Schedule not a worry
The NFL schedule-makers did the Jets no favors with the way their schedule begins this season. The Jets play five teams who made the playoffs last year in their first six games. The one team on that list that did not make it is the Bills, and the Jets play them in Buffalo — on a Thursday night — with Bruce Smith’s jersey being retired at halftime.
Many observers look at this run of games and expect the Jets to struggle mightily in the first two months, but coach Todd Bowles said he is not focused on that opening stretch.
“We can only play one game at a time so you can only worry about one game at a time,” Bowles said Thursday. “As the Cincinnati game gets closer, we’ll worry about Cincinnati. It doesn’t matter who we play, if you win 10 games or doublefigures your schedule is going to be tougher. That’s part of the league.”
The Jets open with the Bengals, followed by the game at the Bills, at the Chiefs, vs. the Seahawks, at the Steelers and at the Cardinals.
The suspension of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady for the first four games could open up the AFC East a little bit, but that is not something the Jets are counting on.
Bowles said the team will figure out what to do without defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson, who is suspended for the first game of the season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. This is the second straight season Richardson has been suspended to start the year, but last year it was a four-game suspension for a violation of the league’s drug policy.
The Jets were not sure how long Richardson would be suspended for, so getting just one game was a relief.
“It’s still a game missed and we have to adjust,” Bowles said. “It’s good to know early so we can adjust in camp going forward. It’s better than the four games he missed last year, but we were without him for four games, I think we can go without him for one.”
Bowles did not sound concerned about any of the players who missed practice due to injury. He said he is not sure when CB Darrelle Revis, who is recovering from wrist surgery, and DE Muhammad Wilkerson, who is coming back from a broken bone in his leg, will be able to practice. Wilkerson is on the physically unable to perform list.
RB Matt Forte did not practice due to a tweaked hamstring, but Bowles said the Jets were just being careful.