New York Jets: 5 Prevailing thoughts on the 2020 schedule

Looking at the New York Jets 2020 schedule, it could be another tough year.

After looking through the schedule of the New York Jets for the 2020 NFL season, it’s difficult to imagine a world in which the team will be capable of competing for a playoff spot. Yet, postseason or not, there are still plenty of things worth monitoring for Gang Green in 2020.

This season is an important season for quarterback Sam Darnold to improve his overall play and, hopefully, will end with the dismissal of head coach Adam Gase if the Jets have a below .500 season and miss the playoffs yet again.

Looking at the Jets’ 2020 schedule, though, these are some prevailing thoughts about New York’s upcoming slate.

5. Early-season stretch offers Jets some tough matchups

The Jets open the season on the road against the rival Buffalo Bills. While the Jets split their series last year against the Bills, one cannot forget how the Jets blew a lead and lost to them in their season opener at home. While the Bills may not be as good as pundits make them out to be, the Jets have a tough first game against them to start the season.

For New York’s second game of the season and their home opener, the Jets play host to the NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers. My initial thoughts on this game would be the Niners defense making life miserable for Darnold and the Jets offensive line. It likely will be another terrible home-opener as the head coach the Jets should’ve hired before they ever got to Gase, Kyle Shanahan, runs all over them.

4. AFC and NFC West are tough divisional draws

Playing against the AFC West means New York has to go up against the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, led by Patrick Mahomes, in Arrowhead Stadium. That should be a blowout victory for Kansas City.

Meanwhile, the Jets also have back-to-back road games on the west coast as they face the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams in Weeks 14 and 15, respectively. That could be a brutal two-game stretch for Gang Green if they’re not careful.

3. New York should still be able to pick up some non-divisional victories

Yes, the Jets’ wins in the 2020 season might be few and far between. However, there are games on the schedule that they should be expected to win — or should at least go into with a victory in mind. Two that stand out are a Week 5 matchup at home against the Arizona Cardinals and then hosting the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 13.

2. The Jets could win three or four games in the AFC East

To preface, don’t expect the New York Jets to win the division in 2020. However, that should be able to win at least one game against each of their AFC East rivals in the Bills, Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots. Baseline, that would give them a 3-3 record in the division.

What going .500 or better in the division likely hinges on is how improved the Jets offense under Gase and led by Darnold will be. More importantly, both sides of the ball need to play more complete games this year than they did a season ago.

1. What were the schedule-makers thinking?

The Jets open and close the 2020 regular season on the road this year. Yes, that happens — but it would great if the NFL found a way to have a team that opens the season on the road close at home or vice versa.

More than that, the biggest oddity of the Jets schedule is playing on the road in Week 10 against the Dolphins, taking their bye and then hosting the Dolphins in Week 12. That’s one of the more bizarre scheduling results I’ve seen.