It is finally game week.
The Jets will begin their season on Sunday against Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers.
Aaron Glenn’s first two games as Jets coach will be at MetLife Stadium. From there, the Jets will be in Florida for consecutive games against the Buccaneers and Dolphins.
Gang Green will face a challenging start to the 2025 season. They will face four playoff teams in their first six games. However, following their bye, the Jets will play seven games against teams that finished with a record under .500 last year.
With that in mind, let’s analyze the Jets’ first six games of 2025.
Game 1, Week 1 — vs. PITTSBURGH STEELERS, MetLife Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 7, 1 p.m., CBS
Week 1 will mark the return of the ex-quarterbacks against their former teams. Rodgers will begin his season at MetLife Stadium for the third consecutive year. However, he will be in a Steelers uniform this time, facing his former Jets teammates.
He was released shortly after Glenn was hired, and Rodgers will undoubtedly be looking to stick it to the Jets.
In addition to Rodgers, the Steelers acquired D.K. Metcalf in a trade with the Seahawks. Pittsburgh also boasts a promising rookie running back in Kaleb Johnson.
Justin Fields will be in a similar situation to Rodgers, playing against his former team. He started six games for the Steelers last year in place of Russell Wilson. Fields was 4-2 in those starts, but Pittsburgh still decided to make Wilson its starting quarterback after he recovered from a preseason calf injury. The Jets signed Fields to a two-year, $40 million contract in March.
The game could come down to who wins in the trenches. The Jets have continued to fortify their offensive line after drafting Armand Membou. However, the Jets will face a significant challenge against a Steelers team that was eighth in points allowed last year.
Pittsburgh also made new additions to its defense after trading for cornerback Jalen Ramsey and signing cornerback Darius Slay. Veteran Cameron Heyward is also coming off an eight-sack All-Pro season. Oh yeah, pass rusher T.J. Watt also recently signed a three-year, $123 million extension in July.
Week 1 could set the tone for the rest of the Jets’ season. Considering the early demanding schedule, a loss against the Steelers could send the Jets on a slight downward spiral. But a victory could give the Jets some much-needed momentum.
Game 2, Week 2 — vs. BUFFALO BILLS, MetLife Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 14, 1 p.m., CBS
Week 2 will be a measuring stick game for the Jets. The Bills have won five consecutive AFC East titles and are once again the favorite to win the division.
Buffalo swept the Jets last season, but their previous meeting at MetLife Stadium was a close game. The Bills defeated the Jets 23-20, a game that will be remembered for ex-Jets kicker Greg Zuerlein missing two potential go-ahead field goals.
The Jets and Bills have made it known that they are fans of each other. Left tackle Dion Dawkins also has not been shy about expressing his feelings toward the Jets after calling the Jets “very disrespectful” following a 2023 postgame altercation after a Bills win in Orchard Park.
Josh Allen is coming off his first NFL MVP after throwing for 3,734 yards, 28 touchdowns, and six interceptions on his way to leading the Bills to a 13-4 record. He has accounted for at least 40 touchdowns (passing and rushing) in five consecutive seasons.
Game 3, Week 3 — @ TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS, Raymond James Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 21, 1 p.m., FOX
Todd Bowles served as the Jets’ coach for three seasons (2016-18), concluding with a 26-40 record. He has been a lot better as the Buccaneers coach, going 27-24 with three NFC South titles during his three seasons.
This will be the first time Bowles has faced the Jets as the Buccaneers coach. He was Tampa Bay’s defensive coordinator when it visited MetLife Stadium in 2021.
The Jets will see a familiar face when playing the Buccaneers in Haason Reddick. He signed a one-year, $14 million contract in Tampa Bay following a disappointing season with the Jets.
Reddick missed seven games due to a holdout. When he did return, Reddick only registered one sack in 10 games, which was a far cry from the double-digit sack totals he had with the Eagles, Panthers, and Cardinals.
Game 4, Week 4 — @ MIAMI DOLPHINS, Hard Rock Stadium, Monday, Sept. 29, 8:15 p.m., ESPN
The 2025 Dolphins bear a resemblance to the 2024 Jets. Miami has a coach [Mike McDaniel] and a general manager [Chris Grier], who appear to be both on the hot seat after finishing with an 8-9 record last year. The Jets fired their coach, Robert Saleh, and general manager Joe Douglas, and released Aaron Rodgers after finishing the season with a 5-12 record.
Tua Tagovailoa has also been criticized for his lack of availability during his career. He suffered the third diagnosed concussion of his NFL career in Week 2 of the 2024 season, which kept him sidelined for four games.
Tagovailoa returned to play in nine consecutive games but injured his hip during a loss against the Texans in Week 15. He later aggravated the injury and missed the Dolphins’ final two games.
The Dolphins will go as far as Tagovailoa takes them, but he will need to stay healthy if they have any chance of making the playoffs. Zach Wilson, the Jets’ second overall pick in 2021, is Miami’s backup quarterback should anything happen to Tagovailoa.
Game 5, Week 5 — vs. DALLAS COWBOYS, MetLife Stadium, Sunday, Oct. 5, 1 p.m., FOX
The Cowboys are always in the spotlight, but recently, it hasn’t been for positive news.
Dallas traded superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons to the Packers last week in exchange for two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark. Now, more pressure will be on quarterback Dak Prescott and the Cowboys’ offense.
Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and the newest Cowboy receiver, George Pickens, will likely be able to move the ball consistently. But will they be able to run the ball in short-yardage situations?
Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders, and rookie Jaydon Blue are the Cowboys’ three running backs. Williams will likely be the top back with both Sanders and Blue expected to be used in situational downs.
Former Jets offensive coordinator and first-year coach Brian Schottenheimer is hoping the Cowboys will bounce back from a 7-10 mark.
Game 6, Week 6 — vs. DENVER BRONCOS, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Sunday, Oct. 12, 9:30 a.m., NFL Network
The Broncos and Jets both field outstanding defenses. This matchup in London is likely to be a low-scoring yet entertaining game.
Denver’s secondary is one of the league’s best, led by cornerback Patrick Surtain II, who was the 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Quarterback Bo Nix will also enter his second season as the Broncos’ starter. He threw for 3,775 yards last season, which was the most among all rookies.
