Analyzing an NFL team’s schedule – given the bad-one-year-to-the-playoffs-the-next occurrences that are common in the league - usually proves fruitless, but it’s still worth speculating about. Why not. I added last year’s regular-season record by Jets’ opponents to the previous post but, again, I don’t think that helps predict too much.
Not many predicted the Jets to make one primetime appearance this season, let alone two. But the New England primetime game isn’t shocking and, given Spygate, it was pretty predictable one of those matchups would end up at night. Might be the first time in league history a game was chosen for primetime in anticipation of a postgame handshake.
The first three weeks jump out because, while it is a horrible cliché, a bad start could be devastating to a team coming off a 4-12 season and that has a good deal of optimism because of its offseason activity in the free agent market. The 2008 early-season schedule presents opportunity, but also potential pitfalls, with New England sandwiched between road games at Miami and San Diego. At Miami is always tough and with Parcells in charge, there’s a little extra to an opener that would have been intense anyway. San Diego and New England are tough for obvious reasons. From there, you have to like the three home games against Arizona, Cincinnati (after the bye week) and Kansas City (Hello, Herm!), the lone road game mixed in there being a trip to Oakland.
What to like about the schedule: The home opponents.
What not to like: Yes, it’s once-a-week travel, but four times to the West Coast – including twice in three weeks in December when most teams are beat up – is tough.
Comments (2)
Good thing for the early bye. Sutton's defense doesn't pick it up until after the bye.
And why do we have to play the Psts for our home opener for the third straight season?
As things currently stand, this team has 8-8 written all over them. With a good draft, maybe they can get 9 or even 10 wins, if their QB play shows great improvement.
Clemens in 2008!!!
I wish the bye was week 2. They always play btter after the bye. They still need a WR to streatch the field. I was not impressed with KC last year and expect Chad to win his job back.