NY Jets 5 most difficult games for the 2022-23 season

The NFL Draft, free agency, and the schedule release have all come and gone, and while the optimism isn't quite as high since NY Jets fans saw the schedule, they're all still rightfully excited.

Despite many winnable games on the schedule, the Jets are going to run the gauntlet over the first nine weeks of the season, but if they can survive that, the final stretch could be a lot of fun.

Unfortunately, given how few players the Jets have that are proven at the NFL level, games matched up against some powerhouse teams may get quite ugly.

The Jets need to start stepping up to better teams if they want to establish themselves as a playoff threat, but the following five games are ones that they'll simply be outmatched in.

1. The NY Jets will struggle Week 1 vs. Baltimore

Any hopes of the Jets starting the season against Detroit, Chicago or Jacksonville were dashed almost immediately. Instead, the Jets will open the regular season by welcoming the dynamic Lamar Jackson and the Ravens to MetLife.

Despite the massive improvements the Jets have made on the defensive side of the ball, equally talented defenses over the years have tried and failed to stop the explosive, big-play Ravens offense, led by Jackson.

On top of that, Baltimore possesses a great defense themselves, so if the Jets turn up to Week 1 at anything less than 100 percent ready to go, it will be an immediate wake-up call for New York.