Following the slow drip during the first part of the week, the National Football League made the full 2023 schedule known on Thursday night. This includes the New York Jets, who look to improve after a 7-10 season in 2022. I’ve made a few observations following the release of the 2023 New York Jets schedule.
A Heavy Schedule
The first observation of the 2023 New York Jets schedule is its heftiness. Last season, the Jets started the season with four consecutive games against the teams of the AFC North. This season, the first six weeks will feature two division opponents, two NFC East opponents – including NFC Champion Philadelphia – and two AFC West opponents. One of those opponents? The defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. Following the bye week, the schedule doesn’t get any easier with an away game – sort of – against the Giants, then they host the Los Angeles Chargers. The division schedule ramps up with four intra-divisional games in four of their last eight weeks. The schedule does have some opponents with a less-than-heavy punch between Atlanta, Houston, Washington, and Cleveland.
Prime Time Games
The next observation of the 2023 New York Jets schedule is the amount of Prime Time games. Other than Thursday Night Football, the Jets haven’t appeared in a Prime Time game since Week 9 in 2020. The Jets will be in Prime Time five times in 2023. The Aaron Rodgers Era begins on Monday, September 11 against Buffalo on Monday Night Football. The Jets will make their first Sunday Night Football appearance since 2011 when they host Kansas City in Week 4. They’ll have back-to-back evening appearances in Weeks 9 and 10. They’ll host the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night in Week 9 and travel to Las Vegas in Week 10 on Sunday Night Football. Their final Prime Time appearance will be in Week 17 when they travel to Cleveland.
(Their game on Black Friday is also considered a Prime Time game. Since it’s at 3pm ET on Amazon Prime, is it really a Prime Time game?)
The Road Least Traveled
The third observation of the 2023 New York Jets schedule is the travel – or lack thereof. The Jets will be at MetLife Stadium ten times – nine home games, one “away” game – and won’t have to travel very much. The farthest they’ll be away from home is when they travel to Las Vegas in Week 10. Much of their travel is around the East Coast with their annual appearances in Orchard Park Buffalo, Miami, and New England. They’ll also have stops in Cleveland, Dallas, and Denver. The Jets will have three consecutive home games in November and December, including the first ever Black Friday game against Miami.
The Odds
Following the schedule release, the sportsbook oddsmakers released their odds for the 2023 season. Last season, the over/under for the New York Jets after the schedule release was 5.5 games. They won seven. This season, a majority of the sportsbook oddsmakers have the Jets’ over/under at 9.5 games. Like Prime Time games, it’s another a ripple of the Aaron Rodgers Effect. With the acquisition of a superstar comes high expectations – and the odds say the same. Despite such a heavy schedule, the oddsmakers like them going over .500 this season.
