After a messy preseason the New York Jets will enter this NFL season with high doubts against them. Quarterback Mark Sanchez is on reserve with a shoulder injury, and rookie Geno Smith has been named starter, for now, after looking awful in the third preseason game.
Beyond the teams quarterback situation, the Jets are filled with other problems as well. As of now the team is without a playmaker on offense with wide receiver Santonio Holmes still recovering from his Lisfranc injury. As for the defense, they still have some talent in Antonio Cromartie, linebacker David Harris and defensive tackle Muhammad Wilkerson.
However, the Jets are ranked 19th with the hardest schedule among NFL teams entering the 2013-14 season, but some of the teams that may have stunk it up last year appear to be slightly better this time around.
Take for instance the Carolina Panthers who were 7-9 in 2012, but now could be a playoff team with the maturation of quarterback Cam Newton. Also there's their division rivals the Miami Dolphins who appear improved after adding an abundance of free agents.
Here's a look at New York's 2013 schedule:
Week, Date, Opponent, Time (ET), TV
1 Sept.8 vs. Tampa Bay 1 p.m., FOX
2 Sept.12 at New England 8:25 p.m., NFL
3 Sept. 22 vs. Buffalo, 4:25 p.m., CBS
4 Sept. 29 at Tennessee 4 p.m., CBS
5 Oct. 7 at Atlanta 8:40 p.m., ESPN
6 Oct. 13 vs. Pittsburgh 1 p.m., CBS
7 Oct. 20 vs. New England 1 p.m., CBS
8 Oct. 27 at Cincinnati 4 p.m., CBS
9 Nov. 3 vs. New Orleans 1 p.m. FOX
10 Nov. 17 at Buffalo 1 p.m., CBS
11 Nov. 24 at Baltimore 1 p.m., CBS
12 Dec. 1 vs. Miami 1 p.m., CBS
13 Dec. 8 vs. Oakland 1 p.m., CBS
14 Dec. 16 at Carolina 4 p.m., CBS
15 Dec. 22 vs. Cleveland 1 p.m., CBS
16 Dec. 29 at Miami 1 p.m., CBS
