Predicting final record of 2016

The New York Jets head into the upcoming season with a lot of hope and momentum based on their efforts of last season. What will their final record look like?

The 2016 schedule for the New York Jets is much more difficult than last year. There are five prime time games with the first two on the road against Buffalo and Arizona. The Jets have to wait to play their AFC east rival New England Patriots at home on Sunday Night Football until Week 12. That begins a run of back to back prime time games with the Indianapolis Colts coming to MetLife Stadium on Week 13 for Monday Night Football. The final prime time game will be Saturday night on December 17th at home against the Miami Dolphins.

Taking a look at the whole schedule week by week really puts into perspective what this team can really do this upcoming season. Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Jets open their season on the 15th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. Emotions will be running high, considering the game is being played ten or so miles from where the World Trade Center stood.

This is a game the Jets will win and start the season off on the right foot. Week 2 is the first of many prime time games mentioned before and it’s at the Buffalo Bills. The team that ended the Jets season last year in their season finale. This game better be marked on the calendar by head coach Todd Bowles. The Jets will leave Buffalo with a win in a tight matchup moving to 2-0 on the season. Next on the schedule is a Week 3 matchup in Kansas City against the Chiefs. The Chiefs are a very good all around team with a lot of explosive players. The return of running back Jamaal Charles will have a big impact and the Chiefs’ defense will play strong handing the Jets their first loss of the season.

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Back at home, arguably the best team in football over the last few years come to MetLife Stadium, the Seattle Seahawks.

With one of the best defenses in the NFL, Seattle will win this matchup despite the cross country travel, moving the Jets to a 2-2 record.

Week 5 spells a date in Pittsburgh with the Steelers.

The Jets have no had great success there in recent years but depending on the health of the often injured quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and an uncharacteristic defense, the Jets will sneak out of there with a win moving to 3-2.

Are you ready for some football? Week 6 the Jets travel to Arizona for a Monday night game against the Cardinals. With the cross country travel and the fact that Arizona is one of the NFL’s best teams, the Jets will lose this game and maybe in bad style as well. Week 7 the Jets are back home against a Baltimore Ravens club that was destroyed by injuries last season and will be a win. From Weeks 7-10, the Jets face the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Rams. These are all teams they should beat and will, moving them to a 7-3 record going into their Week 11 bye.

Week 12 marks the first meeting of the season with the New England Patriots. The Patriots come to MetLife Stadium on a Sunday Night and will leave with a loss. These games were close last year and will be no different this season either. Now at 8-3, the Jets travel to Indianapolis for a Week 13 Monday night matchup against the Colts, a team that lost to these same Jets on Monday Night Football last years. The Colts get revenge here and end the winning streak of the Jets and move them to 8-4.

Sep 21, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Eric Decker (87) is tackled by Indianapolis Colts linebacker Trent Cole (58) at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Week 14 involves another cross country trip, this time to San Francisco. The Jets will not only leave their hearts in San Francisco but will leave yards and opportunity there as well. The 49ers defeat the Jets, handing them their second consecutive loss.

Heading into Week 15, the Jets get some home cooking with a Saturday night matchup with the Dolphins. A previous win in Week 9 down in Miami will mirror the same outcome here, moving the Jets to a 9-5 record with two games remaining.

Week 16, the Jets makes a trip to Foxborough for the second game of the year against the Patriots. This time, the Brady bunch will get the best of the Jets’ defense and pick up a win. This win could potentially clinch the AFC East for the Patriots.

Following their Week 16 loss to New England, the Jets once again finish their season against Rex Ryan and the Bills. This matchup could potentially be deja vu for the Jets and Bills. A playoff spot could be on the line here with the Jets at 9-6. With a wild and crazy crowd at MetLife Stadium, the Jets will defeat the Bills and sweep them in 2016.

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With a 10-6 record, the Jets will be a Wild Card playoff team this coming season. Now keep in mind, that this is all relevant if the Jets retain quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. He is the key to the overall success this season for the Jets. If they do not bring him back, the Jets could be looking at a 4-12 record and a nice draft pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Hopefully this is not the case as the right moves are made because the pieces to the puzzle are almost all but complete.

The New York Jets head into the upcoming season with a lot of hope and momentum based on their efforts of last season. What will their final record look like?

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Schedule