Calvin Johnson had his sixth 1,000 season in 2014. (Getty)
Week 1 of the NFL preseason kicks off on Thursday with a slate of games, one being a matchup between the Detroit Lions and New York Jets. The Lions are hoping to build off an 11-5 season and a playoff spot, while the Jets are ready to bounce back from a 4-12 effort with a new coaching staff.
Both teams plan on playing their starters for at least the opening series, which is customary for the preseason opener. Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford is slated to play, while New York’s Geno Smith will miss the next 6-10 weeks with a jaw injury in bizarre circumstances. This leaves Ryan Fitzpatrick as the starter for the Jets.
The teams played in the regular season in 2014; Detroit won 24-17, which snapped a three-game losing streak in the series.
The Jets are already banged up in the secondary that was completely decimated a year ago. Cornerback Dee Milliner, who was pushed down the depth chart as a result of free agent signings of Darrelle Revis, Buster Skrine and Antonio Cromartie, will miss significant time with a wrist injury. Muhammad Wilkerson is also dealing with a hamstring issue, but this appears to be minor.
The New York makeover wasn’t restricted to the defense, though. New wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Devin Smith will hope to give whoever plays quarterback the opportunity to make plays down the field.
Here’s what you need to know about the game:
The Basics
Geno Smith will miss 6-10 weeks with a jaw injury. (Getty)
Who
Detroit Lions vs. New York Jets
Where
Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
Date
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Time
7:30 p.m. Eastern
Channel
The game will be shown in New York on CBS (Channel 2), and in the Detroit area on a number of local networks. Click here for your station.
Line
Detroit (-3)
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Lions vs. Jets: Time, Channel, Odds