Jets 2026 schedule breakdown: How many games can they win?

The Jets finished tied for the worst record in the NFL last season and have the 12th most difficult schedule in 2026.

Aaron Glenn’s team probably needs to show significant improvement in his second season as head coach or he may not get a third year. Here’s a breakdown of the Jets’ schedule:

National appeal

The Jets apparently don’t have any. They have no prime-time games for the first time since 2007 and are one of five teams with none. The other four — the Raiders, Dolphins, Titans and Cardinals — are all on the Jets’ schedule this season.

You can’t blame the schedule makers and networks for not putting the Jets in prime time or giving them a 4:25 p.m. game after last season. The Jets went 3-14 and lost their last five games by an average of 26.8 points.

The reality is it’s a very fan-friendly (and newspaper-writer friendly) schedule. The Jets have 14 games that start at 1 p.m. and two at 4:05 (at the Los Angeles Chargers and Arizona). The start time for the Week 18 game at Buffalo is to be determined.

If the Jets want more national exposure, it’s simple: win more games.

Key games

Week 1: Jets at Titans: A revenge game right out of the gate. Ex-Jets coach Robert Saleh makes his Tennessee head coaching debut against his former team. Jets owner Woody Johnson fired Saleh after a 2-3 start in 2024. This also will be Jermaine Johnson's first game against the Jets since he was traded to the Titans.

Week 2: Jets vs. Green Bay: Geno Smith will play his first home game as a Jet in nearly 10 years, and David Bailey, the No. 2 overall pick, makes his MetLife Stadium debut. The crowd will be loud and passionate. The goal is to have the same atmosphere late in the season and play games that matter.

Week 3: Jets at Lions: Glenn, who spent four seasons as the Lions defensive coordinator, returns to Detroit for the first time as Jets coach.

Week 16: Patriots at Jets: The AFC champions and the Jets’ bitter rivals make their lone trip to MetLife Stadium.

Week 18: Jets at Buffalo: The Jets end the season in their first game in the Bills’ new stadium.

Best stretch

The Jets play three home games during a four-week span from Weeks 5-8 against teams that finished a combined 21 games under .500 last season. All three have first-year and first-time NFL head coaches.

The Browns visit MetLife in Week 5, the Dolphins in Week 7 and Raiders in Week 8. Kirk Cousins will start the season as the Raiders quarterback, but they could be led by first overall pick Fernando Mendoza by then. The Jets’ Week 6 game is at New England.

Toughest stretch

The Jets have a few rough ones: one early, one midway through the season and one at the end.

They play three NFC North teams in a row from Weeks 2-4 with two of them on the road. They’re home for Green Bay, at Detroit and at Chicago. That will be Glenn’s first game against Ben Johnson, who was Detroit’s offensive coordinator when Glenn ran the defense there. All three teams finished above .500 last year.

The Jets have to contend with three of the top quarterbacks in Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Justin Herbert back to back to back. They’re in Kansas City in Week 9, home for Buffalo in Week 10 and travel to Los Angeles the following Sunday to play the Chargers. .

The final three games are against teams that could be fighting for playoff position or to make the postseason: Week 16 versus the Patriots, Week 17 against the Vikings and Week 18 at Buffalo.

Prediction

6-11: The Jets upgraded the roster in important positions and could surprise, but it would be a shock if they ended their 15-year playoff drought. The second half of the season could be interesting if the Jets capitalize on an easier early schedule. Their first nine games are against teams that went a combined 18 games below .500 last year. Their last eight opponents were 28 games over.

We're picking the Jets to double last year's win total.