that purpose. But those plans changed, indicating the Jets have a lot of confidence in their rookie, and they will unveil him on Monday night in a game that gets underway at 7:10 PM ET on ESPN, at Ford Field in Detroit.

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Darnold was taken with the third pick in the draft, after Baker Mayfield and Saquon Barkley, and one must assume he's the guy the Jets really wanted, because they traded up just to be i the third spot. They have been looking for their "franchise" quarterback ever since Joe Namath left town. And, after trading Teddy Bridgewater and giving McCown very little time in the exhibition schedule, they decided to let Darnold play.

Of course, he's got a lot of good qualities, including poise and the ability to move around in the pocket. And there was no question that before he went into his junior season at USC he had been expected to be a Heisman candidate and possible #1 pick. In two years at USC he threw for 7229 yards.

The Lions open this season with a new coach. Matt Patricia is the former defensive coordinator in New England, and he made sure of some offensive continuity as he kept coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, who has a good rapport with Matthew Stafford. The difference this season is that they want to run the ball a lot more, and they seem to have the horses to get the job done.

In the Monday night football odds that have been posted on this game by the folks at BetAnySports, the Lions are favored:

Detroit Lions -7 (-105)
New York Jets +7 (-115)

Over 44.5 points -110
Under 44.5 points -110

The conclusion you have to come to, obviously, is that Todd Bowles feels Darnold is ready. But is the offensive line ready for prime time? The general consensus is that it isn't. And that is the type of thing that can undo a rookie quarterback, especially one who is making his first start on the road. And even though Darnold has some capable wide receivers to throw to, including Robby Anderson, there is not going to be a lot of production out of the tight end spot, and we wonder whether the ground forces will give him enough support. Does the presence of Isaiah Crowell constitute a significant upgrade?

With Ziggy Ansah there from the outset, the Lions should be able to get some pressure on Darnold. Frankly, the Jets don't really have anyone who can rush the passer with any consistency, and that is much more cause for concern against Matthew Stafford. And consider the possibilities if Patricia isn't just giving the talk of a running game a bunch of lip service. The Lions have been the worst team in the league when it comes to that, but they signed LeGarrette Blount as a free agent and drafted Karryon Johnson. So they seem to be putting their money where their mouth is. And with Theo Riddick as the third-down guy, this appears to be a pretty well-rounded backfield.

Darnold is the only rookie quarterback making a start in this opening NFL week. The learning curve could be steep. It's not like he has a plethora of weapons around him. And this team did not do a job of "closing" games last year, while Stafford is the guy who specializes in leading fourth-quarter comebacks. A slight lean to the Lions,who have advantages in too many areas right now.

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