Skip to content 
It was schedule release day earlier this week and it is now known who the New York Jets will face and when they will face them.
So I am going to take a look and the games and predict what the Jets’ record will be in 2021.
Week 1 – Jets @ Panthers
The game many anticipated being the first and it is, the Sam Darnold revenge tour.
I think Jet fans were hoping this match up would be later in the season so new quarterback Zach Wilson had a bit more time to jell with his new teammates but on the flip side, it’s good to get this game out the way because we’ll have seen the new guy in New York against the old.
I think the Panthers, especially at home, will have a little bit too much for Gang Green in week 1.
Jets @ Panthers prediction: Jets 13-22 Panthers
Week 2 – Patriots @ Jets
It could be two rookie QB’s going head to head, or Wilson could be facing former MVP Cam Newton.
We are yet to find out the status of who the Patriots QB will be.
However, this will be a game both sides will be up for. This is the home opener at the MetLife for the Jets in 2021, with fans, which wasn’t a theme in 2020 – Robert Saleh’s side will want to show up. It could be a blowout from the Patriots if they play anything near to what we’ve seen in the past and with the signings they made in free agency, they ought to, but I think the Jets will rally and win their first game of the new era, just the second game in.
Patriots @ Jets prediction: Patriots 18-24 Jets
Week 3 – Jets @ Broncos
After winning the first game the week before against New England, the Jets will continue performing well with Wilson under centre and they’ll pick up a win in Colorado.
Denver aren’t looking the strongest team heading into 2021, especially with the uncertainty surrounding their QB, Drew Lock.
Veteran backup Teddy Bridgewater signed a 1-year-deal so it could well be him who starts the season for the Broncos. If so, it could be a tougher match for the Jets. However I think the defensive line being assembled by Saleh, this will be too much for whoever’s in the pocket for the Broncos.
Jets @ Broncos prediction: Jets 18-12 Broncos
Week 4 – Titans @ Jets
To make it 2-2, I think this will be a loss for the Jets. Even considering the Titans have lost their offensive coordinator Arthur Smith to the Atlanta Falcons, some feel that the team from the music city might suffer a slight decline but I don’t think they’ll suffer too much.
They may not be as strong as we’ve seen in the last few seasons but they will still beat teams you’d expect them to beat with the firepower they have on the offence. The Jets defensive line will have a big task trying to defend elite running back Derrick Henry alone, let alone trying to man to man cover AJ Brown.
Titans @ Jets prediction: Titans 24-12 Jets
Week 5 – Jets @ Falcons (London series)
The NFL is becoming more and more popular over in the UK and after missing out on games in the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the international series is back.
Jets against the Falcons is the first of two games being held at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium and in this game, I think pick four from the draft Kyle Pitts might just have the better of the second pick Zach Wilson here.
It will be an amazing spectacle and Gang Green will run Atlanta close but with a great offensive mind such as Arthur Smith now in town, the Falcons will finally get back to what we’ve seen they be like in the past.
Jets @ Falcons: Jets 22-34 Falcons
Week 6 – BYE
Week 7 – Jets @ Patriots
After winning in week 2, going on the road to Foxborough, I think the Patriots will come up trumps and not fall to a washout by the Jets.
By this point in the season, New England will know who the starting QB is, after potentially five weeks of Belichick deciding between Newton and Mac Jones.
The Patriots don’t lose too many at the Gillette stadium, so the Jets will lose their third game here.
Jets @ Patriots prediction: Jets 12-30 Patriots
Week 8 – Bengals @ Jets
With Bengals QB Joe Burrow having to sit out most of his rookie season due to suffering an MCL injury, he will be back to lead Cincinnati in 2021.
Wilson will have had a fair amount of NFL games under his belt to be able to judge his opposition.
Over the years, both of these sides have been respectable franchises but both, especially the Bengals, are coming to fruition now. We are certainly going to see success in the AFC from the two in the coming years and a long road to that could begin in 2021 and in week 8, Zac Taylor’s team will give the Jets a nightmare on Halloween.
Bengals @ Jets prediction: Bengals 22-15 Jets
Week 9 – Jets @ Colts (TNF)
This is the first primetime game of the season for Gang Green, at the Lucas Oil stadium, up against a slightly new look Colts team with Carson Wentz the man taking snaps.
This is yet another tough opponent for the Jets. However, the Colts really need to try and mount a play-off push and kick on from when they lost former QB Andrew Luck to retirement.
The Jets will bring a fresh approach to try and break down the tough horseshoe that is the Indy defence.
The Bengals came close to beating the Colts under Burrow two games before he got injured but ultimately fell short. I think the it’ll be the same outcome for New York.
Jets @ Colts prediction: Jets 17-28 Colts
Week 10 – Bills @ Jets
The first of two matchups versus the Bills, who had their second consecutive winning season in 2020, this game will be tough for the Jets.
Buffalo are the most ascending team in the entire NFL. They showed last season that they have elite players in their ranks and the coaching is fantastic too. Not needing to draft one starter in the draft, the Bills opted to draft depth.
Something that the Bills will look for is a natural follow up from their play-off season last season and I think they will get that. Allen is not just throwing to Stefon Diggs and Cole Beasley, he has Emmanuel Sanders. This will be an incredible task for the youthful New York secondary, which will see them fall short in my opinion.
Bills @ Jets prediction: Bills 32-17 Jets
Week 11 – Dolphins @ Jets
Again, the first of two games against the Dolphins, who have a squad and a franchise which continues to improve and look exciting.
A tough matchup for the Jets, but they are at home at the MetLife so I do think after no win since week 3, Gang Green will find their feet and win a game again. The defence the Jets are building could certainly cause Miami QB Tua Tagovailoa some issues and then Wilson can have some fun on the offence with Corey Davis, Elijah Moore and Michael Carter.
Dolphins @ Jets prediction: Dolphins 16-30 Jets
Week 12 – Jets @ Texans
Houston are a team on the decline I think it is clear to see. Former head coach/general manager Bill O’Brien is gone now after controversially trading DeAndre Hopkins away to the Cardinals.
New general manager Nick Caserio and head coach David Culley take the reigns in Texas but with Deshaun Watson wanting out in Houston and also the allegations surrounding him now, the Texans have to decide between Tyrod Taylor, or rookie out of Stanford Davis Mills.
The Jets will go back to back wins for the second time in the season and win at the NRG stadium.
Jets @ Texans prediction: Jets 27-9 Texans
Week 13 – Eagles @ Jets
In what was announced as the added game to this year’s schedule, the Jets face off against a new look Eagles team who are also potentially on the road of a rebuild.
Rookie QB last season, Jalen Hurts performed well in his debut, then not so well in his further two starts. With key players leaving Lincoln Financial Field and a change in the head coach department, it could be a tough year for Philly. The Jets will have got used to having their new squad together and will be looking to finish well down the stretch.
Eagles @ Jets prediction: Eagles 12-23 Jets
Week 14 – Saints @ Jets
The Saints with Drew Brees would win this game, the Saints with predicted QB Jameis Winston, is a different story. Winston is still a good QB and will win New Orleans games but whether they win the division as they have done in the recent past is yet to be seen.
Reigning Super Bowls champions Tampa Bay are in their division and with the Saints playing their first season without Brees, could this be a winnable game for the Jets?
I personally don’t think so, I do feel the black & gold will be a bit too strong for NYJ.
Saints @ Jets prediction: Saints 27-13 Jets
Week 15 – Jets @ Dolphins
With this being the third from last game of the season, the Jets will have surpassed the amount of games they won last season and at this point it’ll be about finishing the season strongly.
I was deciding if to give the Jets the win in this game against Miami, or the week 11 game and I gave it to them in the earlier matchup.
This is because at week 15, the Fins may still be battling for a play-off spot and the Jets may have accepted bottom place in the AFC East by this point.
The Dolphins usually play better on the road, so it could be favourable for New York but I think the flaming hot offence in Miami will come up trumps here and narrowly defeat Gang Green.
Jets @ Dolphins prediction: Jets 17-20 Dolphins
Week 16 – Jaguars @ Jets
Christmas time, mistletoe and wine… You know how it goes.
It’s Boxing Day at the MetLife and the two young bucks will go head to head in a highly anticipated matchup. Trevor Lawrence on the road versus Zach Wilson. Clemson against BYU, Meyer against Saleh, Jags versus Jets.
Lawrence will have already faced Joe Burrow, Tua, Josh Allen and potentially Trey Lance by the time he travels to the East coast to take on Wilson.
Will Lawrence light it up against the pick which followed him in the 2021 draft? Or will the Jets win? I think the Jets will win.
As good of a talent as Lawrence is and he will be a revelation for the NFL, the Jets just have more in their squad to be the better side in this matchup.
Jaguars @ Jets prediction: Jaguars 16-20 Jets
Week 17 – Buccaneers @ Jets
The reigning Super Bowl winners, Tampa Bay and Tom Brady will enter the MetLife having most likely wrapped up their play-off spot.
Some would think this could be a winnable game for the Jets who in the penultimate game of the season could have a bit more to play for than Bruce Arians’ Bucs.
Although the Bucs do have some unreal players and have a stronger side all over the field compared to NYJ so Tampa will be victorious here.
Buccaneers @ Jets prediction: Buccaneers 25-13 Jets
Week 18 – Jets @ Bills
The annual game against the Bills to finish the regular season will see the Jets lose again but it won’t be for the want of trying.
Buffalo are only going to improve from last season and they will finish the regular season strong before heading to the post season. The Jets will finish taking the positives from a much improved season.
2021 record – 6-11
The Jets will take plenty of positives out of a losing season. A first season for rookie head coach Robert Saleh and rookie QB Zach Wilson will see that the new era in Gotham City will have a promising start.
