Much is new for the Jets in 2021 — new head coach, newly drafted quarterback, new players, new 17-game regular-season schedule, and perhaps some newly full stadiums after last year's COVID-19 restrictions kept attendances at zero or not far from it.
And add to the newness one Jets road game on their 2021 schedule that will not be played in the United States but in London, when the Jets take on the Atlanta Falcons on Oct. 10 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The game, which is Atlanta's home game, will not be played inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which would have been the Jets' first regular-season visit to the Falcons' new home. Instead, the Jets, for the second time ever and the first time in six years, will play in London, and for the first time ever in the home of the Spurs, which hosted its first two NFL games in 2019.
The Green & White's first visit to London was for their road game against Miami in Week 4 of the 2015 season on Oct. 4, 2015. The Jets prevailed, 27-14, as they improved their record to 3-1 heading into their bye week. RB Chris Ivory had 166 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries, WR Brandon Marshall had 128 yards on seven receptions from QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, CB Darrelle Revis had one of the defense's two interceptions and Muhammad Wilkerson had two of the three sacks of Ryan Tannehill, then the Dolphins' QB.
The Jets' stars for this game will all be different. They could have as many as all 10 of their draft choices on the Tottenham pitch for this one, led by first-round QB Zach Wilson. Providing the Green & White offense could be veteran slot receiver Jamison Crowder, unrestricted free agent wideouts Corey Davis and Keelan Cole, second-year WR Denzel Mims and vet TE Chris Herndon along with young RB La'Mical Perine and more experienced back Tevin Coleman. The defense will try to get after veteran Falcons QB Matt Ryan with the likes of third-year DL Quinnen Williams, newly arrived edge rusher Carl Lawson, veteran MLB C.J. Mosley and fifth-year S Marcus Maye showing the way.
This year's London game will be only the fifth game played by the Jets outside the United States all-time. Their first two international affairs came in the preseason — as the home team, they defeated the Browns 11-7 in Montreal's Olympic Stadium in 1988, then lost to the Buccaneers 30-14 in the Tokyo Dome in the 2003 preseason-opening Japan Bowl.
In the regular season, the Jets have won twice on the international stage, both teams as road teams: by 19-13 over the Bills in Toronto in 2009 before taking down the Dolphins in London Town in 2015.
