Breaking Down the New York Jets 2013 NFL Schedule: Quarter Three

March 19, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA; New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan answers questions from reporters during the annual NFL meetings at the Arizona Biltmore. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports

All right, time to move on to the second half of the Jets 2013 schedule. If you have read the previews of the first half, you know that it could be rough. If the Jets aren’t on their game, they could come out of the first half with 1-2 wins. Although it is not the toughest schedule in the entire league, but it is “sneaky” tough. It has moments where it is very tough.

Let’s begin the second half of the schedule by looking at the third quarter, games 9-12:

vs New OrleansBYEat Buffaloat Baltimorevs Miami

We all know how tough any game against the New Orleans Saints will be. It will be the ultimate challenge to a Rex Ryan defense, to stop all of those weapons that the Saints can throw at them. One x-factor could be Chris Ivory. He may be looking for revenge against a team that didn’t give him a lot of chances to play. However, the game will certainly not be a gimme.

After a much-needed bye week, the Jets head into Buffalo to conclude the season series. We said at the first matchup, the Bills will be improved. By this point, we may see EJ Manuel given the keys to the offense and behind center. Whether it’s Manuel or it’s not, they still have CJ Spiller, Stevie Johnson, and the rookies we discussed last time on the outside. Add that to having Mario Williams for another season, and Buffalo will not be an easy team to beat.

Has there been a year in the Rex Ryan era that we have not faced the Ravens? If there has been, I don’t remember it. It seems that every season, we see the Ravens. Do the schedule makers like seeing Rex go up against his old team? Maybe they do. In any event, the Jets routinely have trouble making waves against this team’s defense. Now, they have an immensely talented OFFENSE to go with that defense. They have their defense, and they have Joe Flacco and his now powerful offense. The Jets have lost games to this team by a deficit of under 10 points, with an offense, it could be a lot worse.

This quarter of the season ends with Miami making its annual trip to MetLife Stadium. Jets games against Miami are always tough, and not because the Jets don’t win a lot of them. Miami has always matched up well against the Jets, especially when the Jets are at home. They improved themselves by acquiring Mike Wallace, and Ryan Tannehill has been around for a full year, and will be ready to step up in his second season.

The bottom line is that this is another semi-tough schedule to pay. The two games out side of the division are going to be very, very tough. The games in the division are easier. I expect this to be a 2-2 quarter for our New York Jets. You will see, it could set them up very well for the final quarter of games.