Basically, North said that of the more than 100,000 possible schedules run by the league’s data analysts, the one the Jets ended up with might have some quirks, but quirks happen.
Perhaps the most puzzling quirk is how the Jets’ schedule shakes out against the team’s AFC East opponents. They play their three division foes at MetLife Stadium — the Dolphins Oct. 9, the Patriots Oct. 30 and the Bills Nov. 6. Then they get their Week 10 bye. Then they finish up their division home-and-home with three away games — at the Patriots Nov. 20, at the Bills Dec. 11 and at the Dolphins in the Jan. 7 or 8 season finale. That has not happened before, and since 2002, under the NFL’s current divisional structure, the Jets have not had an AFC East schedule finish up with three road games after their bye.
“For a team like the Jets, I think for all the teams in that division, they’re all cold-weather, outdoor stadiums,” North said, referring to the Pats and Bills more than the ‘Fins. “So it will be…