Jets 2024 schedule with predictions for each game: It all depends on health

The New York Jets’ official 2024 schedule is here and now, we have the road map to the regular season.

So, naturally, that means it's time to make some way-too-early predictions regarding the entire 17-game schedule. For context starting out, I think all of the results I posted below are under the assumption that the Jets remain relatively healthy. That doesn’t mean players missing games here and there, but in general avoiding any major injuries. I realize that is a big leap of faith, but as you can see below, I’m in an optimistic mood.

Let's stop wasting time and have some fun predicting the Jets' 2024 schedule.

Week 1: @San Francisco 49ers (Monday, Sep 9, 8:15pm ET)

Jets lose 20-13: Not the best way to kick off the new season with such a tough opening matchup. The Jets are older and haven’t played together much. There are three new pieces on the offensive line and one that missed most of last year. The 49ers defense will just be too much as Rodgers tries to get his legs under him. Good news here is that Rodgers makes out of the game upright. Bad news is the Jets fail their first test.

Jets record after Week 1: 0-1

Week 2: @ Tennessee Titans (Sunday, Sep 15, 1pm ET)

Jets win 24-10: The NFL may not have done the Jets any favors with three games in 10 days to start the season, but they did at least give them the Titans in Week 2. I expect the Titans to be better than most think, but it will take some time for QB Will Levis to get going and the Jets defense will simply be too much for the second-year man.

Jets record after Week 2: 1-1

Week 3: New England Patriots (Thursday, Sep 19, 8:15pm ET)

Jets win 17-6: This isn’t the old Patriots, and they don’t have the same energy. It will not be easy to replace Bill Belichick whose master game planning covered up for a lack of talent on the team. Still, I always say Thursday Night Game are “weird unders”. I imagine it will still be the Jacoby Brissett show, who always seems to play well against the Jets, but he doesn’t have much to work with so, I expect a defensive battle with the Jets talent eventually winning out.

Jets record after Week 3: 2-1

Week 4: Denver Broncos (Sunday, Sep 29, 1pm ET)

Jets win 20-9: The Broncos defense is still good, and the Jets might struggle to move the ball, but there is no way Bo Nix, Zach Wilson or Jarred Stidham are able to move the ball with any regularity against the Jets defense. I gave them three field goals, because Sean Payton is still a good coach and

Jets record after Week 4: 3-1

Week 5: @ Minnesota Vikings (Sunday Oct 6, 9:30am ET)

Jets win 24-21: Too many people are going to sleep on former Jets’ QBs Sam Darnold and Kevin O’Connell and they are going to be proven wrong. Kevin O’Connell is one of the best play callers in the league and understands the limitations of his players and schemes accordingly. I think this will be a Sam Darnold game with the Vikings using the BYE week (Week 6 for Minnesota) to make the switch to first round pick J.J. McCarthy. The Vikings will move the ball but in the end, the Jets talent will win the day in Jolly Ole’ England.

Jets record after Week 5: 4-1

Week 6: Buffalo Bills (Monday, Oct 14, 8:15pm ET)

Jets lose 24-21: The first five weeks of the season were absolutely brutal for the Jets logistically considering a West Coast trip, a Thursday Night game and trip to England, and it finally catches up with them against a good opponent who is hungry to avenge last year’s loss at the MetLife. Everyone will point to the talent the Bills lost on offense and not realize that the shift in personnel will mean a shift in offensive philosophy that will be a tougher matchup for the Jets. Sauce Gardner and DJ Reed can shut down Khalil Shakir and Marquez Valdes-Scantling all they want. The Bills are going to run the ball (with James Cook and Josh Allen) and utilize their mismatches at tight end to win the game.

Jets record after Week 6: 4-2

Week 7: @ Pittsburgh Steelers (Sunday, Oct 20, 8:20pm ET)

Jets lose 16-13: The Steelers are counted out every year, and every year Mike Tomlin has them above .500 and winning some games they shouldn’t. The Jets feel like a prime team for the Steelers to win in ugly fashion. New York doesn’t have much success when they have to travel to Pittsburgh and the Steelers will do just enough to eek out a victory.

Jets record after Week 7: 4-3

Week 8: @ New England Patriots (Sunday, Oct 27, 1pm ET)

Jets win 35-13: After a week where the media will be screaming “the sky is falling” as the Jets lose back-to-back games, they travel up to New England and put doubts to rest (for a week) and get out all their frustrations on the Patriots who by this time have likely turned to Drake Maye. The poor kid will have no shot against this defense.

Jets record after Week 8: 5-3

Week 9: Houston Texans (Thursday, Oct 31, 8:15pm ET)

Jets lose 20-17: After molly-whooping the Texans last year, Demeco Ryans makes adjustments to his game plan while Robert Saleh goes in with the same game plan. If this game were on Sunday, I might have the Jets pulling it out, but in the end, as I said, Thursday Night games are “weird unders” and this one is no different. Texans get some revenge for last year and the panic starts up again in New York.

Jets record after Week 9: 5-4

Week 10: @ Arizona Cardinals (Sunday, Nov 10, 4:25pm ET)

Jets win 35-17: Much like the last time panic starts to step in for the Jets, the NFL brings them an easy “W”, this time out in the desert. There will be a lot of hype in seeing Marvin Harrison Jr. take on Sauce Gardner, but in the end the Jets offense won’t make it anything more than a footnote in the game. The Cardinals, despite having a defensive minded head coach, simply won’t have the horses to stop the Jets offense and this one won’t be close.

Jets record after Week 10: 6-4

Week 11: Indianapolis Colts (Sunday, Nov 17, 8:20pm ET)

Jets win 31-10: The Colts are in a weird spot with Anthony Richardson who may have all the talent in the world, but he simply takes too many hits, so it may be impossible to truly understand how good he is. The Colts signed former Jets’ legend Joe Flacco as a backup, but I think the Flacco we saw last year was a fluke with the Cleveland Browns. Jets should be able to handle this game easily.

Jets record after Week 11: 7-4

Week 12: BYE

A nice late BYE week gives the Jets the break they will need for a tough final stretch of the season. Hopefully this will nothing more than healing up minor injuries and getting things ironed out for the last six weeks of the season.