The 2024 NFL schedule has been released, which signals one big step forward in the offseason as the regular season gets closer. Schedule release day is always exciting for football fans across the globe seeing when and where their teams will play and what games they may attend. For New York Jets fans, get ready for primetime football once again as New York maxed out on their primetime games with six including seven total standalone games during the first eleven weeks.
Gang Green’s schedule makes history as they will become the first team to appear in six primetime games through the first eleven weeks of the season. Today, let’s look at each of the six primetime games and what to expect in those matchups.
New York Jets 2024 Schedule Makes History
Week 1: @ San Francisco 49ers – MNF
California Dreamin’, the New York Jets will head out west in week one to face the San Francisco 49ers who will play their first game since their Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. This matchup does not lack any storylines and putting it under the lights to close out week one will make it even more exciting.
One of the biggest storylines will be Aaron Rodgers who will be playing in his first game back from his torn Achilles suffered last season four snaps into week one. Rodgers and San Francisco have a long history between the two that started on draft night in 2005 and has continued through his 19 seasons. In nine career regular-season games against the Niners, Rodgers is 6-3 and has thrown for 2,597 yards 20 touchdowns to just two interceptions, and has logged a 107.5 passer rating. He will now look to start his 2024 campaign strong against one of the league’s best defenses.
Other key headlines will include Jets head coach and former 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh making his return to San Francisco for the first time since taking over the reins in New York. A pair of defensive linemen will also return to their old home as Solomon Thomas and Javon Kinlaw will return to the Bay Area for the first time since leaving.
This matchup will include arguably the two best rosters in football. New York with an offense that includes Aaron Rodgers, Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall, and Mike Williams will face off against a 49ers defense that includes Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, and Dre Greenlaw. San Fransisco’s offense with Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, and Brandon Aiyuk will face a Jets defense that is led by Quinnen Williams, Haason Reddick, C.J. Mosley, and Sauce Gardner. To put it simply, this game should produce major fireworks.
Week 3: vs. New England Patriots – TNF
This will be New York’s third game in eleven days and it will also be Gang Green’s home opener which is the second year in a row New York opens under the MetLife Stadium lights this time on Thursday Night Football. After losing 15 straight games against the New England Patriots, the Jets will look to win back-to-back games against New England.
These two teams enter the 2024 campaign headed in completely different directions. The Jets are going all-in with Rodgers while the Patriots have wiped the dynasty slate clean and are rebuilding around third-overall pick Drake Maye. If Maye does play in this game it will be his first taste of primetime football and it will come on the road. It will also be Jerod Mayo’s first game against the Jets since taking over at the helm back in January.
Despite what is expected to be a poor Patriots team, the environment inside MetLife Stadium will be just as if not more electric than it was a year ago. Something to look for in this game is how New York will look playing on a short week coming off of two road tests in San Francisco and Tennessee. Even with that in the mix, the Jets should give their fans a lot to cheer about in this matchup against an inferior opponent.
Week 6: vs. Buffalo Bills – MNF
The last time these two teams faced off in primetime it was a roller coaster night for Jets fans which ultimately ended in an overtime victory. Now these two will have to wait until week six to be back inside MetLife Stadium and back on Monday Night in an AFC East showdown. These two teams will look a little different from the last time they met as it was a busy offseason for both, especially in Buffalo.
The Bills completely changed their receiving core with Gabe Davis leaving in free agency and Stefon Diggs being traded to the Houston Texans. They have since added other names through both free agency and the draft such as Curtis Samuel, Marquez-Valdes Scantling, and Keon Coleman. However, many across the league are doubting what Buffalo can do without Diggs even though they have won the division in four consecutive seasons.
New York, Buffalo, and Miami will all be fighting for the AFC East crown, and for the Jets and Bills, this will be a massive showdown early in the season to make a statement. On paper, New York is the more talented team and could come away with the division although Buffalo until proven otherwise is still the team to beat in the AFC East. If you thought last year was crazy between these two teams, get your popcorn ready for this one.
Week 7: @ Pittsburgh Steelers – SNF
After playing on Monday Night in week six, New York will have to bounce back quickly as they will travel to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers on Sunday Night in week seven. This will be one of the toughest environments Gang Green will have to play in this season as the terrible towels never disappoint. While on paper the Pittsburgh Steelers don’t look scary under head coach Mike Tomlin they are always in the mix which makes a matchup like this so intriguing for both fanbases.
In the offseason, Pittsburgh made a change at quarterback when they brought in 35-year-old Russell Wilson on a one-year contract. Wilson spent the last two seasons in Denver and will now look for late-career magic in the Steel City. The additions on offense continued when the Steelers brought in Justin Fields and drafted both Troy Fautanu and Roman Wilson to help build around Russ.
Potentially the best part of this matchup will be the battle of the defenses with names like T.J. Watt, Patrick Queen, Joey Porter Jr., Quinnen Williams, Haason Reddick, and Sauce Gardner taking the field. Both Pittsburgh and New York will have their hands full on offense. The last time these teams met, New York beat Pittsburgh on the road in 2022. Gang Green will look for the same result in week seven.
Week 9: vs. Houston Texans – TNF
One of the only teams to shut down C.J. Stroud last season was the New York Jets in a 30-6 blowout win at a rainy MetLife Stadium. Stroud only had one game last year where he threw for under 100 passing yards and that was against New York. Now in year two with more weapons around him Stroud and the Texans will look for revenge on Halloween in primetime back on the road.
Houston sent shockwaves across the NFL when they traded for star wideout Stefon Diggs from the Buffalo Bills. Diggs in his career has hauled in 810 receptions for 9,995 yards and 67 touchdowns including six straight seasons of over 1,000 receiving yards. He will join a room that includes young standouts in Nico Collins and Tank Dell. After three years of major struggles, Houston is the talk of the NFL and one of the favorites to take home the Lombardi.
This will be one of New York’s greatest tests of the season going against a Texans team that can only get better from their 10-win season a year ago. However, it is worth noting again that New York found a recipe in week 14 against Houston that worked in containing Stroud which many teams couldn’t find. Gang Green will look for that same success at home on Thursday Night Football.
Week 11: vs. Indianapolis Colts – SNF
New York will close out their primetime slate with a Sunday Night showdown against the Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium. These two teams go way back to Super Bowl III when New York led by quarterback Joe Namath took home their first and only Lombardi Trophy. The quarterback that day for the Colts was Earl Morrall. Fast forward 54 years later and this Sunday Night matchup will feature Aaron Rodgers and Anthony Richardson.
The Jets and Colts both saw their starting quarterbacks go down early last season. Rodgers only lasted four snaps while Richardson suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in week five against the Tennessee Titans. Despite the absence of Richardson, the Colts fell just one win short of a playoff birth which has fans excited to see what they can do with a healthy signal caller. Richardson will have all the tools at his disposal to succeed with key pieces around him in Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, and rookie Adonai Mitchell.
It’s safe to say the Colts who have flown under the radar in the AFC South will be a tough team to beat. This will be the second of two AFC South opponents the Jets will see in primetime with the other coming against the Texans. New York will look to finish their primetime slate strong against a sneaky dangerous Colts team and will also look to make it back-to-back home wins against Indy.
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