During July, the Last Word On Sports NFL department will be analyzing the schedules of every team in the NFL and ranking each game in order of difficulty (with one being the most difficult). This series will be split up into the eight most difficult games (ranked 1-8) and the eight easiest games (ranked 9-16) for each team. In this article, the New York Jets easiest games are the focus.
New York Jets Easiest Games in 2016
9. Week 17 vs Buffalo Bills
The Bills finished 2015 with an 8-8 record. They did not have a lot of cap space to make any big signings in the offseason and perhaps the biggest name they added was Rex Ryan’s brother Rob Ryan to be assistant head coach/defense. Since Rex always plays hard against the Jets though, it will not matter whether or not the Bills are eliminated from playoff contention at the time for them to put up a fight against Gang Green.
10. Week 2 at Bills
With Karlos Williams serving his suspension during this game, it should pose as the easier of the two matchups against the Bills. While the Bills have LeSean McCoy, Williams showed his value last year as he scored seven of the team’s 19 rushing touchdowns.
11. Week 10 vs Los Angeles Rams
The Rams got what they hope will be a franchise quarterback in first overall pick Jared Goff. As for now though, his NFL talent is unknown. With Goff and phenom running back Todd Gurley, the Rams will not be as easy an opponent like in years past. However, compared to the rest of the Jets difficult schedule, they will still remain one of the easier opponents.
12. Week 7 vs Baltimore Ravens
Joe Flacco missed six games last year which were the only games he has missed in his career. Even when he was healthy he still only led the team to a 3-7 record. The team could only pick up two more wins in the six games he didn’t play. The Ravens did not sign any true impacts players to improve this team beyond their 2015 production. Overall, this team should not pose too much of a threat to the Jets.
13. Week 14 at San Francisco 49ers
The fact that this team played in a Super Bowl as recently as 2013 again goes to show how difficult the Jets schedule is this year. While the 49ers have not played anything like they did that year, they still have the same quarterback in Colin Kaepernick. It would not be surprising to see him have a bounce-back year. But even if he does, it probably would not result in a better team than even the 2014-2015 season when they finished 8-8. That is due to the fact that they are missing most of their supporting cast on offense from their successful years before then. Some of those players include Frank Gore, Anthony Davis, Michael Crabtree, and Mike Iupati among others.
14. Week 9 at Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins have not been able to show too much success in recent years. They only finished over .500 once in the last ten seasons. Last year, they had a measly six wins. The Jets also swept the season series from them in 2015. Furthermore, they lost their top rusher in Lamar Miller who left in free agency to the Houston Texans. While they recently signed Arian Foster, he remains a question mark as he has been injury-prone the last few years. They also will not have defensive end Olivier Vernon as he left for the New York Giants in free agency. It will be hard for them to improve having lost two fairly capable NFL players such as Miller and Vernon.
15. Week 15 vs Dolphins
The reasons why this game is ranked as one of the easiest games are for the same reasons as the Week 9 Dolphins matchup. Having home field advantage in the Jets’ Week 15 matchup with the Fins makes this one easier.
16. Week 8 at Cleveland Browns
This is the only real break the Jets will get this year. Even if Robert Griffin III is named the starter and has a career renaissance, it is hard to turn a 3-13 team into a contender in just one season.
Be sure and check out the most difficult games on the New York Jets schedule for 2016.
