In the next few days you will likely see articles listing the 2020 opponents for the Jets.

Why are the Jets playing these teams? How did the league determine this?

Here are how the sixteen opponents are determined.

Games against divisional opponents (6)

The Jets play one home game and one road game against each of the three other teams in their division. (Miami, New England, Buffalo)

Games against a division from the NFC (4)

Each year the Jets play all of the teams from a division in the NFC. This is determined on a rotating basis.

2015: NFC East

2016: NFC West

2017: NFC South

2018: NFC North

2019: NFC East

2020: NFC West

2021: NFC South

2022: NFC North

As you can see, the Jets face the NFC West in 2020 (Arizona, LA Rams, San Francisco, Seattle).

The last time the Jets faced the NFC West, they played at home against the Rams and Seahawks and on the road against the Cardinals and 49ers.

Things are reversed this time through the rotation, meaning the Jets will play on the road against the Rams and Seahawks and at home against the Cardinals and 49ers in 2020.

Games against a division from the AFC (4)

Each year the Jets play all of the teams from a division in the AFC. This is determined on a rotating basis.

2017: AFC West

2018: AFC South

2019: AFC North

2020: AFC West

2021: AFC South

2022: AFC North

As you can see, the Jets face the AFC West in 2020 (Denver, Kansas City, Raiders, LA Chargers).

The last time the Jets faced the AFC West, they played at home against the Chiefs and Chargers and on the road against the Raiders and Broncos.

Things are reversed this time through the rotation, meaning the Jets will play on the road against the Chiefs and Chargers and at home against the Raiders and Broncos in 2020.

Games against AFC opponents who finished in the same spot in the standings (2)

The final two games will come against teams from the two other AFC divisions who finished in the same spot in the standings as the Jets did in 2019.

The Jets will finish in third place in the AFC East. That means they will face the third place finishers for the AFC North and AFC South. It appears these teams will be Cleveland and Indianapolis.

The last time we hit the spot in the rotation where the Jets played the team in the same spot in the standings from the North and the South, they played the South team at home and the North team on the road.

Things are reversed this time through the rotation, meaning the Jets will play on the road against the AFC North opponent at home and the AFC South opponent on the road in 2020.

.......................................

That’s how the opponents are picked.