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Four teams hit the field Monday night, but only two will start the 2018 season 1-0.
New York Jets v. Detroit Lions
Both teams enter a new era when they step on to Ford Field in Detroit.
Jets
Sam Darnold makes his NFL debut as the New York Jets starting quarterback. The rookie is the youngest quarterback to ever start a season-opening game since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, according to USA Today.
Darnold is excited to take the stage after months of practice.
Darnold said that consistency.
Jets head coach Todd Bowles said at the end of the day Darnold will be fine. He was the No.3 overall 2018 draft pick after all.
The 21-year-old quarterback brings hope to the Jets who finished 5-11 last season.
Lions
Matt Patricia is making his coaching debut for Detroit. The former defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots was hired “in an effort to rebuild a defense that ranked No. 27 in the NFL last year (355.8 yards and 23.5 points per game),” according to CBS Sports.
However, the situation of the Lions’ quarterback is quite the opposite. Matthew Stafford makes his 113th straight start when he opens the 2018 season Monday. Although it’s not a debut, Stafford will still make history Monday night. He’ll pass Tom Brady for the eighth longest quarterback streak in NFL history, according to Mlive.
Monday night starts a clean slate for the Lions. Stafford said last year’s performance has nothing to do with this year’s.
Kickoff is set for 7:10 on ESPN.
Los Angeles Rams v. Oakland Raiders
Rams
The Rams new additions Marcus Peters, Aqib Talib and Ndamukong Suh will make the Rams hard to score points against. Rams’s quarterback Jared Goff said both the offense and the defense are ready for true competition.
LA Rams head coach Sean McVay agrees that the game will be a difficult one.
Raiders
Derek Carr returned the kind words.
Carr finished the 2017 season with 3,496 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions, before he was named to his third straight Pro Bowl in January.
It's all been building to this.#LARvsOAK, 7:20 p.m., ESPN. #RaiderNation https://t.co/gw9Li3lwXv
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) September 10, 2018
Returning with the Raiders is head coach Jon Gruden. Gruden was the head coach of the Raiders from 1998 to 2001. Gruden said he’s glad to be back in black and silver.
The teams go head-to-head at 10:20 p.m.
