NY Jets Schedule 2022: Game-by-game predictions and analysis

The NY Jets and their fan base have known the team's 2022 opponents since the end of the 2021 season. On Thursday, the NFL released the order of the Jets' opponents.

For the first time in what seems like forever, there is hope and heightened expectations for the Jets heading into the upcoming season. And that's thanks to what, on paper, has been one of the franchise's best offseasons in recent memory. 

After winning only four games in 2021, no one expects or projects the Jets as immediate contenders for a Lombardi Trophy, especially in what figures to be an ultra-competitive AFC.

But based on all the improvements made across the entire roster, it looks like the Jets might get themselves out of the gutter and, with some luck, hover their way into the playoff picture next December.

Good vibes aside, at the end of the day, the Jets' improvements and infusion of young talent won't mean much if it doesn't translate into a vast improvement in the win column.

Despite all the positive signings and draft picks the team has made in the offseason, the oddsmakers see the Jets as a five-win team, and the NFL schedule-makers also do not see the 2022 Jets as being ready for primetime.

The NFL is scheduling the Jets in just one primetime game this season. Let's see if the new-look New York Jets can prove they deserve to be a showcase team under the bright lights. 

As foolish as doing this in May appears, Let's break down and predict the Jets' 2022 schedule week-by-week as the team embarks on what could be the year they begin their climb back to relevancy.

Strength of schedule (ranked hardest to easiest):  The Jets' schedule is tied for 17th. Their opponents' win percentage based on their 2021 records is: .495 (142-145-2)

Week 1: NY Jets vs. Baltimore Ravens - 1 pm ET

The good news is that the Jets are opening the season at home. The bad news is that they get Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens right out of the gate.

A year ago, many Jets fans wondered if the team would start their season at home on the weekend of the 20th anniversary of 9/11, especially considering the tie-in that Robert Saleh and his family have to that tragic moment in American history and how it changed Saleh's life.

The Jets and Robert Saleh will be home this year playing at MetLife Stadium in what should be an emotionally charged game.

The Ravens were decimated by injuries a year ago and missed the playoffs, but they will be back in contention with Lamar Jackson fully healthy. Former Raven C.J. Mosley and the Jets' new-look defense will be tested heavily in this matchup.

The Jets' front seven was dominated by run-first offenses like Baltimore a year ago. See last year's Thursday night whooping at the hands of Jonathan Taylor and the Colts.

Baltimore presents a different style of rushing attack. Nonetheless, this type of game will reveal a lot about Robert Saleh and Jeff Ulbrich's defense. 

This will also be a stiff challenge for Zach Wilson going up against the Ravens' vastly improved an elite secondary. Baltimore had top-notch players like Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters, but have now added Marcus Williams and Kyle Hamilton. It's going to be baptism by fire for Zach Wilson.

Prediction: LOSS (0-1)

When the smoke clears, no one will be surprised to see the Ravens back in the playoffs as NFC North champions. On paper, this is not a good match-up for New York. While the Jets have improved their pass rush and secondary, there are still question marks about their rush defense.

Lamar Jackson could give Gang Green's front seven and linebackers fits. You have to take the Ravens in this game.  It's not the way Jets fans wanted to begin their season, but an 0-1 start looks likely.

Week 2: NY Jets @ Cleveland Browns - 1 pm ET

With a potential impending suspension for Deshaun Watson by the league, the Jets get a break here in the scheduling of this game, and they will likely not see Cleveland at full strength with Watson leading the charge.

The Cleveland Browns have one of the better rosters in the AFC from top to bottom, but they underperformed last season, hence the reason that the team went all-in on superstar QB Deshaun Watson to get them over the hump.

The Browns were a far better team at home last season, going 6-3 at the Dawg Pound. Cleveland has always been a difficult place to play, save for the Hue Jackson era. This game would be challenging for the Jets, whether Watson was playing or not.

The Jets have lost 12 straight games in the month of September. Their last win came in the 2018 opener against the Detroit Lions. It's time for the Jets to avoid falling into a deep hole to start the season.

Prediction: WIN (1-1)

Playing Cleveland without Watson is a plus, but the Browns' rushing attack and elite pass rush could give the Jets significant problems. However, I am going out on a limb here. The Jets pull off the road upset against the Jacoby Brissett-led Browns to even their record at 1-1.

Week 3: NY Jets vs. Cincinnati Bengals - 1 pm ET

The third of four straight Jets battles with the AFC North to open the 2022 season. The AFC Champion Bengals return to the scene of the crime that was the Jets' 34-31 upset defeat last Halloween.

No Mike White this time. Probably. But the Jets' revamped secondary will be facing perhaps their stiffest challenge of the season against Joe Burrow and his lethal trio of receivers: Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd.

One of the storylines in this game will be focused on tight end C.J. Uzomah facing his former team, but the Bengals elite passing attack versus the likes of Sauce Gardner, D.J. Reed, and the Jets' overall pass defense will carry the most intrigue.

Prediction: LOSS (1-2)

The Bengals have entered new territory as a franchise. After being beaten down and overlooked for several years, they now have tremendous pressure to win every game they play.

Cincy has a target on their backs. The Jets can pull this upset, much as they did in 2021, but it's hard to bet against an advanced Joe Burrow at this stage. Bengals find a way to win a close one over the Jets. New York falls to 1-2 on the season.

Week 4: NY Jets @ Pittsburgh Steelers - 1 pm ET

The fourth straight AFC North matchup for Gang Green. There's been a lot of misery involved with the Jets in Pittsburgh.

New York is 1-10 all-time at Pittsburgh. Their lone victory came in December of 2010, a 22-17 win, thanks to a game-opening 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Brad Smith. The Steelers would exact revenge on their home field by beating the Jets 24-19 in the AFC Championship a month later. 

These two longtime AFC franchises are seemingly at a crossroads. The Jets are looking to make their way up from the bottom, and the Steelers are retooling to get back to the mountain top again.

Only one team cam walk out the victors.

Prediction: LOSS (1-3)

Even though both these franchises are vastly different than they have been in years past, it's difficult to envision a scenario where the Jets stroll into Pittsburgh and win outright.

If they do, it might change the entire trajectory of the Jets' season. Mike Tomlin's team is at their best at home. I think the Steelers win. Jets fall to 1-3.

Week 5: NY Jets vs. Miami Dolphins - 1 pm ET

AFC East teams always hope to get Miami at home first rather than playing an early-season tilt in South Beach that could challenge a team's stamina and legs. The schedule-makers did the Jets a favor with this scheduling.

You can't get a sentence into this matchup without bringing up the name of Tyreek Hill. The Jet that almost was. The fact that 'Cheetah' wanted no part of New York only further fuels the flame between the Jets and Dolphins fan bases.

Adding to the fireworks between these two division rivals is the arrival of Mike McDaniel to South Beach, the former 49ers ally of Jets head coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur.

Prediction: LOSS (1-4)

Dolphins take the first game in this matchup. The Jets hung tight against Miami last year in both meetings, even holding a two-score lead in Miami, only to fall by seven late last season.

I expect New York to be competitive, but Miami's unheralded defense at home should put them over the edge. A 1-4 start could be a crushing way to start the new season, and the doubters will be out in droves.

Week 6: NY Jets @ Green Bay Packers - 1 pm ET

The Jets are getting the Packers after they play a Week 5 game in London against the New York Giants. Normally, NFL teams will get a bye week after an international game, but that's not the case in this situation.

Some would argue that playing the Jets at home is the closest thing to a bye week scenario. Only the Jets can change that narrative.

The storyline heading into this one is the LaFleur brothers squaring off against each other at historic Lambeau Stadium. With Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur competing against his older brother Matt on opposing sidelines, the connections run deep between these two coaching staffs.

Robert Saleh and Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur were graduate assistants together at Michigan State and were groomsmen at each other's weddings.

This is a tough spot for the Jets. Although, New York is 8-5 all-time over Green Bay in head-to-head meetings, and they have won in Green Bay in the past (the Jets are 4-3 all-time at Lambeau), this is what would be called a measuring stick game for the Jets.

Unless you are a Jets fan, very few brave souls will pick them to beat Aaron Rodgers and the Packers in Green Bay. 

Prediction: LOSS (1-5)

The Jets might be catching the Packers at the right time, but there is no right time when it comes to facing Aaron Rodgers. You have to like Green Bay in this setting. 1-5 seems imminent.

Week 7: NY Jets @ Denver Broncos - 4:05 pm ET

The Jets might be a sleeper playoff pick for some contrarians out there, but by this time of the season, based on how difficult the team's schedule is, that talk will be silenced.

The Denver Broncos, thanks to the acquisition of superstar quarterback Russell Wilson, are a favored choice by many experts to be legitimate contenders in the AFC. By this time of the season, Denver figures to be deep in the playoff hunt.

Will the Jets be playing a meaningful game in December? 

Historically, playing away at the Broncos has always been challenging for opposing teams, but now that they have added Wilson, going into Mile High and winning will be even more daunting than it has been in recent years.

Last season, the Jets were embarrassed by Denver on the road 26-0. The 2022 version of the Jets needs to put up a better fight than they did in 2021, simply to show that they have made progress from where they were a year ago.

The Jets' position in the standings when this game arrives will determine whether they have. 

Prediction: LOSS (1-6)

Denver is going to be one of the best teams in the NFL this year. They have way too much talent on both sides of the ball to not be a contender. If there's snow in this game, it could neutralize the talent discrepancy somewhat.

But the Broncos are built for that type of game with an elite rushing attack. I like the Broncos period, and certainly in this matchup. Jets fall into dangerous territory at 1-6.

Week 8: NY Jets vs. New England Patriots - 1 pm ET

Robert Saleh and Zach Wilson made their home debut against Bill Belichick and New England in 2021, and things did not go very well for the Jets' rookie head coach and signal-caller in a 25-6 loss.

Several weeks later, the Patriots humiliated the Jets 54-13 in a game that saw Wilson go down with a knee injury. Those two specific moments were arguably the lowest points of the Jets' 2021 season. 

Save for a few brief moments in the last two decades, none more significant than the Jets knocking out Tom Brady and Bill Belichick on their home field in the playoffs over a decade ago, yhe New England Patriots and their leader Bill Belichick has had the edge over the Jets on the scoreboard and psychologically.

For New York to symbolically turn the corner, they will need to exercise their demons against the devil himself and the Pats. Especially at home.

Prediction: WIN (2-6)

I think that if the Jets' confidence is not shaken by the difficulties of the early-season schedule, they can walk into this game with the right mindset needed to take down one of their biggest hurdles.

The onus will be on Robert Saleh and his staff to match wits with Belichick and his. I think on this Sunday, the Jets come out on top to stop their slide and get to 2-6.

Week 9: NY Jets vs. Buffalo Bills - 1 pm ET

The schedule-makers have had a habit of scheduling Jets/Bills games at the start or end of the regular season for the last several years so the Jets fan base is happy to see an avoidance of that scenario in 2022.

A year ago, the Jets came into Buffalo heavily depleted and just finishing out their season. The Jets would love for their game with the Bills to have more meaning this go-round, especially at home. 

Prediction: Loss (2-7)

Very difficult spot for any team. Buffalo is in a different class than most, which obviously includes the Jets. The Bills should win this game fairly easily, even on the road. Games like these against superior opponents have a way of bringing all your weakest points to the light.

The Jets will find out a lot about themselves when they step on the field with Buffalo. The team, almost no one wants to play. Jets fall to 2-7, with harsh eyes gazed upon the entire franchise.

Week 10: BYE

The Jets receive a midseason bye week and rest up before another divisional matchup against the Patriots. They'll have two weeks to prepare for a trip to Foxboro.

Week 11: NY Jets @ New England Patriots - 1 pm ET

54-13. The Jets will hear that score a lot heading into this game. And quite frankly, one of the youngest teams in the NFL, the Jets should not have a short memory.

54-13 should be etched in their souls as a rallying cry for Robert Saleh and his staff. The loss itself was demoralizing for the entire Jets franchise, but what made it worse was that the Jets coaching staff had two weeks to prepare for that game.

And to throw some extra salt in the wounds, Zach Wilson was injured after a cheap shot on the sidelines. The Jets are eerily facing the same scenario here with two weeks to prepare for a road tilt against the Pats.

The Jets' last win at New England was in the divisional round of the 2010 playoffs, an enthralling 28-21 victory. New York hasn't reached those heights ever since.

But if they are going to make their climb back to the position one day, the Jets need to be better in this setting than they were a year ago or have been for many years. 

Prediction: WIN (3-7)

The Jets will hang tough and will fare better than they did on their last trip to Foxboro. Even though it's difficult to bet against Bill Belichick at home, the Jets sweep the season series improving their record to 3-7.

Week 12: NY Jets vs. Chicago Bears - 1 pm ET

This will be the Bears' second trip to MetLife in 2022 — this one coming on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Both Chicago and New York would love to come into this game grateful for the choices they made with their franchise quarterbacks. 

Zach Wilson vs. Justin Fields will be an ongoing debate for fans until one of these two neophyte quarterbacks proves their doubters wrong. It's a pressing question for the Jets, who chose Wilson over Fields in the 2021 NFL Draft. 

Perhaps both talented young signal-callers have gotten unfair treatment based on their rookie performances, but the pressure is on these two to take the next step and justify their franchises' commitment.

This particular toe-to-toe matchup between the second and 11th overall picks in the 2021 NFL Draft won't determine if the Jets made the right decision, but it could provide a sliver of that pressing answer.

From a team standpoint, the Jets, who, on paper, have had a better offseason than the Bears, have to win this type of game at home.

Prediction: WIN (4-7)

This game has let down written all over it. The Jets, despite their improvements, won't be favored in very many games., but they will be in this matchup. Expect Justin Fields at his best giving them a scare late, but the Jets should hold on to preserve this victory to improve to 4-7.

Week 13: NY Jets @ Minnesota Vikings - 1 pm ET

On the surface, this is one of the few games on the schedule where there aren't very many connections to the Jets on the sidelines or on the field.

However, Mike Pettine and Ed Donatell are former Jets' defensive assistants. And once upon a time, newly minted Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell was a quarterback on the Jets roster. 

This is one of those odd pairings on the schedule without much intrigue behind it. The Vikings are a middle-of-the-pack team with some elite players on both sides of the ball. Playing them in Minnesota won't be easy.

Traveling to Minnesota is never easy, and even riding a two-game winning streak into this game, the Jets won't feel comfortable. The Vikings aren't exactly pushovers, especially at home.

Prediction: LOSS (4-8)

The Jets franchise has had success against Minnesota in the past. New York leads the overall series 8-3. However, beating the Vikings in their building is a tall task. Jets fall to 4-8.

Week 14: NY Jets @ Buffalo Bills - 1 pm ET

No matter who plays Buffalo in 2022, the Bills will be the prohibitive favorites against the majority of their opponents, and it's a position and status that they've earned. Ultimately, the Jets want to be where the Bills are.

A year ago, New York beat the No. 1 seed in the AFC, Tennessee, and the conference champion Bengals on their home field. Anything is possible. But a win against Buffalo on the road, however unlikely that may seem, would mean a hell of a lot more this season.

The Jets have struggled mightily within their division in recent years, and a victory against a legitimate Super Bowl contender like Buffalo seems unattainable, especially after the Bills outclassed the Jets in 2021.

But if New York wants to come up in class, they will need to compete at a higher level against the AFC East champs than they did a year ago. 

Prediction: Loss (4-9)

It's difficult to see a scenario of the Jets beating the Bills. Merely standing toe to toe with the potential Super Bowl champions would be an accomplishment. Chalk this one up as a possible moral victory that falls in the loss column. Jets fall to 4-9.

Week 15: NY Jets vs. Detroit Lions - 1 pm ET

The 3-13-1 Lions were better than their record would indicate a year ago. Dan Campbell's team fought hard a year ago, and seven of their losses came by one score.

The New York Jets are not in a position to overlook any opponent. Until proven otherwise, teams see the Jets as a possible victory. If the Jets are going to play meaningful games in December, they have to win this game at home. 

The way the Jets schedule falls late in the year, this could be the start of a run for the team.

Prediction: WIN (5-9)

The Lions might not be ready to bite off knee caps, but they are going to scratch and claw in every game. Like the Bears and Jaguars home game, if the Jets want to play meaningful games and show progress in 2022., they have to defend their home field and win this type of game.

I think they will.

Although I don't expect anything to come easy, this win takes the Jets to an improbable 5-9 record after a 1-6 start.

Week 16: NY Jets vs. Jacksonville Jaguars - 8:15 pm ET (Thursday Night Football)

The Jets' lone primetime game this season is a slap in the face, but it's a reality check that the franchise has non-believers. The NFL is not impressed by the Jets' perceived offseason success.

Another home game rematch from 2021. Zach Wilson versus Trevor Lawrence 'Part 2.' A year ago, the Jets and Wilson came out on top in the final seconds.

Both of these franchises would love to avoid a scenario where they are playing with only draft positioning at stake. The schedule-makers have both teams in a similar slot this year. 

Both Lawrence and Wilson are expected to take leaps in year two. How far will the individual teams rise as a result? The Jets, based on their roster construction, seem like they are further along in their building process than Jacksonville.

Prediction: WIN (6-9)

Teams lose games every year in the NFL that people don't expect. See the Titans losing to the Texans and Jets last year or the Bills falling to the Jaguars. This game has the potential for an upset.

But I think the Jets being at home playing a traveling team on short days' rest should put them over the top. New York climbs to 6-9.

Week 17: NY Jets @ Seattle Seahawks - 4:05 pm ET

The Jets ring in the new year with old pals. One of them stands out more than the others for obvious reasons.

The Jets have nine road games in 2022, but none of them have quite the storyline attached to them that this game has. And it's not because former Jets QB Geno Smith could be facing his old team or the distant and faded memory of the Peter Carroll-coached Jets in 1994. 

Jamal Adams was a beloved figure when he wore the Jets uniform, seemingly with pride, but the way he engineered his exit from the team made him an enemy of the fan base that embraced him.

The irony is that if the Jets do turn things around, they will have Adams to thank. Adams' value as a player led to the Jets loading up on significant draft capital and reshaping their roster. 'Prez' got himself impeached and helped build the Jets' new green and white house. 

Prediction: WIN (7-9)

What will both teams look like by the time they play one another. Will Seattle be in full rebuild mode? That's the big question.

Winning in Seattle is never easy, but I think the Jets are catching the Seahawks at the right time. New York takes the Adams revenge game. The Jets improve their record to 7-9.

Week 18: NY Jets @ Miami Dolphins - TBD

The Jets close out their regular season on the road against the Miami Dolphins. The Fins expect to be in contention for a playoff spot by the time January of 2023 rolls around. Will the Jets assume their yearly role of playing out the string by the season's end?

If for whatever crazy reason the Jets have something of substance on the line going into this game, MetLife will be an electric atmosphere. Not since a blip on the radar in 2015 have the Jets strolled into the final week facing a game of importance.

2022 might not be the year for a win-and-you-are-in-the-playoffs scenario for the Jets, but what if it is? The meaningful scenario for New York could very well be them looking to play spoiler and knock the Dolphins out of the playoffs.

Prediction: WIN (8-9)

It's likely that it's going to take 9 or 10 wins minimum to make the playoffs in the AFC. There's reason to believe Miami will be hovering in that territory this season. The Jets will likely not.

The season will start on a sobering note, but if New York can survive the early storm, I think they will grow as the season progresses. The Jets end their season on a very high note knocking the Dolphins out of the playoff picture to finish the season at 8-9.

Final analysis of the NY Jets schedule

A generous person might see the Jets' 2022 schedule as having six or maybe seven "winnable" games for them. It's still way too early to predict a record, although for entertainment's sake and out of boredom until the season starts, many like myself will try.

The schedule-makers did not put together an easy slate of games for the Jets to build up their confidence. If the Jets can somehow get to 3-6 or 4-5 by their bye in Week 10, they might have a chance to make some noise later in the season.

Unfortunately, Jets fans have learned the hard way that so much can happen between now and the regular season that can alter a team's overall outlook. See last year's Carl Lawson season-ending injury.

It's much easier to put up victories in the offseason than it is to have it translate to the win column, even though this year feels different. Jets nation has celebrated offseason triumphs in the past, only to face harsh reality when the games start counting.

On paper, if key players are healthy, the Jets look like a vastly improved football team, but in an ultra-competitive AFC, a team with eight or nine-win potential on paper could easily win two fewer games because of the stiff competition.

Provided that their key players stay relatively healthy, and that has certainly not been a given in recent years, I think the Jets can win eight games to go 8-9 this season. It certainly doesn't sound like a successful campaign to most, but for the Jets, it would be. 

There's no doubt that the Jets, who have added a lot of quality talent through the draft and free agency, need to progress in 2022. Joe Douglas, Robert Saleh, and the coaching regime still have some leeway and will likely all be back in 2023, but the pressure is on for the Jets to take a significant step forward.

The last thing the franchise needs is another cellar-dwelling season, where the focus in December is on draft positioning. Otherwise, Douglas and the Jets brain trust will be entering 2023 in lame-duck status.