NFL thinks Jets ‘owe us one’ with primetime-heavy schedule

The NFL is searching for a do-over from the Jets.

That’s principally what Mike North, the NFL vice chairman of broadcast planning, mentioned Thursday on a Zoom name with reporters concerning the league giving the Jets six prime-time video games within the first 11 weeks of the season, one thing that no workforce has ever had earlier than.

“That’s an terrible lot of prime-time video games early within the season,” North mentioned, “however clearly we really feel just like the Jets type of owe us one. We had this dialog a yr in the past. All of us had been all in on the Jets. For that man [Aaron Rodgers] to final 4 performs was disheartening for many people.”

That remark that the “Jets type of owe us one” shouldn’t be going to go over effectively in Florham Park. The Jets had 5 prime-time video games final season, plus a stand-alone sport on Black Friday.

Rodgers tore his left Achilles in Week 1 on “Monday Evening Soccer” towards the Payments and instantly the Jets had been a a lot much less enticing workforce however had been already in these prime-time home windows.

This yr, North mentioned the networks are all searching for a chunk of the Rodgers’ return storyline and that led to the early scheduling of prime-time video games.

North additionally raised the purpose that the Jets could get greater than six prime-time video games if they continue to be related later within the season when the league flexes video games into prime time.

“[We] really feel like we will run it again and positively our broadcast companions after they got here to us early within the course of speaking about what storylines they need to give attention to early within the season clearly Aaron Rodgers’ return was a key one for everyone,” North mentioned. “All people was type of searching for an early-season Aaron Rodgers alternative and the Jets had been feisty final yr.”

The Jets are certainly one of three groups with six prime-time video games. The 49ers and Cowboys are the others. San Francisco is the defending NFC champions and Dallas has made the playoffs in three straight seasons.

The Jets have a 13-year playoff drought, so they’re a dangerous decide for the NFL to highlight.

“There’s no query we’re relying on them,” North mentioned. “Hopefully [Rodgers] stays wholesome and hopefully they’re related. That’s quite a lot of prime early within the season and it is probably not the tip of it. You consider their stretch down the again finish. I feel they play the Rams, Seattle, Miami and possibly Buffalo down the stretch. There’s actually much more of a chance to search out their option to nationwide tv in the event that they’re related.”

The Jets’ early schedule is difficult not due to who they play however after they play.

They’ve three video games in 10 days to open the season, going from San Francisco on a Monday to Nashville on a Sunday after which taking part in their house opener on a Thursday.

North mentioned the Jets not going through many 2023 playoff groups early within the season softened the blow of getting to play on quick weeks twice within the first three weeks.

“All of us preferred Jets-Patriots in Week 3 there for Amazon,” North mentioned. “We noticed schedules the place the Jets had been on the highway in San Francisco for Week 1 after which a house sport after which play that Thursday sport on the highway in New England. If that house sport had been Seattle and that Thursday sport had been on the highway, it’s nonetheless three video games in 10 days. Is that higher? Is that extra truthful? You consider not simply the place you play however who you play. They occur to run into Tennessee, New England and Denver [in Week 4], three groups that didn’t make the playoffs final yr. Clearly, the three video games in 10 days is a problem however didn’t really feel just like the gauntlet of three groups that made deep playoff runs final yr. That may have given us a bit bit extra pause.”