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With the NFL regular season fast approaching, we at SportsUntapped are taking our crystal balls out of storage and examining each team’s full 16-game schedule to prognosticate how the 2012 season will play out. We’ll look at all 32 teams and reveal each one’s final record. Next up: Mark Sanchez and the New York Jets, who’ll try to bounce back from a disappointing 2011 campaign.

NEW YORK JETS

Last year’s record: 8-8
 
Vegas Over/Under on 2012 Regular Season Wins: 8.5

First four games:
Sep 9 Buffalo 1:00 pm
Sep 16 @Pittsburgh 4:25 pm
Sep 23 @Miami 1:00 pm
Sep 30 San Francisco 1:00 pm

If the Jets can’t beat the Bills at home on the opening Sunday, they might be in real trouble early on with a visit to the Steelers in Week 2 and a tough home game against the 49ers in Week 4. I wouldn’t be surprised if all of their first four games are close, so I’d bet on a 2-2 September record for Gang Green.
 
Second four games:

Oct 8 Houston 8:30 pm
Oct 14 Indianapolis 1:00 pm
Oct 21 @New England 4:25 pm
Oct 28 Miami 1:00 pm

The Jets lost both of last season’s meetings with the Patriots by more than a touchdown, so that Week 7 visit to Foxboro will be a chance to see if they made any progress since last year. I see three October wins for the Jets and a 5-3 record at midseason.

First four games of the second half:

Week 9 BYE
Nov 11 @Seattle 4:05 pm
Nov 18 @St. Louis 1:00 pm
Nov 22 New England 8:20 pm
Dec 2 Arizona 1:00 pm

Two December losses to NFC East opponents doomed the Jets playoff chances last season, but if they can take care of business against the weak NFC West this season they should be in better shape. Playing at Seattle can be tough, but the bye should help. Three more wins in this stretch and the Jets already match last year’s win total through 12 games with an 8-4 record.
 
Last four games:

Dec 9 @Jacksonville 1:00 pm
Dec 17 @Tennessee 8:30 pm
Dec 23 San Diego 8:20 pm
Dec 30 @Buffalo 1:00 pm

The Jets finish with three of their last four on the road, but they don’t face a team that made the playoffs last year after Thanksgiving Night. That soft-ish December should lead to at least two more wins in their last four games and a decent shot at a wild card with a 10-6 mark.