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          NFL Nation

          New York Jets' early schedule sets up nicely for Adam Gase, new staff

          The Jets' Week 2 prime-time game will feature quarterback Sam Darnold going up against QB Baker Mayfield and the Browns. Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images
          • Rich Cimini, ESPN Staff WriterApr 18, 2019, 12:12 AM
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              Rich Cimini is a staff writer who covers the New York Jets and the NFL at ESPN. Rich has covered the Jets for over 30 years, joining ESPN in 2010. Rich also hosts the Flight Deck podcast. He previously was a beat writer for the New York Daily News and is a graduate of Syracuse University. You can follow him via Twitter @RichCimini.
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          The NFL has released its 2019 regular-season schedule. Here's a look at what's in store for the New York Jets:

          Game-by-game prediction

          Jets reporter Rich Cimini is predicting an 8-8 finish:

          Sept. 8: vs. Buffalo, Win

          Sept. 16: vs. Cleveland, Win

          Sept. 22: at New England, Loss

          Oct. 6: at Philadelphia, Loss

          Oct. 13: vs. Dallas, Win

          Oct. 21: vs. New England, Loss

          Oct. 27: at Jacksonville, Loss

          Nov. 3: at Miami, Win

          Nov. 10: vs. N.Y. Giants, Win

          Nov. 17: at Washington, Win

          Nov. 24: vs. Oakland, Win

          Dec. 1: at Cincinnati, Loss

          Dec. 8: vs. Miami, Win

          Dec. 12: at Baltimore, Loss

          Dec. 22: vs. Pittsburgh, Loss

          Dec. 29: at Buffalo, Loss

          Strength of schedule: T-27th, .473

          Breakdown

          New Jets coach Adam Gase couldn't have asked for a more favorable start to the season -- back-to-back home games for the first time since 2011. What's more, they will face a pair of second-year quarterbacks and a rookie coach. New defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has to be excited about this, knowing he can unleash his exotic blitz packages against the Bills' Josh Allen and the Browns' Baker Mayfield. Williams should have plenty of intel on Mayfield, considering he was the Browns' interim coach last season. The Browns will be improved, but they still will be sorting things out under new coach Freddie Kitchens. This is a good time to catch them. Another early season plus for the Jets: They have only one plane trip in the season's first seven weeks -- a quick flight to New England. They will travel to Philadelphia via bus or train.

          Prime-time Jets

          After signing marquee names such as running back Le'Veon Bell in free agency, the Jets once again have mass appeal. They have three prime-time games, two more than last season. The first two, both at home, are terrific matchups -- the Browns (Monday night) and the Patriots (Monday night) in Week 7. On Day 1 of the offseason program, Gase told the team "one of the main reasons" he took the job was to dethrone the Patriots, linebacker C.J. Mosley said Wednesday. The Browns-Jets game features the return of Odell Beckham Jr. to MetLife Stadium. Who knows? Maybe he will pick a fight with a kicking net, for old time's sake. Another headline is the quarterback matchup, Sam Darnold versus Mayfield. The game will mark the 50th anniversary of Monday Night Football, which began with a Jets-Browns contest on Sept. 21, 1970. The final prime-time affair is a road game against the Ravens (Thursday night) in Week 15.

          Tough finish

          Gase said recently it's "realistic" for the Jets to be in the playoff conversation at the start of December. There's no excuse not to be. Their middle of the schedule is ultra soft, as they play seven consecutive games against teams that finished with losing records in 2018. Ah, but the finish is nasty, with the Ravens and Steelers in Weeks 15 and 16, respectively. The good news is they will have a mini-bye (because of the Thursday night game) before Pittsburgh. Emotions will be high because Bell will be facing his former team for the first time since his bitter divorce. The Jets finish in Buffalo, which can be a tough place to play with a playoff spot at stake (see: 2015).