Green & White Have 9 Home Games; 8 Road Games, Including 2 in Primetime

NYJ Editorial Staff

Throughout the offseason,NewYorkJets.comreporters Eric Allen, Randy Lange and Caroline Hendershot will give their responses to a series of questions regarding the Jets.

Today's feature includes five questions following the release of the 2025 schedule.

Which road game should fans travel to (excluding London)?

Eric Allen: Tampa. The Jets' first road game will mark just the sixth time the Green & White will visit Tampa. The Buccaneers have quietly enjoyed sustained success, and Tampa is a great city on the Gulf Coast. The average temperatures in Tampa in September are between 75 and 87. Get the bathing suit, sunscreen and then watch the Jets battle a good team.

Ethan Greenberg: Jets-Dolphins in Week 4 would be a good game to circle. I know it's likely to be a scorcher given it'll be late September, but at least it will be at night on a Monday. It's one of two primetime matchups in the season, which will result in a fun atmosphere especially because it's a division rival. Not to mention as a fan, you can still watch all the Sunday games. Division rival, good weather, fun city, easy flight, good food. The only negative is you will probably have to take at least one day off from work.

Randy Lange: Tampa Bay in Week 3. Jets' first road game, at Bucs, coached by Todd Bowles, QB'd by Baker Mayfield, pass rush possibly supplied by Haason Reddick. And then, if the schedule back home allows it, spending the next week in Florida and heading farther south for the Jets' Week 4 game, their first AFC East road test at Miami on Monday night.

Caroline Hendershot: Baltimore in Week 12 against the Ravens. Last season the Ravens went 12-5 with QB Lamar Jackson playing at an MVP-worthy level. They made it to the divisional round of playoffs before losing, 25-23, to the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, NY. Since Baltimore is only a three-hour drive from North Jersey, it would be an easy day trip for fans to attend the 1 p.m. matchup and be able to see where the Jets stack up against a top-tier team in the AFC.

Which player matchup are you most looking forward to?

EA: Let's take the trip to North London in Week 6 and watch Jets WR Garrett Wilson, one of five WRs to record 80 catches and 1,000 yards in each of his first five seasons, clash with 2024 Defensive Player of the Year, Broncos CB Partrick Surtain II.

EG: Justin Fields against his former team out of the gate. I know there is speculation about Aaron Rodgers signing with Pittsburgh and playing his former team, the Jets, in Week 1, but the same storyline is there for Fields, who went 4-2 as a starter last season with the Steelers. I imagine MetLife Stadium will be roaring in Week 1 and if Fields can stick it to his old team with a talented defense that's headlined by four-time first-team All-Pro and NFL DPOY T.J. Watt, it would be a statement by Fields and the Green & White.

RL: I'll pick two. Justin Fields and Jets' offense vs. Pitt's big takeaway defense in the season opener, showing where Fields is right off the bat and against his team from last season. Then Jets CB Sauce Gardner vs. Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase at Cincinnati in Week 8.

CH: While the matchup of WR Garrett Wilson and CB Travis Hunter will be on my radar during Week 15 against the Jaguars, I am looking forward to seeing the Jets' offensive line against the Steelers' defensive line in Week 1. Pittsburgh consistently has one of the better defenses in the league and is familiar with QB Justin Fields' play style. With players like T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Cam Heyward and Derrick Harmon, the Steelers can rush the passer from different sides and all positions. It will be one of the toughest tests for the Jets' offensive line all season, but I think it will rise to the occasion.

Which opponent could surprise the NFL landscape?

EA: I've gone back and forth on this one. The Dallas Cowboys had a strong offseason and Dak Prescott, who was limited to eight games last season due to a hamstring injury, is still an awfully good quarterback. I could see the Pats and Jets ascending, and the Jags are an interesting team to watch. But I'll give a nod to the Broncos, a club that made the postseason last year and will give the Chiefs all they want in the AFC West. Is this the year the Steelers finally finish below .500?

EG: The Falcons. Atlanta has impressive skill players like WR Drake London, RB Bijan Robinson and TE Kyle Pitts, but I'm interested to see what QB Michael Penix does in Year 2, and his first as the team's starter. If he's able to make a sophomore jump, the Falcons' offense could be one of the better units in the league. The Falcons also poured resources into their defense that includes a pair of first-round pass rushers in Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. That defense is now led by former Jets DC Jeff Ulrbich.

RL: Dallas isn't normally a surprise team, but "America's Team" can return to NFL relevance with Dak Prescott back under center and George Pickens joining CeeDee Lamb at WR after the 'Pokes' down 7-10 season in '24.

CH: I think one opponent that the Jets are facing that could really surprise the NFL this season is the Jacksonville Jaguars. While the Jaguars went 4-13 last year, QB Trevor Lawrence was out after Week 9 when he sustained a concussion and a season-ending shoulder injury. With Lawrence back in the mix, the addition of WR/CB Travis Hunter and a new front office with HC Liam Coen and GM James Gladstone, I think they could look like a different team in 2025. When Lawrence was healthy in 2022 and 2023, the Jags went 9-8 in both seasons.

What is the most difficult stretch of the schedule?

EA: The Jets' opening six-pack of games is tough. Four of their first six opponents made the playoffs last year. The Jets also have a Monday night road game at the Dolphins in Week 4 followed by a short week and a visit from the Cowboys in Week 6.

EG: The start of the Jets' season with three playoff teams in as many weeks. Pittsburgh went 10-7 in the 2024 season, but its QB landscape is drastically different with Justin Fields on the Jets and Russell Wilson on the Giants. The Bills (13-4 in '24) have won the division five consecutive seasons and QB Josh Allen is coming off an MVP season. Tampa Bay (10-7) had the NFL's No. 3 offense last season led by QB Baker Mayfield and WRs Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. The Jets will have to grow up quickly in Year 1 under HC Aaron Glenn.

RL: The first 6 games (opponents' SOS: .569) will put a stamp on Aaron Glenn's first season as Jets HC. The four home games Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Dallas, Denver at London feature 3 playoff teams plus the Cowboys. The two road games are back-to-back in Florda vs. the Buccaneers and the division rival Dolphins, who have won 9 straight over the Jets at Hard Rock.

CH: The most difficult stretch for the Jets will be Week 10-13. After the bye, they will face the Browns at MetLife Stadium, a team that has bolstered its defensive line with the return of Myles Garrett and the addition of rookie Mason Graham. The Jets will then have a short week and play on "Thursday Night Football" at New England against the revamped Patriots. The Jets then go to Baltimore to take on the Ravens in Week 12 before playing the Atlanta Falcons with rookie pass rushers Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. in Week 13, led by former Jets DC Jeff Ulbrich, who is the new D-coordinator in Atlanta.

Which matchup works to the Jets' advantage with scheduling?

EA: Give me the post-Thanksgiving two-game homestand against Atlanta (Nov. 30) and Miami (Dec. 7). The Falcons, a team that plays indoors, is coming north and the Jets will also get the 'Fins in cold waters. I also like the Dec. 28 Jets-Patriots matchup at MetLife Stadium. Prior to its visit, Mike Vrabel's crew will tussle with the Bills on Dec. 14 and then battle the Ravens in Baltimore on Dec. 21.

EG: Jets-Broncos in Week 6 in London plays to the Green & White's favor since Denver has two home games in the first six weeks -- Week 1 against the Titans and Week 4 against the Bengals. The Broncos will play the Eagles in Week 5 in Philadelphia before playing the Jets across the pond, which could help with travel if HC Sean Payton decides to go from Philadelphia directly to London, but that's a long time away from home base.

RL: The mini-bye after the Thursday night game at New England, their first "TNF " game at Gillette in more than a decade, gives the Jets some time to prepare for a tough road game against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens at Baltimore.

CH: The Ravens. Baltimore is on the road for the two games prior to their Week 12 matchup against the Jets. The Ravens play AFC North rivals Cleveland Browns the week before, which could be a physically taxing game and could also involve inclement weather at Huntington Bank Field on Lake Erie. The Jets will need every advantage they can get before taking on the defending AFC North champions with their MVP quarterback on their home turf.