At this point, it is obvious how important this season is for these New York Jets.
Both the head coach and the general manager are on the hot seat. Aaron Rodgers is entering the twilight of his NFL career, and multiple veterans, such as C.J. Mosley and D.J. Reed, are poised to potentially depart.
Luckily, the Jets are in a position to capitalize on their opportunity. They have a much-improved offense and the talent to take the league by storm. The defense, while possibly not one of the best overall in the league, still has the potential to be locked down in the passing game.
However, the Jets need to win games to realize their potential. They did not get off to a good start in 2024, dropping their Week 1 game to the San Francisco 49ers by a score of 32-19.
However, when looking at their 2024 schedule, it is more evident than ever that they need to start fast and win as much as they can.
A safety net is needed more than ever
The Jets 2024 schedule can be split into two distinct parts: Pre-bye and post-bye. Both parts should be considered equally important but for vastly different reasons.
The pre-bye week schedule consists of the first 11 weeks of the season. After losing their Week 1 matchup, 10 games remain before the team’s bye week. In those weeks, the Jets will face the following teams:
- Week 2: @ Titans
- Week 3: vs. Patriots
- Week 4: vs. Denver
- Week 5: vs. Minnesota (London)
- Week 6: vs. Buffalo
- Week 7: @ Pittsburgh
- Week 8: @ New England
- Week 9: vs. Houston
- Week 10: @Arizona
- Week 11: vs. Indianapolis
Following their Week 12 bye, New York will face the following teams to end their 2024 season:
- Week 13: vs. Seattle
- Week 14: @ Miami
- Week 15: @Jacksonville
- Week 16: vs. Los Angeles(NFC)
- Week 17: @ Buffalo
- Week 18: vs. Miami
From an objective standpoint, after Week 1, the back end of their schedule is their roughest portion. New York will face all teams that were either playoff contenders last season or look to be contenders in 2024.
In short, they’re set to face great coaching staffs and teams with similar talent.
The schedule’s back-end features big-time opponents
Buffalo looks to have one of the better offenses in the AFC, led by an improved rushing attack and a mutant quarterback in Josh Allen. Seattle will be prepared to play and could be a key competitor in the NFC wild-card race.
Jacksonville has the talent to compete with any football team. Sean McVay and Mike McDaniel, regardless of the health of their rosters, will have offensive gameplans to challenge the weaknesses in the Jets’ defense.
Ultimately, no game after the Jets’ bye week is a cakewalk. From Weeks 13-18, the Jets will be in competitive battles over four quarters.
What does this mean, though? The Jets cannot lose more than four games before their bye week.
The best teams New York plays before their bye week are the Buffalo Bills in Week 5 and the Houston Texans. Both teams are some of the best in the AFC and will be great tests for the Jets to see where they stack up in the conference.
Take care of business early in the season
Outside of them, though, the Jets must take care of business. They must win all three games in their stretch against the Titans, Patriots, and Broncos. They have to find a way to overcome the London experience and beat the Vikings. The Steelers, Patriots (again), Cardinals and Colts are all beatable opponents.
To have the best chance to compete for a playoff spot in a stacked AFC, the Jets have to be 8-4, at the worst, before their bye week. This gives room for a slip-up or two in the back half of their schedule, as a loss would not kill their playoff chances. Anything more than four losses before the bye week, though, and the Jets’ playoff chances could be in trouble.
New York has the pure talent to overcome its opponents. It has the elite players necessary to beat most teams in the league.
However, New York needs its depth and coaching to step up in the coming weeks. The defense needs to be more locked in, while the offense needs to show the creativity it displayed during training camp. Quite frankly, the Jets just need to play at the level they perceive themselves as.
There is time for New York to get on track, especially considering their upcoming opponents. But if they slip up for an extended period during their bye week, the Jets’ playoff chances could be gone before they even have a chance to be real.
