New York Jets Reach Odd Achievement with Winning Start to Season

The New York Jets were handed a rough schedule to start the season but made the most of it with a 2-1 record.

Sep 19, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) pitches to running back Breece Hall (20) against the New England Patriots in the first half at MetLife Stadium. / Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

The New York Jets could not have been pleased about their schedule to open the season.

It wasn't just a cross-country trip to San Francisco on Monday Night Football to open the year.

It was what happened after that.

New York had to go to Tennessee the following Sunday to face the Titans in their home opener. Then, the Jets returned to New York and played on a short week as they hosted the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium last Thursday.

The Jets played three games in 11 days to open the season and per Elias Sports, New York is just the third team in the last 80 years to do that.

Oddly enough, the Jets were one of the other teams. New York also did it in 2018, while the Philadelphia Eagles drew the short straw in 2013.

But, these Jets now hold the distinction of being the only three to finish that stretch with a winning record at 2-1 as they prepare to face the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

In 2018 the Jets went 4-12 under coach Todd Bowles, and their break-neck schedule surely didn't help. Like this year, New York started with a road game on Monday Night Football. The Jets were able to easily beat the Detroit Lions, 48-17.

After that, New York returned home to face the Miami Dolphins on Sunday and lost, 20-12. Four days later, it was back on the road to Cleveland where the Jets lost to the Browns, 21-17, on a Thursday night.

The 2013 Philadelphia Eagles fared better by season's end, as they went 10-6 under coach Chip Kelly. Philadelphia started the season on the road facing Washington on Monday night, winning 33-27.

The Eagles followed that with two straight home games, first hosting the-then San Diego Chargers and losing, 33-30, on the following Sunday. Then, on Thursday night, Philadelphia hosted the Kansas City Chiefs and fell, 26-12.

In all three cases the NFL opted to hand these teams a Monday-Sunday-Thursday schedule, which doesn't exactly play into the narrative of player safety.

But, these Jets will take a 2-1 record as they head into their contest with the Broncos, knowing that they'll have to get on a plane shortly after that to head to London to face the Minnesota Vikings in their international game for the year.

New York won’t play back-to-back games on Sunday stateside until the Jets face Pittsburgh and New England on Oct. 20 and Oct. 27, respectively. Both games are on the road.