The Jets enter the 2019 season looking to break a string of three consecutive losing seasons, and New York has not reached the postseason since 2010. Will the Jets' schedule for 2019 allow for a return to the playoffs?
New York has a new-look team for 2019, and not just with the uniforms. Adam Gase takes over as head coach after three seasons with AFC East rival Miami. Le'Veon Bell signed with the Jets this offseason, and that should give second-year quarterback Sam Darnold even more confidence. The Jets at least have the surface value of a potential playoff sleeper, but they have work to do based on their 2019 schedule.
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New York faces the NFC East and AFC North in this year's schedule, and there are several tough road tests. Here is a closer look at the Jets' schedule for 2019.
Jets schedule 2019
Jets regular-season schedule:
- Home: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Oakland Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
| Week | Date | Opponent | Kickoff time | TV |
| Week 1 | Sept. 8 | vs. Bills | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| Week 2 | Sept. 16 (Monday) | vs. Browns | 8:15 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| Week 3 | Sept. 22 | at Patriots | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| Week 4 | BYE | - | - | - |
| Week 5 | Oct. 6 | at Eagles | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| Week 6 | Oct. 13 | vs. Cowboys | 4:25 p.m. ET | CBS |
| Week 7 | Oct. 21 (Monday) | vs. Patriots | 8:15 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| Week 8 | Oct. 27. | at Jaguars | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| Week 9 | Nov. 3 | at Dolphins | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| Week 10 | Nov. 10 | vs. Giants | 1 p.m. ET | Fox |
| Week 11 | Nov. 17 | at Redskins | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| Week 12 | Nov. 24 | vs. Raiders | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| Week 13 | Dec. 1 | at Bengals | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| Week 14 | Dec. 8 | vs. Dolphins | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| Week 15 | Dec. 12 (Thursday) | at Ravens | 8:20 p.m. ET | Fox/NFLN |
| Week 16 | Dec. 22 | vs. Steelers | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| Week 17 | Dec. 29 | at Bills | 1 p.m. | CBS |
Jets preseason schedule:
| Week 1 | at N.Y. Giants | Aug. 8-12 (TBD) |
| Week 2 | at Atlanta | Aug. 15-19 (TBD) |
| Week 3 | New Orleans | Aug. 22-25 (TBD) |
| Week 4 | Philadelphia | Aug. 29-30 (TBD) |
MORE: Full 2019 NFL preseason schedule
Toughest tests: The Jets won just two home games last season, and this year’s matchup against the Giants at MetLife Stadium will count as a home game for them. (Granted, the Giants also won just two games at MetLife last season.) The Ravens and Bengals games won't be easy for the Jets on the road, and Darnold will have to make his first trip to Philadelphia.
Biggest breaks: New York draws the Steelers at home, so Bell will face his former team in front of a friendly crowd. The Browns also have to visit MetLife in a return of sorts for Odell Beckham Jr. Miami, Buffalo, Cleveland and Oakland all had two wins or less on the road last season.
Bottom line: The Jets' season might come down to those four games against teams that struggled on the road last season, plus the growth Darnold experiences with Bell in the backfield as a safety valve in the passing game.
New York has a 63-84 record this decade, which is two games ahead of Buffalo and two games behind Miami. If the Jets can separate themselves from those two teams, maybe they can snag a wild card behind the Patriots. Record prediction: 7-9