Every Jets opponent in the 17-game 2022 season ahead carries with it potential storylines plus loads of Green & White rivalry trivia. Here are some notes on the Jets schedule just released by the NFL:
Week 1, Game 1 | Sept. 11 @ 1 p.m. vs. Baltimore Ravens
Welcome to Our House: The Jets get a season opener at home again. They received seven straight season openers at home from 2010-16, then in the past seven years they celebrated opening day at MetLife only once, in the 2019 squeaker loss to the Bills. QB Lamar Jackson, healthy again, will test the Jets at MLS but how will he hold up vs. the rejuvenated pass rush featuring Carl Lawson, draft picks Jermaine Johnson and Micheal Clemons, and inside returnees Quinnen Williams and John Franklin-Myers?
Week 2, Game 2 | Sept. 18 @ 1 p.m. at Cleveland Browns
Even Steven Cleveland?: The Jets have the opportunity in this game, possibly against QB Deshaun Watson, acquired in the March trade with Houston, to even a lot of scores. They could improve their regular-season record at Cleveland to 9-9. With a 5-5 mark vs. the Browns at home, the Jets' overall record would also reach .500 at 14-14. And they would improve to 1-1 all-time vs. Watson.
Week 3, Game 3 | Sept. 25 @ 1 p.m. vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Bengal Tamers: With their 34-31 home win over Cincinnati last year, the Jets in their 11 Meadowlands meetings since 1984 have outscored the Bengals 295-185. That's because they've won 10 of the 11, with the only loss coming by a point on opening day 2016. Lawson sat out last year's game vs. his former team but this year will try to plant Super Bowl QB Joe Burrow in the MetLife turf once or twice for old time's sake.
Week 4, Game 4 | Oct. 2 @ 1 p.m. at Pittsburgh Steelers
Bye-Bye, Big Ben: For only the second game since 2003, the Jets will play a Steelers QB other than Ben Roethlisberger, who retired in January. The Jets were 3-6 vs. "Big Ben" from 2004 through his last start vs. the Green & White in 2016. Pitt's starter in this one could be Mitchell Trubisky, rookie Kenny Pickett or Mason Rudolph, who played in the Jets' 16-10 MetLife win in 2019.
Week 5, Game 5 | Oct. 9 @ 1 p.m. vs. Miami Dolphins
Familiar Foes: Among the Dolphins coming to MetLife for this one: new HC Mike McDaniel, an assistant coach alongside Robert Saleh and Mike LaFleur on the 49ers from 2017-20, and new WR Tyreek Hill, who in three previous games vs. the Jets for the Chiefs had touchdown catches of 79, 40, 36 and 41 yards. New Jets CBs D.J. Reed and rookie Sauce Gardner and holdovers Bryce Hall, Brandin Echols and Michael Carter II will enjoy the challenge.
Week 6, Game 6 | Oct. 16 @ 1 p.m. at Green Bay Packers
Rarin' to Beat Aaron: The Jets keep getting closer to defeating Aaron Rodgers without winning. In 2010 at home, they held Rodgers' offense to no TDs but lost 9-0. In '14 at Lambeau, they opened a 21-3 second-quarter lead only to fall 31-24. And in '18 at MetLife, the Jets took the QB and his Pack to overtime before suffering a 44-38 defeat.
Week 7, Game 7 | Oct. 23 @ 4:05 p.m. at Denver Broncos
Musical QBs: The Jets have an odd streak going against Denver. They've played 10 consecutive games since 2002 in which the Broncos have started a different QB. The list: Brian Griese (2002), Jake Plummer ('05), Jay Cutler ('08), Kyle Orton ('10), Tim Tebow ('11), Peyton Manning ('14), Trevor Siemian ('17), Case Keenum ('18), Brett Rypien ('19) and Teddy Bridgewater ('20). This year newly arrived Russell Wilson will make it 11-for-11.
Week 8, Game 8 | Oct. 30 @ 1 p.m. vs. New England Patriots
Mac Payback Plan: Mac Jones had an auspicious start to his pro career, with 22 touchdown passes to 13 INTs for the season and two TDs and no INTs in his and the Patriots' two wins vs. the Jets. It will be interesting to see if the Jets' pass defense can repay the favors with no touchdowns allowed (a Sauce Gardner specialty) and a few picks of their own.
Week 9, Game 9 | Nov. 6 @ 1 p.m. vs. Buffalo Bills
Pitcher and Catchers: Buffalo QB Josh Allen is 5-2 in his career vs. the Jets, including wins in the last four, and that's including a W over Zach Wilson & Co. in the 2021 season finale. This year Allen has a new target to throw to alongside WR Stefon Diggs — Jamison Crowder, who led the Jets in receptions each of the past three seasons.
Week 10—Bye Week
Bye Bits: For the eighth time in the last 11 seasons, the Green & White will get a November bye week to rest up. The next stop on the itinerary after the bye: Foxboro, MA.
Week 11, Game 10 | Nov. 20 @ 1 p.m. at New England Patriots
It's Been a While: The last Patriots starting QB not named Brady that the Jets defeated at Gillette Stadium? Matt Cassel, who lost to Brett Favre and company 34-31 in OT on TNF in 2008. The Jets tried to add Cam Newton to that list in 2020 and Round 1 rookie QB Mac Jones last year but came up short both times.
Week 12, Game 11 | Nov. 27 @ 1 p.m. vs. Chicago Bears
Bear Essentials: The Jets' only home win over Chicago came in 2000 by 17-10. Vinny Testaverde threw two TD passes, one to Pro Bowl FB-to-be Richie Anderson and one to then-first-round-rookie TE Anthony Becht, while DL Shane Burton batted down three Shane Matthews passes and recovered one of three fumbles by RB James Allen.
Week 13, Game 12 | Dec. 4 @ 1 p.m. at Minnesota Vikings
Road Sweet Home: Which NFL opponent do the Jets have the best scoring average against on the road? If you said the Vikings, toot your own horn. The Jets have averaged 28.8 points in five games at Minnesota, winning three of them. That makes the Vikes one of only six foes the Jets have have a plus-.500 road record against, with the most recent W coming in '06. But can they keep the streak going in their first appearance at USBS?
Week 14, Game 13 | Dec. 11 @ 1 p.m. at Buffalo Bills
Orchard Park Spark?: The Jets in the past six years have split their games with the Bills in Western NY. While last year's 27-10 loss in the season finale was a struggle, Zach Wilson and Keelan Cole did crease the Buffalo D with a 40-yard TD catch-and-run to keep it close. Cole isn't on board this year but Jets WRs Corey Davis, Elijah Moore, Braxton Berrios and Round 1 rookie Garrett Wilson will team with Wilson to optimize the offense's aerial highlights.
See the 2022 Jets season in photos.
Week 1
Jets vs. Ravens
Sept. 11, 1 p.m. on CBS
Week 2
Jets at Browns
Sept. 18, 1 p.m. on CBS
Week 3
Jets vs. Bengals
Sept. 25, 1 p.m. on CBS
Week 4
Jets at Steelers
Oct. 2, 1 p.m. on CBS
Week 5
Jets vs. Dolphins
Oct. 9, 1 p.m. on CBS
Week 6
Jets at Packers
Oct. 16, 1 p.m. on FOX
Week 7
Jets at Broncos
Oct. 23, 4:05 p.m. on CBS
Week 8
Jets vs. Patriots
Oct. 30, 1 p.m. on CBS
Week 9
Jets vs. Bills
Nov. 6, 1 p.m. on CBS
Week 11
Jets at Patriots
Nov. 20, 1 p.m. on CBS
Week 12
Jets vs. Bears
Nov. 27, 1 p.m. on FOX
Week 13
Jets at Vikings
Dec. 4, 1 p.m. on CBS
Week 14
Jets at Bills
Dec. 11, 1 p.m. on CBS
Week 15
Jets vs. Lions
Dec. 18, 1 p.m. on FOX
Week 16
Jets vs. Jaguars
Dec. 22, 8:15 p.m. on Prime Video (TNF)
Week 17
Jets at Seahawks
Jan. 1, 4:05 p.m. on FOX
Week 18
Jets at Dolphins
Jan. 7 or 8, 1 p.m. on TBD
Week 15, Game 14 | Dec. 18 @ 1 p.m. vs. Detroit Lions
Leon vs. the Lions: Jets assistant STs coach Leon Washington remembers well the last time the Jets beat Detroit at home. The year was 2006, the score was 31-24, and then-rookie Leon recorded a career-high 129 rushing yards and a Jets career-home-high two rushing TDs, the first and last scores of the game that helped cage the Lions.
Week 16, Game 15 | Dec. 22 @ 8:15 p.m. vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Round Two: Zach Wilson and Trevor Lawrence, the top two selections of the 2021 draft, are set to meet for the second straight season, and this time on Thursday Night Football. Wilson and the Jets prevailed over Lawrence and the Jaguars 26-21 at MetLife in Week 16, giving the Green & White their fourth straight home win over the Teal & Gold since 2011. Also, Zach and his backs should have a hard-hitting reunion with former DL teammate Foley Fatukasi, now a Jag.
Week 17, Game 16 | Jan. 1 @ 4:05 p.m. at Seattle Seahawks
Dynamic Duo No More: In this year's "Game 17," one question is how will the Jets fare against the 'Hawks now that HC Pete Carroll and QB Russell Wilson have been separated with the Wilson trade to the Broncos? Carroll/Wilson were 3-0 vs. the Jets since 2012, 2-0 in Seattle. Meanwhile, the Jets were 4-2 vs. Carroll without Wilson, meaning as head coach of the Patriots from 1997-99.
Week 18, Game 17 | Jan 7 or 8 @ 1 p.m. at Miami Dolphins
Close But No Recent Cigars: It's been a tough road for the Jets against their longtime AFC friends and foes at Hard Rock with six straight losses since 2016. Yet the series is a little closer than that, since five of those six were decided by eight points or fewer. This will be the Jets' sixth consecutive road RS finale and 11th away from home in the last 12 years. They prevailed at Miami in 2013 (20-7) and '14 (37-24).
