Jets draw former coach Robert Saleh, Titans in 2026 season opener

After being outscored 188-54 in their final five games, the Jets will not have any prime-time games this season. In 2025, they had two prime-time games.

With this in mind, it’s time for the New York Daily News to make early predictions on the Jets’ 2026 schedule:

Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 13 at Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m.

Some fans on social media are already saying Week 1 is a “must-win” game for Glenn. I don’t share those opinions, but it is a significant game for Glenn and the Jets brass for a variety of reasons.

Saleh is just beginning to rebuild his program in Tennessee. As bad as the Jets were last season, they have improved in several areas, at least on paper. But this game is going to come down to which quarterback can be more cautious with the football. Considering Smith has the most interceptions (32) during the past two years, the Titans could have a slight advantage at home.

Prediction: Titans 20, Jets 17

Record: 0-1

Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 20 vs. Green Bay Packers, 1 p.m.

The second week of the season doesn’t get any easier for the Jets, with them coming home to face a Packers team that made the playoffs in 2025. This will begin a streak of three straight games against teams that finished with winning records last season.

Green Bay will likely be without Micah Parsons, who reportedly will miss the early part of the 2026 season due to an ACL tear he suffered last December. Following Parsons’ injury, the Packers lost five consecutive games to end their season. I’m going to trust the Jets to recover and win their home opener to avoid a dreaded 0-2 start.

Jets 23, Packers 20

Record: 1-1

Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 27 at Detroit Lions, 1 p.m.

Glenn’s return to Detroit will happen in Week 3 when the Jets come to Ford Field. He was the team’s defensive coordinator for four seasons under coach Dan Campbell before becoming the Jets coach in 2025.

The Lions will look to rebound from a 9-8 record and a last-place finish in the NFC North. After finishing 18th in total offense, the Lions added offensive line depth while hoping to return to their 2024 form when they were second in yards and first in points per game.

Prediction: Lions 27, Jets 20

Record: 1-2

Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 4 at Chicago Bears, 1 p.m.

A week after seeing his old boss, Glenn will be pitted against Ben Johnson, who was the Lions' offensive coordinator during the four seasons he was in Detroit. Like Glenn, Johnson became the Bears' coach after the Lions finished 15-2 in 2024. Unlike Glenn, Johnson led the Bears to a playoff berth and an 11-6 record after they finished sixth in offensive yards per game.

Prediction: Bears 31, Jets 13

Record: 1-3

Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 11 vs. Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m.

The Jets will hope this year’s matchup against the Browns is similar to last season, when they defeated Cleveland, 27-20, after touchdowns on returns by Kene Nwangwu and Isaiah Williams.

The Browns are expected to hold a quarterback competition in training camp among Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, and Dillon Gabriel, with rookie Taylen Green selected in the 2026 NFL draft. Now that he is healthy, Watson is considered the favorite to win the starting job.

Prediction: Jets 24, Browns 13

Record: 2-3

Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 18 at New England, 1 p.m.

For the second straight season, the Patriots signed a former Jets offensive lineman. Last offseason, Morgan Moses signed with the Patriots. A year later, the Jets signed former guard Alijah Vera-Tucker to a three-year, $42 million contract to help solidify the Patriots’ interior offensive line.

The Patriots will hope to follow up their Super Bowl LX appearance with more success in 2026. New England swept the Jets last season, outscoring them 69-24.

Prediction: Patriots 30, Jets 17

Record: 2-4

Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 25 vs. Miami Dolphins, 1 p.m.

The Jets will look to exact revenge against their division rival after going winless against them a season ago. A lot has changed in Miami since last season. Both Mike McDaniel and Tua Tagovailoa are gone, with Jeff Hafley and Malik Willis now the team’s coach and quarterback.

The Jets went 0-6 in the AFC East last season, so this will be Glenn’s first chance to get an AFC East victory.

Prediction: Jets 20, Dolphins 16

Record: 3-4

Week 8: Sunday, Nov. 1 vs. Las Vegas Raiders, 1 p.m.

Many Jets fans will think of “what if” when Fernando Mendoza and the Raiders come to town in Week 8. Both the Raiders and Jets finished 3-14 last season, but Las Vegas got the top pick in the draft based on a weaker strength of schedule (SOS) tiebreaker and selected what it hopes will be its quarterback of the future.

The Jets drafted David Bailey instead and will have to hope they can find their future quarterback in the 2027 draft. In addition to adding Mendoza, the Raiders have undergone a massive roster overhaul after signing center Tyler Linderbaum, defensive end Kwity Paye, and linebacker Nakobe Dean.

Prediction: Raiders 27, Jets 20

Record: 3-5

Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 8, at Kansas City Chiefs, 1 p.m.

Former Jets quarterback Justin Fields is now in Kansas City after he was traded this offseason. But Patrick Mahomes, who tore his ACL last December, is ahead of schedule and will likely be under center when these two teams square off in early November.

Prediction: Chiefs 31, Jets 17

Record: 3-6

Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 15 vs. Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m.

Both games against the Bills last season were a nightmare for the Jets. They were outscored 65-18 in both matchups.

Joe Brady is now leading the charge in Buffalo after Sean McDermott was fired following an AFC divisional round loss to the Broncos. The Bills added another weapon for Josh Allen this offseason after acquiring DJ Moore in a trade with the Bears. They also signed edge rusher Bradley Chubb to a three-year contract.

Prediction: Bills 37, Jets 17

Record: 3-7

Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 22, at Los Angeles Chargers, 4:05 p.m.

This will be the first of two West Coast trips for the Jets this season. They will play a Chargers team that’s made the playoffs each of the past two seasons, but hasn’t won a playoff game since 2018.

Prediction: Chargers 27, Jets 20

Record: 3-8

Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 29 at Miami Dolphins, 1:05 p.m.

The Jets haven’t defeated the Dolphins in Miami since Rex Ryan’s final game in 2014. They will try to correct that trend after losing 11 consecutive road matchups against the hated Dolphins.

Prediction: Miami 23, Jets 20

Record: 4-8

Week 13: Bye

Week 14: Sunday, Nov. 29 vs. Denver Broncos, 1 p.m.

In what has become an annual event, the Jets and Broncos will meet again for the sixth consecutive season. Last year, the two teams met in London in an ugly 13-11 Denver win.

The Broncos have revamped their passing offense this offseason after the acquisition of Jaylen Waddle from the Dolphins. Denver will look to win consective AFC West titles for the first time since they claimed the division from 2011 to 2015.

Prediction: Broncos 23, Jets 21

Record: 4-9

Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 20 at Arizona Cardinals, 1 p.m.

After becoming the Cardinals’ coach in January, Mike LaFleur will try to get revenge against a Jets organization that “parted ways” with him after the 2022 season.

Prediction: Jets 21, Cardinals 13

Record: 5-9

Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 27 vs. New England Patriots, 1 p.m.

The Jets will hope Patriot fans do not take over MetLife Stadium this time, as they did last December. During their 42-10 win against the Jets, New England fans chanted MVP for Patriots quarterback Drake Maye.

Prediction: Patriots 37, Jets 17

Record: 5-10

Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 3 vs. Minnesota Vikings, 1 p.m.

The Vikings will have an old-school quarterback competition during training camp between veteran Kyler Murray and third-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Murray signed a one-year contract with the hopes of revitalizing his career after six seasons with the Cardinals. McCarthy struggled in his first season as a starter, and Minnesota finished 9-8, which is why the Vikings brought in competition for him.

Prediction: Vikings 20, Jets 17

Record: 5-11

Week 18: at Buffalo Bills, TBA

The Jets haven’t beaten the Bills in Buffalo since 2017. Allen also has an 11-4 record all-time against the Jets. Depending on the standings, the Bills could rest their starters as they did during last season’s finale against Buffalo.

Final record prediction for Jets: 5-12

After 15 seasons without making the playoffs, another year without a playoff game will make many Jets fans cranky. But it feels like they are a year away, especially with Smith, who can be an interception machine under center.

But Smith has much more support with the Jets than he did in his lone year with the Raiders. If the Jets defense can improve from allowing the second-most points in the league to average, the Jets could flirt with making a playoff bid in 2026.