Jets Face Difficult Stretch to Kick off 2026 Season

The Jets official 2026 schedule was released yesterday and what jumps out most is the stretch of games Gang Green will play over the first quarter of the season.  A brutal run that could have them, once again, out of playoff contention before Halloween.

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Opening the season on the road in Tennesee will be no picnic as Robert Saleh will be looking for revenge with a loaded front seven.  Having added former Jets Jermaine Johnson and John Franklin-Myers to Jeffery Simmons up front is going to be tough for any offense.  Let alone a group that will be taking its first ever reps in live action.

Add to that the fact that the Titans brought in more weapons for Cam Ward by signing Wan’Dale Robinson away from the Giants before drafting Carnell Tate with the third overall pick in the draft.  From there, things only get worse.

A brutal stretch from weeks 2-4 will bring three teams who, barring injury, will be heavy favorites over the Jets in the Packers, Lions and Bears.  Three far superior teams before taking on the Cleveland Browns in week five.  Now, before you go writing off the Browns, remember they have one of the best defenses in the NFL, and a new head coach in Todd Monken who seems to get the best out of every quarterback who plays in his offense.

There are some who believe Deshaun Watson will be Cleveland’s week one starter.  If that’s the case, and Monken can get him to be even 75% of what he was at his peak, that game will be far tougher than most seem to believe.

From there it’s a head-to-head tilt with the New England Patriots who, again, should be heavy favorites in that one before the schedule offers a reprieve.  A winnable game against the Miami Dolphins followed by a  meeting with the Las Vegas Raiders.   Back,-to-back winnable games for sure, but two games that may be taking place with the Jets having two wins or less.

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