With the Jets having the second-strongest strength of schedule in the NFL, they will have the misfortune of facing some pretty talented quarterbacks.
New York will face multiple Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks, a sophomore looking for a surge and an eventual Hall of Famer at the twilight of his career. This upcoming season will present a tall task for Gregg Williams but also gives Sam Darnold the opportunity to go head-to-head against better competition.
Even with that, the Jets will be facing four former first-round picks, which include Baker Mayfield, Josh Allen, Jared Goff and Tua Tagovailoa. With that said, here are the five best quarterbacks the Jets will face in 2020.
Patrick Mahomes
The Jets have been fortunate enough to have never faced Patrick Mahomes in his short yet historic NFL career. That changes on Sunday, Nov. 1.
While Mahomes didn’t repeat as the MVP in his second season as a starter, he still carried his team to a Super Bowl victory. In the process of capturing the Super Bowl MVP, Mahomes led the Chiefs from a 10-point deficit to win Kansas City its first Super Bowl in 50 years.
In just three seasons, Mahomes has completed 65.9 percent of his passes for 9,412 yards with 76 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. While Gregg Williams and his defense have a tall task ahead of them, the Jets defensive coordinator has faced Mahomes before, although the results weren’t pretty. Back in 2018, Mahomes threw for 375 yards and three touchdowns while rolling over Williams in his debut as the Browns’ interim head coach. Cleveland lost, 37-21.
Russell Wilson
The last time the Jets faced the Seahawks, Ryan Fitzpatrick was under center for Gang Green. A lot’s changed since then, including Russell Wilson’s continued ascension into stardom.
Wilson is one of the top-five quarterbacks in the NFL and if it weren’t for Lamar Jackson lighting the world on fire in 2019, he may have had a shot at winning the MVP. Last season, Wilson completed 66.1 percent of his passes for 4,110 yards with 31 touchdowns and just five interceptions.
The Jets will travel to Seattle for a Week 14 showdown with the Seahawks, which marks the beginning of a two-week road trip that will end in Los Angeles. Traveling across the country to face one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL may not bode well for New York.
Kyler Murray
In Week 5, the Jets will get their first glimpse at former No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray. Coached by Kliff Kingsbury, who flirted with the Jets before accepting the Cardinals’ head coaching position, this duo has the potential to give the Jets defense fits.
During his rookie campaign, Murray completed 64.4 percent of his passes for 3,722 yards with 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. His ability to run around the pocket and make things happen is reminiscent of Russell Willson. This matchup for the Jets could be imperative, especially considering their opponents in the first four weeks.
Jimmy Garoppolo
While the 49ers’ run to the Super Bowl relied on the offensive creativity of Kyle Shanahan and a dynamic running game, it wouldn’t have been possible without Jimmy Garoppolo’s success in 2019. Garoppolo completed 69.1 percent of his passes for 3,978 yards with 27 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
Garoppolo has never faced the Jets in his career but found himself on the sidelines for divisional matchups when he was backing up Tom Brady in New England. He will get his first opportunity when the Jets open up at home against Garoppolo and the 49ers in Week 2.
Philip Rivers
The Jets will see Philip Rivers for the first time in his new uniform in Week 3 when they make their second road trip of the season and travel to Indianapolis.
Although Rivers is coming off one of the worst seasons of his career, a change of scenery and the opportunity to work with Frank Reich could add some much-needed life. In 2019, Rivers completed 66 percent of his passes for 4,615 yards, 23 touchdowns and 20 interceptions.
For his career, Rivers has fared rather favorably against the Jets in the regular season with a 4-1 record. Although, he did lose in the 2009 playoffs at the hands of Gang Green.
