The NFL powers didn’t do the Jets any favorites regarding their schedule.
Gang Green will begin its 2024 season on the road in back-to-back weeks. Then, in Week 3, the Jets will come home to play their home opener on Thursday Night Football.
Expectations should again be at an all-time high for the Jets with Aaron Rodgers returning from a season-ending injury. Rodgers tore his Achilles four plays into the 2023 season opener against the Bills last September. Without Rodgers, the Jets finished 7-10 for the second consecutive year.
If the Jets are going to make the playoffs for the first time since 2010, they will have to navigate a demanding schedule. In their final five games of the 2024 season, the Jets will face all teams who finished over .500 last season. Four of those games will be against teams who made the playoffs.
Now it’s time for The Daily News to make early predictions on the Jets’ schedule:
WEEK 1: at San Francisco 49ers
Monday, Sept. 9, 8:15 p.m., ESPN (Monday Night Football)
Prediction: 49ers 27, Jets 20
Like last year, the Jets will begin their season on Monday Night Football. Although the Jets defeated the Bills in the opener last year, they lost Rodgers for the year.
Robert Saleh will face Kyle Shanahan for the first time since becoming Jets coach. The 49ers are coming off a 12-5 season and a Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs.
Record: 0-1
Week 2: at Tennessee Titans
Sunday, Sept. 15, 1 p.m.
The Jets hit the road again in Week 2 and face a new-look Titans team. Will Levis return as Tennessee’s quarterback. However, the Titans have a new coach in Brian Callahan and have added wide receiver Calvin Ridley and running back Tony Pollard.
Prediction: Jets 27, Titans 17
Record: 1-1
Week 3: vs. New England Patriots
Sunday, Sept. 17, 8:15 p.m., Amazon (Thursday Night Football)
The Jets finally ended their 15-game losing streak to the Patriots during the 2023 season finale last January. Now, they hope to begin a winning streak with Patriots coach Jerod Mayo and quarterback Drake Maye, who was selected third overall in April’s draft.
Prediction: Jets 24, Patriots 14
Record: 2-1
Week 4: vs. Denver Broncos
Sunday, Sept. 29, 1 p.m.
Nathaniel Hackett vs. Sean Payton, Part 2, will take place at the end of September at MetLife Stadium. During training camp last year, USA Today published an article in which Payton ripped Hackett and took a jab at how much attention the Jets received.
Gang Green also traded Zach Wilson to the Broncos last month, which should add more fuel to the fire between the two teams. This will be the fifth year the Jets and Broncos have played each other.
Prediction: Jets 31, Broncos 13
Record: 3-1
Week 5: at Minnesota Vikings
Sunday, Oct. 6, 9:30 a.m. ET (London)
London calls the Jets for the first time since the 2021 season when they lost to the Falcons 27-20.
Gang Green could potentially face its old quarterback, Sam Darnold after he signed a one-year, $10 million deal with the Vikings during the offseason. The Jets selected Darnold third overall in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Prediction: Jets 23, Vikings 16
Record: 4-1
Week 6: vs. Buffalo Bills
Monday, Oct. 14, 8:15 p.m. ESPN (Monday Night Football)
The last time the Jets and Bills met on the field, Buffalo won in a 32-6 route in Orchard Park last November. Afterward, Bills tackle Dion Dawkins and Jets defensive lineman Micheal Clemons got into a postgame altercation in the tunnel.
Dawkins has continued to say how much he hates the Jets this offseason. He even called Clemons a “b—- boy” and accused him of instigating their postgame scrum. The Bills and Jets have split their season series the last two seasons.
Prediction: Bills 24, Jets 16
Record: 4-2
Week 7: at Pittsburgh Steelers
Sunday, Oct. 20, 8:20 p.m. (Sunday Night Football)
Mike Tomlin is still roaming the sidelines for the Steelers. But Pittsburgh will have a new quarterback in the huddle in 2024.
The Steelers signed Russell Wilson and traded for Justin Fields. That should make for an exciting quarterback competition in training camp.
Pittsburgh finished 10-7 and made the playoffs before losing to the Bills in the AFC Wild-Card Game.
Prediction: Steelers 24, Jets 21
Record: 4-3
Week 8: at New England Patriots
Sunday, Oct. 27, 1 p.m.
The Jets haven’t swept the Patriots since the 2000 season. But 2024 could finally be the year, assuming Gang Green takes care of business against a New England team in rebuild mode.
Prediction: Jets 34, Patriots 20
Record: 5-3
Week 9: vs. Houston Texans
Thursday, Oct. 31, 8:15 p.m., (Thursday Night Football)
Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud had his worst outing of the season in the 30-6 loss to the Jets last December. He passed for 91 yards, was sacked four times, and left the game with a concussion.
Houston eventually bounced back, finishing 10-7 and winning the AFC South before losing to Baltimore 34-10 in the divisional round.
Prediction: Texans 28, Jets 23
Record: 5-4
Week 10: at Arizona Cardinals
Sunday, Nov. 10, 4:25 p.m.
In Jonathan Gannon’s first season as coach, the Cardinals finished 4-13. Arizona will get Kyler Murray back at the start of the season after he returned from an ACL injury last year after he suffered the injury during the 2022 season.
Prediction: Jets 31, Cardinals 20
Record: 6-4
Week 11: vs. Colts
Sunday, Nov. 17, 8:20 p.m. (Sunday Night Football)
The Colts barely missed the postseason party last season after finishing 9-8 with Gardner Minshew under center. 2023 first-round pick Anthony Richardson missed the final 13 games after suffering a Grade 3 AC joint sprain.
Indianapolis added ex-Jets quarterback Joe Flacco after Minshew signed with the Raiders.
Prediction: Jets 34, Colts 17
Record: 7-4
Week 12: Bye
Week 13: vs. Seahawks
Sunday, Dec. 1, 1 p.m.
Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith will face the team that drafted him for the second time in three seasons. In 2022, Smith passed for 183 yards and two touchdowns in the 23-6 win against the Jets in 2022.
Mike Macdonald is now in charge in Seattle after Pete Carroll and the organization mutually parted ways this offseason.
Prediction: Jets 28, Seahawks 24
Record: 8-4
Week 14: at Miami Dolphins
Sunday, Dec. 8, 1 p.m.
The Jets-Dolphins rivalry was one-sided a season ago after Miami swept the season series. The Dolphins outscored the Jets 64-13. That includes the 30-0 loss last December, which eliminated the Jets from playoff contention for the 13 consecutive season.
Prediction: Dolphins 31, Jets 20
Record: 8-5
Week 15: at Jaguars
Sunday, Dec. 15, 1 p.m.
The 2024 season was a disappointing one for the Jaguars. A year after winning the AFC South and making it to the AFC Divisional Round, Jacksonville missed the playoffs after finishing 9-8.
As long as Trevor Lawrence is healthy, the Jaguars should be in the playoff mix again.
Prediction: Jaguars 24, Jets 21
Record: 8-6
Week 16: vs. Rams
Sunday, Dec. 22, 1 p.m.
Defensive tackle Aaron Donald retired this offseason, which should make many opposing quarterbacks around the league very happy.
The Rams finished 10-7 last season and made the playoffs before losing to the Lions in the wild-card game.
Prediction: Jets 28, Rams 24
Record: 9-6
Week 17: at Buffalo Bills
Sunday, Dec. 29, 1 p.m.
If Gang Green is going to win the AFC East, all roads will go through Buffalo. The Bills have won four consecutive division titles. They also arguably have one of the top three quarterbacks in the NFL in Josh Allen.
Prediction: Bills 31, Jets 21
Record: 9-7
Week 18: vs. Miami Dolphins
Saturday, Jan. 4, or Sunday, Jan. 5
The Jets’ playoff hopes could hinge on their season finale against the Dolphins. Both teams figure to be playoff contenders in 2024, and the Dolphins have made the postseason the last two years.
Gang Green last swept Miami in 2015, the last time the team finished with a winning record (10-6).
Prediction: Jets 30, Dolphins 27
Record: 10-7
Final record prediction: 10-7, AFC Wild Card
After going all in the last two offseason, Saleh and the Jets have to win in 2024. Last season, Saleh and Jets general manager Joe Douglas received a mulligan after Rodgers’ injury. It’s hard to see that happening again under almost any circumstance.
The Jets have made the necessary moves to improve their offensive line, backup quarterback position, and add wide receiver help. Now, it is put up or shut up time for many in the organization.
