We already knew who the Jets would be playing against during the 2024 season. However, as the schedule release drew near, the season was given a bit more intrigue for the Jets as it was announced they would be traveling to London in October for a Week 5 meeting with the Minnesota Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
That game was named a “must-watch” game by The Athletic’s Zach Rosenblatt in a piece for the site in which writers named such a game for all 32 teams. Here’s what Rosenblatt had to say about the game:
This game is across the pond, which always adds a certain level of intrigue. And while these games tend to be sloppy, the UK has a large contingent of Jets fans, so the crowd should favor New York and Rodgers. Other storylines: Minnesota’s Sam Darnold could get to face his old team, if he beats out J.J. McCarthy to start at quarterback, and the Jets’ offensive line will be tested by Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
This game will be a good early test for the Jets, especially up front. The Vikings will still bring pressure even with the loss of Danielle Hunter. Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel will be along those leading the charge in the pass rush. We’ll also see which corner(s) gets tasked with covering Garrett Wilson, be it Byron Murphy Jr. or Shaq Griffin.
And as Rosenblatt noted, it would be a reunion of sorts with former quarterback Sam Darnold. It will either be him or the rookie J.J. McCarthy.
Two other teams had the Jets pegged as their “must-watch” game: the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots.
The Athletic’s James Boyd on the Colts’ game against the Jets in Week 11:
This is Indy’s only prime-time game, and at this stage of the year, it could have major postseason implications. Anthony Richardson has never played in a prime-time NFL game, so what better way to introduce himself to a national audience than against Aaron Rodgers? Richardson claimed to be chasing “greatness” before he ever took a snap in the NFL and wants to be remembered as a legend one day. Regardless of Rodgers’ off-field shenanigans, the four-time MVP and Super Bowl champion has already checked the “legendary” box on the gridiron, and his playing career is one Richardson can only hope to replicate.
Here’s what Chad Graff had to say about the Patriots’ trip to MetLife in Week 3:
The Jets broke the Patriots’ streak of 15 straight wins in this rivalry last season, but this is going to be a fascinating prime-time test for Jerod Mayo’s group. The league probably put this game on Thursday night to showcase Rodgers. But between the Pats’ opener (against the Bengals) and this game, we’re going to know early whether Mayo can bring the kind of game-specific defensive setups for which Bill Belichick was known. Rodgers struggled (relatively speaking) against Belichick. Can the Pats play spoiler on national TV with Mayo picking up where Belichick left off?
