The Jets begin the Rex Ryan Era on the road at Houston, open their final season at the Meadowlands by hosting the Patriots, and play the Bills in Toronto, Thursday night Dec. 3, highlighting the Jets schedule as the NFL unveiled the 2009 regular season slate Tuesday night on NFL Network.

“We got the schedule today and I am fired up about the upcoming season,” said Coach Ryan. “This will be my first season as a head coach and the schedule is filled with challenges, but our coaching staff and players have been working hard and I know that we will be ready.”

For the first time since 1977, when the Jets defeated the Houston Oilers, 20-0, at the Astrodome, the Jets open the season in Texas, facing the Texans, Sept. 13.

Following the opener, the Jets return home to host New England, Sept. 20 at 1 p.m., marking the fourth consecutive year that the Jets-Patriots contest at the Meadowlands opens the Jets home schedule.  After 26 seasons at the Meadowlands, their home since 1984, the team moves into New Jets Stadium beginning in 2010.

The Jets homestand continues with the AFC South Champion Tennessee Titans on Sept. 27, before two consecutive road games at New Orleans, Oct. 4, and on Monday Night at the defending AFC East Champion Miami Dolphins, Oct. 12. The Jets and Dolphins play twice in four games with the return matchup at the Meadowlands, Nov. 1, sandwiched around a home game against Buffalo, Oct. 18, and a contest at Oakland, Oct. 25. Following the Miami home game is a bye on Week Nine, after which the Jets host Jacksonville, Nov. 15, before going to Foxborough to play the Patriots, Nov. 22.

After hosting the 2008 NFC South Champion Carolina Panthers on Nov. 29, the Jets travel to Toronto to face the Bills on the Thursday Night NFL Network contest, Dec. 3 at 8:20 p.m. The Jets last traveled to Canada 21 years ago during the preseason, where they defeated the Browns, 11-7, in Montreal, Aug. 18, 1988.

The Jets return to the United States and then head to Tampa Bay, Dec. 13, before returning home to host Atlanta, Dec. 20.  The Falcons, a Wild Card Playoff team in 2008, visit the Jets at the Meadowlands for the first time since 1998.

The Jets road schedule wraps up with a trip to Indianapolis, Dec. 27, marking the Jets first game in Lucas Oil Stadium. The Jets last regular-season game, and the last scheduled NFL regular season game at the Meadowlands will be vs. Cincinnati on Jan. 3, 2009.

Since 2006, the NFL has implemented flexible scheduling for the last seven weeks of the regular season. The Jets Week 13 game vs. Buffalo at Toronto will not change but Jets games in Weeks 11, 12 and 14-17 are currently listed as TBA (to be announced), and may be played at 1 p.m., 4:05 p.m., 4:15 p.m. or at 8:15 p.m. on NBC’s Sunday Night Football. Game times will be confirmed a minimum of 12 days in advance (except in Week 17 when it may be confirmed six days in advance).

The Jets preseason schedule was also finalized. The preseason opener vs. St. Louis is set for Friday, Aug. 14, at 8 p.m. Following the Jets Monday night game at Baltimore, Aug. 24, the Jets play the Giants Saturday, Aug. 29 in the final Jets-Giants game at the Meadowlands. The preseason ends with the traditional Thursday night contest vs. the Eagles.

2009 New York Jets Schedule

Preseason

8/14    Friday  vs. St. Louis   7 p.m.  WCBS

8/24    Monday  at Baltimore    8 p.m.  ESPN

8/29    Saturday        at Giants       8 p.m.  WNBC

9/3     Thursday        vs. Philadelphia        7 p.m.  WCBS

Regular Season

9/13    Sunday  at Houston      1 p.m.  CBS

9/20    Sunday  vs. New England 1 p.m.  CBS

9/27    Sunday  vs. Tennessee   4:15 p.m.       CBS

10/4    Sunday  at New Orleans  4:05 p.m.       CBS

10/12   Monday  at Miami        8:30 p.m.       ESPN

10/18   Sunday  vs. Buffalo     4:15 p.m.       CBS

10/25   Sunday  at Oakland      4:05 p.m.       CBS

11/1    Sunday  vs. Miami       1 p.m.  CBS

11/8            BYE            

11/15   Sunday  vs. Jacksonville        1 p.m.  CBS

11/22   Sunday  at New England  TBA*    TBA*

11/29   Sunday  vs. Carolina    TBA*    TBA*

12/3    Thursday        at Buffalo (Toronto)    8:20 p.m.       NFLN

12/13   Sunday  at Tampa Bay    TBA*    TBA*

12/20   Sunday  vs. Atlanta     TBA*    TBA*

12/27   Sunday  at Indianapolis TBA*    TBA*

1/3     Sunday  vs. Cincinnati  TBA*    TBA*

*Subject to NFL Flex Schedule

“Here I am the biggest guy in school and I can’t play a sport because I had open heart surgery.” – D’Brickashaw Ferguson

“”As soon as you get to your house, you might not even make it to the couch. You might just fall down on the floor.” – Dustin Keller

Eight New York Jets told their stories. Now, fans can help turn one of them into the NFL’s Super Bowl commercial at NFL.com/SuperAd.

D’BRICKASHAW FERGUSON and DUSTIN KELLER are featured in a head-to-head competition against their rivals from the AFC East in the NFL’s “Super Ad: Believe In Now” promotion.

NFL Films traveled to NFL training camps and team facilities to capture the players’ stories. Now fans will have the opportunity to hear these unique tales and get an exclusive look at some of their favorite NFL players, such as:

D’Brickashaw Ferguson, who talks about his journey from heart surgery as a child to playing professional football.

Dustin Keller, who describes how hard he pushed himself at his first training camp wanting to never show weakness.

Fans can visit the Jets section to also see: AHMAD CARROLL, DAVID CLOWNEY, JAMES DEARTH, VERNON GHOLSTON, JAMES IHEDIGBO and WALLACE WRIGHT.

Fans will vote on the 24 stories from AFC players on nfl.com/superad from December 4 - 17. Four AFC stories, one from each division, will be selected to continue to the Championship Round where they will compete against four videos from the NFC as well as one wildcard video. The Championship Round runs from December 18, 2008 – January 4, 2009. Fans will have eighteen days to vote for their favorites with a Super Bowl appearance on the line.

Fans can visit the “All Videos” section to watch all 210 NFL players’ stories posted on nfl.com/superad. Fans will then watch the winning pitch, and the player who told it, during Super Bowl XLIII on Sunday, February 1 on NBC.

Losing Star QB for Season Will Effect Entire Conference

Where it used to be the New England Patriots and then everyone else in the AFC, the season-ending knee injury suffered by quarterback Tom Brady in the first quarter of the season opener has changed everything. The team that was the preseason favorite to win it all will have to defend their conference title without their field general.

No matter how good a head coach Bill Belichik may be, losing the reigning league MVP may be more than even he can overcome. No slight against Matt Cassel, but he will be making his first start since high school come this Sunday on the road against the Jets.

The former back-up nearly found himself on the unemployment line following a dismal performance in the Pats’ four exhibition losses. Now he is being asked to step in for a team that went 16-0 last season.

Cassel was able to lead the team to a 17-10 home win over the Kansas City Chiefs after taking over for Brady. Under normal circumstances, New England would have dominated a weaker opponent like the rebuilding Chiefs. They barely hung on and if that is any indication of what is in store, first place in the AFC East will not be for long.

“I would still consider them the favorite,” Jet linebacker Eric Barton said in response to a question posed to him about the Pats and the Super Bowl. “Absolutely. I think the last time they were in a situation like this they won the Super Bowl,” he continued, reflecting on the time Brady took over for an injured Drew Bledsoe on September 23, 2001 and promptly led 14-point underdog New England to a shocking victory over the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI.

Brett Favre agreed with Barton’s assessment. “I think the Patriots are the team to beat until proven otherwise,” the veteran quarterback said. “They have dominated this division as well as this league for a long time.”

From one QB to another, Favre isn’t buying into what people are saying about the Pats being lost without their marquee player in the lineup, but did acknowledge there will be a difference. “Matt Cassel played great the other day when he came in,” he said. “They assume he will do that. Tom Brady is Tom Brady. So that does give us a better chance.”

According to Jets head coach Eric Mangini, the new starter has enough weapons around him to carry the load. “It’s a very efficient offense,” he said. “Matt will do an excellent job for them. He’s been there a long time. I was there when he got there.

“He’s very similar to what I’ve experienced with a lot of the quarterbacks in terms of the way he approaches things, how disciplined he is and how much he studies. He’s got a strong arm. He can make plays with his feet. I think he’ll do a really, really good job.”

Heading into the season, most of the experts were putting New England, Indianapolis and San Diego at the top of the heap. Both the Colts and Chargers lost at home in Week 1 to underdog NFC teams.

An interesting campaign just got a lot more interesting. How all of this plays out is anyone’s guess at this early juncture, but no Brady can make for a very different season than what has been considered the ‘norm’ for New England.