FOXBORO, MA—Despite the pomp and circumstance it brings each spring, the yearly release of the NFL schedule yields little surprises. We know 14 of the 16 matchups infinite years in advance thanks to the scheduling formula. The two outliers are known by the end of the preceding regular season.
The only true surprises come through the reveals of the national television schedule and when each team takes their bye. This year’s off-week reveal provided a new surprise for the New York Jets. Their in-season sabbatical came in the fourth week of the year, much to their surprise.