The 2024 NFL schedule has finally been released and the Jets will be a team to watch.
New York will play in primetime in six different games this year — twice each on Sunday, Monday and Thursday night — including a season-opener on Monday night on the road against the 49ers. That's a lot of green.
The Jets have a similar primetime slate in 2023, but finished 7-10 and failed to make the playoffs for the 13th year in a row. A lot of that was due to Aaron Rodgers' Achilles injury, for which he's since recovered and should get a full-go in Week 1.
With many new additions to the team and big-name players coming back from injury, the Jets have high expectations for the 2024 season. Let's take a look at their top five matchups for New York in 2024:
5 must-watch games on Jets' 2024 schedule
Week 1 at 49ers on Monday Night Football September 9th 8:15PM EST
The Jets will travel to the West Coast to take on the defending NFC champion 49ers to open the year. For the second season in a row, Jets will open up on ESPN’s "Monday Night Football." This will be Aaron Rodgers' first game back since suffering that brutal injury to his Achilles four plays into the 2023 season. The Jets have an opportunity to start the year off with a huge win against a Super Bowl-contending team. This game will have great matchups all across the board on offense and defense. Brock Purdy is sure to have a long night going up against the Jets' top-5 defense. This will be head coach Robert Saleh's first game against his former team, too. A win against the 49ers would set the tone for the entire season and show the entire league that the Jets are a team to be feared. Rodgers has an overall record of 6-3 and has won four of five regular season matchups against the 49ers.
Week 9 vs. Texans on Thursday Night Football October 31st 8:15PM EST
The Jets will host the Texans at MetLife Stadium for the second year in a row. This time it's on Halloween. The two teams met on a cold and rainy December day in 2023, where the Jets blew out the Texans, 30-6. Stroud and the Texans made the playoffs in 2023 and are going to be a contending team in 2024. The Texans added a new weapon to the offense in former Bills receiver Stefon Diggs. The Texans also added former Bengals running back Joe Mixon and defensive end Danielle Hunter to bolster their defense. Both teams will be vying for the playoffs in the AFC.
Week 18 at Dolphins TBD
The final game of the regular season will be at MetLife Stadium and could hold many playoff implications where the Jets will face off against AFC East rival Miami. Less than a month earlier the Jets will travel to Miami for their first matchup in Week 14. Tua Tagvailoa is 5-0 all-time against the Jets and they hope to end that streak before Week 18. Key matchups in this game include DJ Reed and Sauce Gardner vs. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Aaron Rodgers has thrown for 1,014 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions in fur games against the Dolphins with a record pod 3-1. Rodgers will look to continue his winning streak against his new AFC East foe and potentially lock up a playoff spot and end the 13-year drought.
Week 3 vs. Patriots on Thursday Night Football September 19 8:15PM EST
The Jets ended the 2023 season with a bang when they finally beat their AFC East rival Patriots after losing 15 consecutive matchups. For the second year in a row, the Jets home opener will be a prime-time matchup. This will be Aaron Rodgers' first game back at MetLife Stadium since his injury last season. This will also be Rodgers' first game against the Patriots as a Jet and his first of hopefully many matchups against 2024 No. 3 overall pick, Drake Maye. With Bill Belichick now gone and former Patriots legend Jerod Mayo now stepping in, the Jets will look to start a streak of their own and put a beat down on their division rival.
Week 4 vs Broncos September 29 1:00PM EST
This matchup could be very interesting for the Jets. New York sent former No. 2 pick Zach Wilson to the Broncos as well as defensive end John Franklin-Myers. We could potentially see a “revenge game” from Wilson, but he’ll have to beat out the No. 12 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Bo Nix, for the starting job. Rodgers is 2-1 in his career against the Broncos and has five touchdowns and only one interception. Good news to Jets fans, this game will be held at MetLife Stadium rather than Mile High Field where for back-to-back years, standout offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker suffered season-ending injuries. Breece Hall also tore his ACL in 2022 the same game that Vera-Tucker tore his triceps. The Jets could look for an easy win against the Broncos and potentially start the season 4-0.