Ah, the 2026 schedule release — the time period when fans wholeheartedly believe their team will win more games than what actually transpires.

New York Jets fans are no exception. Perhaps, this time, there’s reason to be optimistic, though. Gang Green has considerably improved its roster and has one of the league’s easiest schedules, according to Vegas win totals.

Is it too early to predict how teams will do this season, especially before training camp begins? Oh yeah.

Do we care? Absolutely not.

After all, this is one of the many NFL media traditions that must stay alive.

Week-by-week predictions

Week 1: at Tennessee Titans – Loss (0-1)

Woody Johnson won’t be thrilled if Robert Saleh begins his coaching career in Tennessee with a victory over his Jets. Come to think of it, most Jets fans won’t be thrilled either.

Still, this is a revenge game for Saleh, not Gang Green.

Week 2: vs. Green Bay Packers – Win (1-1)

There’s a chance Micah Parsons won’t be ready to start the season after tearing his ACL. Green Bay was 0-4 down the stretch when he did not suit up, including a tough playoff loss to the Chicago Bears.

This is a home opener the Jets could steal.

Week 3: at Detroit Lions – Win (2-1)

The Detroit Lions are not the same team as they were when Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn were coordinators and play-callers. This is a road game that could be something of an upset for the Jets as the season progresses.

Week 4: at Chicago Bears – Loss (2-2)

The talk of the town in Detroit was that then-defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn was better prepared for a head-coaching job, not Ben Johnson, who ran the offense.

One year in, and that idea feels foolish. While the Bears could be set for a regression this year, it’s hard to see the Jets match up at all with Chicago’s high-powered offense.

Week 5: vs. Cleveland Browns – Win (3-2)

It doesn’t matter who the Cleveland Browns have at quarterback. Whether it’s Shedeur Sanders or Deshaun Watson, this is a Browns team weak on overall talent.

I like the Jets at home in this one with a chance to get over .500 by the first quarter of the season.

Week 6: at New England Patriots – Loss (3-3)

The Jets have undoubtedly improved their roster talent; they just aren’t going to be good enough to walk into Foxborough and beat the New England Patriots.

There are only so many upsets the team can predict at this point.

Week 7: vs. Miami Dolphins – Win (4-3)

The Miami Dolphins seem destined to be a terrible squad this season. With New York at home, and no Tyreek Hill or Jaylen Waddle to worry about, this is a game that feels like a commanding Jets win — as rare as those have been recently.

Week 8: vs. Las Vegas Raiders – Win (5-3)

Throw the parade! The Jets are two games over .500 for the first time in the history of the planet. Jokes aside, while the Las Vegas Raiders can celebrate drafting Fernando Mendoza, the team is still quite devoid of top talent to be considered legitimate.

New York will need this win, too.

Week 9: at Kansas City Chiefs – Loss (5-4)

Patrick Mahomes will be healthy. The Kansas City Chiefs will be competing for another Super Bowl.

This isn’t going to be a fun one for New York.

Week 10: vs. Buffalo Bills – Loss (5-5)

Whose bright idea was it to give the Jets, Mahomes, and Josh Allen in back-to-back weeks? Anyway, this is going to be part of the Jets’ difficult stretch at this point in the year.

Week 11: at Los Angeles Chargers – Loss (5-6)

Mahomes, Allen, and Justin Herbert for three straight weeks? Insanity. Chalk this up to another loss for the team.

Week 12: at Miami Dolphins – Win (6-6)

New York always goes through a losing streak during the season. Ending it after it see elite quarterbacks in a row will be very important.

Beating the Dolphins for the first time in South Florida since 2015 will be an important milestone as well.

Week 13: bye Week

A late bye week? What in the world?

Week 14: vs. Denver Broncos – Loss (6-7)

The Denver Broncos are an easy candidate to take a step back, just like the previously mentioned Bears. That said, Denver’s talent is still lightyears better than the Jets to this point.

This seems like an honest loss where the team could have kept close late.

Week 15: at Arizona Cardinals – Win (7-7)

The Jets should not be tanking this late in the season this year. The Arizona Cardinals will. This should be a win for Gang Green.

Week 16: vs. New England Patriots – Win (8-7)

With this shocking win over the Patriots — yes, New England will not be infallible this year, despite the eventual acquisition of A.J. Brown — the Jets position themselves to get over .500 for the first time in over a decade.

Unfortunately, this will be the team’s last win of the year if my predictions hold true.

Week 17: vs. Minnesota Vikings – Loss (8-8)

Kevin O’Connell is a great coach. He has had some rotten luck at the quarterback position, though.

Whether it’s Kyler Murray or J.J. McCarthy playing quarterback at this point of the season, it’s sort of irrelevant. This seems like a game that the Jets naturally drop.

Week 18: at Buffalo Bills – Loss (8-9)

While Buffalo could have the AFC East wrapped up before this contest, seeding is incredibly important in the conference, so it’s hard to see the Bills resting their starters.

This will be the game that shows the Jets aren’t far off but need a quarterback who can match up with the other top teams in the conference.

Final record prediction: (8-9)

This would certainly be enough to keep Glenn employed as head coach.