It’s never too soon to start prepping for the arrival of the 2013 schedule. In a biweekly series on into July, I’ll post some blogs capturing some bullet points for each game on the slate, by quarters of the season. Today we review the First Quarter (a.k.a. Games 1-4):
Game 1 — vs. TAMPA BAY, MetLife Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 8, 1 p.m.
■ Jets will be going up vs. remade TB secondary featuring Darrelle Revis, their former Pro Bowl CB, S Dashon Goldson (from SF), and top draft pick CB Jonathan Banks.
■ Jets opened their season once before vs. Buccaneers — at home in the Meadowlands in ’91, 16-13 win secured with Pat Leahy 40-yd FG with 1:22 to play.
■ Jets are 9-1 overall and 6-0 at home all-time vs. TB. Six home wins are the most without a loss for the NYJ vs. any NFL opponent.
■ Green & White’s last home game vs. Bucs: 2005, when QB Vinny Testaverde “climbed off his couch” to start his first Jets game in two years, lead 14-12 win.
Game 2 — @ NEW ENGLAND, Gillette Stadium, Thursday, Sept. 12, 8:25 p.m.
■ Is this the best time to get the Patriots? NE is 8-5 in September since ’09, 1-3 in Game 2′s (and 0-2 vs. Jets) since ’09.
■ Patriots are 10-1 in home openers since ’02. But that one loss came last year, by 20-18 to Arizona — in Game 2.
■ Third time in franchise history Jets will play Game 2 on three days’ rest (1984, Thurs night loss to PIT; 1986, Thurs night loss to NE).
■ 10th time in last 15 seasons Jets will play NE in first two weeks of season, but first time in the first two weeks since 2010.
Game 3 — vs. BUFFALO, MetLife Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 22, 4:25 p.m.
■ Jets will want to welcome new BUF coach Doug Marrone, their OL coach from 2002-05, into the big leagues with a rousing home win over their longtime AFL rivals.
■ Jets lead this series at home, 27-25, after taking four of the last five, including last year’s season-opening 48-28 shootout at MetLife Stadium.
■ Which QB will Green & White face? They’ve never played vs. Kevin Kolb or first-round rookie EJ Manuel, faced Tarvaris Jackson in relief only once in ’06 win @ MIN.
■ C.J. Spiller had 56-yard TD run, 49-yd run in opener, 66-yd TD reception in finale vs. Jets. First Jets opponent with three 40-plus plays in a season since Chiefs WR Carlos Carson (2 games in ’88).
Game 4 — @ TENNESSEE, LP Field, Sunday, Sept. 29, 4:05 p.m.
■ RB Chris Johnson had unusual game vs. Jets last year: 10 yds in his first 7 carries, 18 yds in his last 13 carries, 94-yd TD burst on his 8th carry that helped TEN post 14-10 win.
■ Titans who’ll be familiar to Jets: RB Shonn Greene, four-year Jets back now backing up Johnson, plus DE Ropati Pitoitua, S Tracy Wilson, and ex-Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick.
■ Despite last year’s loss, Jets have fared well recently against AFC South, winning 9 of last 13 beginning with ’08 road win at TEN.
■ Jets have lost 16 of 22 on the road in this series, but have won 3 of last 5 on road since Titans moved to Tennessee, including ’98 at Vanderbilt, ’06 in season opener, ’08 when Titans were 10-0.
