Jon Gruden Calls Lions Over Jets, Misses By 1 Point

The pregame video on the @BarstoolGruden account had the hedge built right into the outfit: a white Lions cap on top of a green 'NEW YORK EST. 1960' Jets shirt, filmed in front of a whiteboard marked 'JETS DEFENSE' and full of play diagrams. It's peak Gruden: dressed for both sidelines and ready to congratulate whoever wins. Then Detroit won 31-24, and he came back to collect what he could.

Jon Gruden

@BarstoolGruden

Here's my prediction for Jets vs Lions!

Is 1 point off good? In the world of score predictions, sure, that's basically a bullseye. Picking the winner and landing within a point of the final is about as close as anybody gets without a time machine. The Lions cap won the day and the Jets shirt went back in the drawer. Only Gruden could dress for both teams and still post a victory lap.

He also had company in the both-sides business. On Wake Up Barstool after Gruden's Auburn trip, Dave Portnoy described Gruden's assistant hauling around a huge box of hats and apparel for whatever team the coach ended up next to, and landed on the best perk of the job.

Wake Up Barstool

@wakeupbarstool

“It's beautiful to be him because no matter who wins, he gets to celebrate.” – Dave Portnoy

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The game itself didn't make the pick easy. Detroit was coming off a loss and 1-1, and Aaron Glenn was back at Ford Field against the team where he used to run the defense. The Jets were up 3-0 down in the Lions' end zone in the 2nd quarter when rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq laid out for a 24-yard touchdown, his first NFL catch for a score. Even with a Lions cap on, Gruden couldn't help himself.

Jon Gruden

@BarstoolGruden

What a catch by the FREAK!

Sadiq finished with 7 catches for 105 yards, and Geno Smith threw 3 touchdowns, but Jahmyr Gibbs decided it. He had 99 rushing yards, 65 receiving yards and 3 total touchdowns, including the 11-yard go-ahead catch with 2:25 left. The Jets got 1 last drive and it went sideways fast. Garrett Wilson (10 catches, 107 yards, a 4th-quarter touchdown) needed attention after a big hit, which cost New York its last timeout. Then with 51 seconds left, Chuck Clark sacked Smith, knocked the ball loose, and Jack Campbell recovered it to end the game. Jets fans responded with the thousand-yard stare.

Memes

@PardonMyMeme

Lost Garrett Wilson and the game in a matter of 30 seconds

Wilson walked off on his own, and the Jets' recap said he was evaluated for a head injury and cleared to keep playing, so the 30 seconds were less of a disaster than they looked live. It still leaves New York at 1-2 after a game it had a real shot to steal, while Detroit gets to 2-1. The Jets keep blowing leads, the Lions keep surviving tight games, and Gruden picked the right one.

Gruden didn't spend long celebrating. By Sunday night he'd moved on to the Rams at Denver, and in a sponsored DraftKings 'Gruden's Gut Check' spot he said the LA ground game would run wild.

Barstool Sports

@barstoolsports

Coach Gruden’s got a gut feeling that the Rams rushing attack is going to run wild tonight. ‘Gruden’s Gut Check’ presented by @DraftKings #DKPartner

That's 2 Rams running backs, a Broncos receiver and an LA win, and $10 pays $42. Detroit got him within a point on Sunday afternoon. Whatever happens with the parlay, Gruden will have a hat for it.