Based on the NFL schedule rotation, the Jets and the three other AFC East teams will face teams from the AFC West and NFC East in 2023. With their fourth-place divisional finish, the Jets will also add the fourth-place finishers in the AFC North, the Cleveland Browns, and the NFC South, the Atlanta Falcons.
In a change from the 2022 season, the Jets are scheduled to play nine games at home in MetLife Stadium and eight on the road, including trips West to face Las Vegas and Denver (for the third-straight season). The Green & White will also make a return trip to Cleveland.
The Jets will also face six playoff teams from last season (home-and-home against Buffalo and Miami, vs. Kansas City, vs. Philadelphia, at Dallas and at the Giants -- as the visiting team in their shared stadium. Other than the AFC East opponents, none of the visiting teams are making return visits for consecutive seasons.
What follows are thumbnails on the Jets' 17 2023 season games against 14 different opponents (with the teams' 2022 season records are in parentheses). The actual schedule will be released by the NFL in the spring:
JETS HOME OPPONENTS (9)
Buffalo Bills (13-3): The Bills captured the AFC East for a third consecutive year, but the high point of the Jets' season came in Week 9 when they topped the Bills, 20-17, in front of their loyal fans. In two games vs. the Bills, Pro Bowl CB Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner had 11 tackles, 2 PDs and 1 INT.
Miami Dolphins (9-8): The Jets closed the season in South Florida with a loss, but they smoked the 'Fins at MetLife in October with a 40-17 triumph. Those 40 points were the 8th time the Green & White had scored 40+ points on the Dolphins in their 114-game series. The Jets offense scored all 5 of its touchdowns on rushing plays, only the third time in franchise history Jets rushed for 5+ TDs in a game and the first time since 1993. Miami earned its first postseason berth since 2016.
New England Patriots (8-9): While the Jets improved in division play this season, the Pats remain a thorn in their side. New England now has won 14 in a row over the Jets, taking a pair of one-score decisions in 2022. The Jets combined for 12 sacks against the Pats, racking up a six-pack of Mac Jones' takedowns in both losses.
Kansas City Chiefs (14-3): Patrick Mahomes, the likely NFL MVP who threw for 5,250 yards and 41 TDs in the regular season, will lead the Chiefs into MetLife Stadium. The Jets have won the past four meetings with the Chiefs at the last four at home. Rookie WR Garrett Wilson, who set rookie franchise marks in receptions and yards, will be poised for a super sophomore campaign.
Los Angeles Chargers (10-7): Justin Herbet is one of the NFL's most talented young guns, but this game will feature several of the league's most feared pass rushers including Joey Bosa and Jets MVP Quinnen Williams, who's already secured a Pro Bowl invite and Team MVP honor.
Philadelphia Eagles (14-3): Jets GM Joe Douglas, who won a ring with the Eagles as their vice president of personnel, will watch his team tango with a Philadelphia club that might be the NFL's best on both sides of the line of scrimmage. The Jets got after people along the defensive line, but injuries decimated the O-line this season. New York's AFC representative has never beaten the Birds in regular season play.
Washington Commanders (8-8-1): Both the Jets and the Commanders battled instability at the QB position, but the defenses were a strength as New York entered Week 18 ranked 5th in total defense and Washington was 6th.
Houston Texans (3-13-1): The Texans outlasted the Colts, 32-31, Sunday and lost the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Their win coupled with the Bears loss to the Vikings means Chicago holds the top selection in April.
Atlanta Falcons (7-10): Atlanta cobbled together seven wins together despite finishing 1-7 away from home. Both clubs need to improve in the turnover differential department as the Falcons finished -4 and the Jets were -7.
See all of the teams the Jets will play during the 2023 season.
JETS AWAY OPPONENTS (8)
Buffalo Bills (13-3)
Miami Dolphins (9-8)
New England Patriots (8-9)
Denver Broncos (5-12):Â Back to the Mile High city for the third consecutive season, in Week 7 the Jets scored their fourth-straight victory as rookie RB Breece Hall rambled for a 62-yard TD (totaling 72 yards in the game) before sustaining a season-ending ACL injury. Add to the loss of versatile second-year OL Alijah Vera-Tucker to a season-ending elbow injury, and the 16-9 win came at huge cost for the Green & White.
Las Vegas Raiders (6-11):The Jets will make their first trip to Sin City against one of the franchise's most-storied and heated rivals — going all the way back to the heady days of the AFL. The Raiders sat QB Derek Carr the final two games of the season and RB Josh Jacobs, who has an expiring contact, had a career year with 1,653 yards and 12 TDs on the ground. Pro Bowler LB C.J. Mosley had 7 tackles in Miami and finished another impressive campaign with 158.
Dallas Cowboys (12-5):Â It will be fun watching Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed try to lock up CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup. Gardner and Reed were a corner combination that had 32 PDs and didn't suffer a loss in 2022. The 'Boys open the postseason against the Buccaneers in Tampa.
New York Giants (9-7-1):Â The G-Men made the postseason in Brian Daboll's first season. Saquon Barkley had a huge bounce-back campaign, two years after sustaining a torn ACL. Breece Hall is expected to be back for the Jets in 2023 and his return would be huge for an offense that missed his home-run ability down the stretch.
Cleveland Browns (7-10): For the second straight season, the Jets will make the trip to Cleveland. Trailing the Browns 30-17 with 1:55 remaining left in the fourth quarter in Week 2, the Jets staged a 14-point rally to earn one of the most improbable victories in franchise history. The two clubs combined for 807 yards, but Garrett Wilson had the final say with a 15-yard game-winning score from Joe Flacco. Pro Bowler Justin Hardee, who grew up in Cleveland, made it possible with an onside kick recovery. Deshaun Watson, rusty in his five-game return to the field, will have a full offseason with the Brownies.