Jets face brutal projection as Steelers fans set to invade MetLife

The New York Jets open their season this Sunday with a lot to prove. With an entirely new holy trinity at the helm — a new head coach, a new general manager, and a new starting quarterback — the team should be thanking their lucky stars they get to kick things off in the comfort of their own stadium.

After all, Gang Green could use any advantage they can get as they dive into the 2025 campaign with emotions running high, taking on not only the Pittsburgh Steelers, but quickly coming face to face with their last failed experiment, and one of the franchise's biggest mistakes.

Jets hero-turned-villain Aaron Rodgers won't be the only hostile actor invading MetLife on Sunday. According to reports, he'll be bringing an army of supporters from one of the NFL's most rabid fanbases with him, with Vivid Seats forecasting that 48% of the crowd will be made up of Steelers fans.

Jets' home-field advantage will be effectively neutralized by an invasion of Steelers fans

Usually, optimism runs high around these parts in their early going of the season as everything begins anew. Typically speaking, the Gang Green faithful defy the odds and hang on to any source of hope, at least for the first few weeks until the team proves (as they almost always do) why that hope is misguided.

That's why seeing such a high turnout of opposition fans is so staggering. A 1-2 preseason record aside, Aaron Glenn and company haven't yet done anything to lose the fan base's confidence.

While this speaks to the ferocity of the Steelers' fan base, as well as confidence in the Jets organization being at an all-time low, thanks to a historic playoff drought, a turnout like this can have real consequences on the field, particularly for the Jets' offense.

Communication is key for any offense, but that goes double for one with a new quarterback under center who is still forging relationships with his linemen and receivers.

While it's true that Justin Fields has had all offseason to work with his new supporting cast, that doesn't mean the unit has had enough time to build up the level of trust that can make or break an offense.

Fields' quest to get on the same page with his offense has also taken a huge hit after the devastating injury sustained by Alijah Vera-Tucker, throwing a new level of chaos into the offensive line equation as New York will be without one of its most talented linemen for the entire season.

That development, combined with a bunch of new faces in the receiver room, means that communication will be even more crucial, and a sizeable and vocal Terrible Towel-waving contingent can easily throw that off.

On the flip side, a surprisingly hostile home environment in a game where emotions will already be running high as Fields, like Rodgers, takes on his former team, can provide a golden opportunity.

Should the Jets pull out the win in what may feel like a road game at home, in a match-up with so many subplots, and avenge last season's 37-15 drubbing at the hands of the Steelers, it could serve as a catalyst for the young team.

After all, being able to exact revenge on Rodgers and the Steelers in and of itself will provide a boost. But doing so in an unexpectedly hostile environment could provide a strong tailwind to give Aaron Glenn and company some early momentum, which matters a lot in September as teams are still knocking off the rust.

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