Three Biggest Games: New York Jets
It’s been a rough couple of seasons for Gang Green. Rex Ryan has defected to Buffalo, the Geno Smith experiment has been declared all but an utter failure and those back-to-back AFC Championship Game appearances with Mark Sanchez feel like an eternity ago. It’s hard to see New York breaking off those cellar-dweller shackles in 2015, but here are three opponents they need to beat in order for things to start looking up.
Week 2 at Indianapolis Colts
The Jets head to Indy for an early-season primetime encounter with a Super Bowl contender. Pending what the Jets choose to do with their sixth overall draft pick, this could be an intriguing narrative, pitting two talented young quarterbacks against each other in the first of many possible meetings. The nation will get an early look at the Jets’ brand new coaching scheme. Whether or not they can contain Andrew Luck and his plethora of weapons is entirely another matter.
Week 10 vs. Buffalo Bills
It doesn’t matter which team’s colors he’s sporting; Rex Ryan is in a perpetual state of preparing for the New England Patriots, but even he might take a week off to plan just how to lay the hurt on his former team. New defensive-minded head coach, Todd Bowles, is sure to get the most out of the Jets’ inconsistent but talented defense. Unfortunately for him, there might not be any man in the country that knows the Jets defense quite like Rex. If they can be neutralised, Buffalo’s capable offense will make this a walkover.
Week 16 vs. New England Patriots
The fact that neither Jets-Patriots encounters will feature in a primetime slot in 2015 is an absolute scheduling travesty. The two franchises may be polar opposites as far as quantifiable success goes, but there is never a dull moment on the field between these two fierce rivals. Throw in the fact that premier cornerback Darrelle Revis has flip-flopped back to the team that made him a star, and you’ve got a recipe for fireworks. Expect MetLife Stadium to be rocking in the Jets’ final home game of the season, especially if New York is in position to put a damper on the Pats’ playoff hopes.
