2013 New York Jets Schedule Breakdown: Vol II

November 25, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Chris Ivory (29) carries against the San Francisco 49ers during third quarter of their game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Welcome back to Mike Nash’s conclusion to his two part series, breaking down the 2013 Jets’ schedule.  If you missed part one, take a look by clicking here.

Week 9 – New Orleans Saints ( Home)  The Jets come back to Metlife stadium one week before their bye in hopes to finish off a streak of tough games with a win against the Saints. The Saints have a high-powered offense with Drew Brees running the show. In this game, The Jets D will once again have to step up to give the Jets a chance. While the Saints offense is strong, their defense is average, so the Jets will need to try to be aggressive on O. You can also bet that Chris Ivory will have this game circled as he plays his old team who buried him on the depth chart at running back.

Week 10- Bye Week

Week 11- Buffalo Bills- ( Away) The Jets return from bye week against divisional opponent Buffalo in which depending on how the first 10 weeks went, could be a huge game for them. At an early glance, the Jets have a much easier second half schedule then they did in the first half, so starting off with a win is huge for momentum heading into later weeks.

Week 12- Baltimore Ravens (Away)  The Jets travel to Baltimore to face the defending Super Bowl Champions in week 12. Ever since coming to the jets, Rex Ryan has been unable to beat his former team, but he gets another crack at it this season. The Ravens lost a lot of key players this off-season in Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Anquan Boldin, and Donnell Ellerbe amongst others. No matter who they lost, the Ravens are still a very good team and the Jets will have to play at their best to try to beat the champs.

Week 13- Miami Dolphins ( Home)  The Jets get their first crack at the new look Miami Dolphins in week 13. The Jets will once again play the Dolphins in week 7, so these two divisional games are huge for both teams. The Dolphins added many pieces this off-season to add to the roster. It will be interesting to follow all season how they do as a group, but in this game I expect another close game. Last season at home, the Jets got dismantled by the Dolphins, and I am sure that did not sit well with Rex.

Week 14- Oakland Raiders ( Home)  The Jets then welcome the Raiders to Metlife stadium. The Raiders have a lot of question marks still, but if running back Darren McFadden can stay healthy and the defense stays strong, the Raiders have a chance to be competitive. It will be interesting to see who wins the QB job between Matt Flynn and rookie Tyler Wilson. The Jets have played well against Oakland in the past, and this game should be an opportunity for the Jets to get a win late in the season.

Week 15- Carolina Panthers ( Away)  After two home games, the jets travel down to Carolina to take on Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers are a relatively young team who fell short of expectations last season, but will look to bounce back this year. Cam Newton has star potential with proven veteran Steve Smith at Wide receiver is there as a good option for the Panthers offense. The Panthers also have a stud LB in Luke Kuechly. This should be another tight game that may have an effect on both teams hopes at a playoff spot.

Week 16- Cleveland Browns ( Home)  The Browns come into Metlife in week 16 with a young team looking to make some noise in a tough AFC North Division. The Browns have a stud RB in Trent Richardson, who flashed spurts of excellence last season in his first season. The Browns also have a pro bowl caliber cornerback in Joe Haden. The Browns success will ultimately fall on the shoulders of second year QB Brandon Weeden. I expect this to be a low core battle between these two late in the season.

Week 17- Miami Dolphins ( Away)  The Jets finish off the regular season with a divisional game down in south beach vs the Dolphins. This very well may be huge for both teams who have hopes for the playoffs. In 2011 when the Jets last game was down in Miami, the team fell apart and wound up losing to the Dolphins and costing themselves a playoff berth. The Jets will certainly try to not let that happen again this year.

Although it is only May, I figured to just take a look at the Jets opponents this season and a little background on each team. Of course moves will still be made and injuries will happen, I believe the Jets have a pretty fair schedule. The middle week games are rough, but they end the season against some weaker opponents. But in the NFL, any team can win on any given week.