Familiar faces on New York Jets’ 2020 schedule: Games 9-16

These former Jets will get their chance at vengeance from Weeks 9-17 of 2020. Yesterday, I took a peek at some familiar faces that the Jets are poised to face in the first half of 2020. Let's move on to the second half. Week 9: vs. New England Patriots The Jets also play the Patriots in Week 17, so we'll save some of the connections for that section. Brandon Copeland is the lone member of the 2019 Jets roster that is currently slated to be playing under Bill Belichick in 2020. With numerous starters on the Patriots defense opting out of the season, including startling linebacker Dont'a Hightower, Copeland could be playing a key role. Copeland came to New York in 2018 after three seasons in Detroit and had somewhat of a breakout season, providing some decent play on the edge. He picked up five sacks, eight knockdowns, and 25 hurries, averaging 2.2 pressures over just 20.7 pass-rush snaps per game. EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - DECEMBER 15: Outside linebacker Brandon Copeland #51 of the New York Jets attempts to tackle quarterback Deshaun Watson #4 of the Houston Texans in the first half at MetLife Stadium on December 15, 2018 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) In 2019, Copeland's season got off on the wrong foot as he missed four games due to a PED violation. Upon return, Copeland was used by Gregg Williams in an ambiguous role that had him splitting time between the edge and off the ball. It was not a good fit, as Copeland struggled in coverage (14/16 passing for 161 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT) and with missed tackles (9 misses against 35 total tackles for a brutal miss rate of 20.5%, sixth-worst among LB). Williams sent Copeland after the quarterback on just 4.5 snaps per game in 2019. If the Patriots are wise, they will look to get Copeland back to rushing off the edge, where he was at his best in 2018. Copeland should get the opportunity to compete for the snaps left over by Kyle Van Noy, who signed with Miami. New England drafted edge rushers Josh Uche and Anfernee Simmons in the second and third rounds of the 2020 Draft, respectively, so Copeland will need to beat them out to get regular playing time. As a noted aficionado of special teams, Belichick certainly must be excited about Copeland's abilities in that phase. Copeland appeared regularly on five of the six special teams units (save for FG/XP protection) for both the Jets and Lions. Over his career, Copeland has made 17 tackles in kick coverage while missing only three. That's a miss rate of 15.0%, well below the 2019 special teams average of 25.7%. Week 10: at Miami Dolphins If the schedule proceeds as planned, the Jets will play back-to-back games against the Dolphins in Weeks 10 and 12 (with both teams having their bye week in-between). The Jets have only played the same opponent in back-to-back regular season games once before, which was in 1963 (Week 14-15 losses to Buffalo). Interesting quirk by the league to go through with this. The only current member of Miami's roster that has donned the "Jets" wordmark on his helmet is Ryan Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick has played the Jets three times since his two-year stint with the team from 2015-16, once with Tampa Bay in 2017 and twice with Miami in 2019. He went 2-1 with 62 completions on 107 attempts for 720 yards (6.7 per attempt / 240.0 per game), four touchdowns, and two interceptions (83.1 passer rating). The Jets hit rock bottom in 2019 when they lost to the Dolphins in Week 9, allowing Fitzpatrick to shred them to the tune of 288 yards and three touchdowns. In Week 14, the Jets were more successful against Fitzpatrick, holding him to 21-of-37 passing for 245 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception (another pick was called back). Fitzpatrick did rush for 65 yards in that game, the second-best total of his career. At 37 years and 14 days old on that day, he became the third-oldest quarterback in NFL history to eclipse 60 rushing yards in a game, trailing only two outings by Steve Young in 1998 (37y-50d and 37y-64d). EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - DECEMBER 08: Ryan Fitzpatrick #14 of the Miami Dolphins dives for yardage as he is tackled by Jordan Jenkins #48 of the New York Jets during their game at MetLife Stadium on December 08, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) Week 12: vs. Miami Dolphins The Jets have two important connections with the Dolphins coaching staff. Miami running backs coach Eric Studesville held the same position in Denver from 2010-17, sharing the first five seasons of that span with Adam Gase (who was in Denver from 2009-14). Studesville left Denver for Miami in 2018, where he was given the title of "Run Game Coordinator" under Gase. Gase's Jets had Studesville's running backs figured out in 2019. Over two games, Miami's running backs carried the ball 38 times for 101 yards (2.7 per carry) and zero touchdowns. The Dolphins fired offensive coordinator Chad O'Shea after one season and replaced him with Chan Gailey, who led the Jets offense from 2015-16. Gailey orchestrated a surprisingly good attack in 2015, as the Jets placed 10th in scoring per drive (1.95) and 14th in offensive DVOA. Some of the accomplishments that he led individual players to that season are downright staggering. In 2015, Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker combined for the most receiving touchdowns by a duo in league history (26). Fitzpatrick (31 passing TDs), Chris Ivory (7 rushing TDs), and Brandon Marshall (14 receiving TDs) each set still-standing career-highs in touchdowns. Fitzpatrick's mark is a Jets record, while Marshall's tied Don Maynard's team record. Fitzpatrick (3,905 passing yards) and Ivory (1,070 rushing yards) also set career-bests in yardage while Marshall (1,502 receiving yards) fell just four yards shy of a new personal record. Fitzpatrick's total ranks second in Jets history behind Joe Namath's 4,007 yards in 1967 (Fitzpatrick likely would have beaten it if he had not missed the majority of a game in Oakland). Ivory's ranks 13th in franchise history and was the team's best mark of the 2010s decade. Marshall's total set a new franchise record. EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - DECEMBER 27: Brandon Marshall #15 of the New York Jets celebrates with his teammate Eric Decker #87 after scoring a 33 yard touchdown in the third quarter against the New England Patriots during their game at MetLife Stadium on December 27, 2015 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) The Gailey-led Jets offense crumbled in 2016, ranking 27th in points per drive (1.50) and 31st in offensive DVOA. Fitzpatrick's 69.6 passer rating in 2016 was the 11th-worst versus league average by a 30-or-older quarterback in NFL history, minimum 200 passes. If you bump the threshold up to 400 passes, Fitzpatrick's 2016 passer rating is the absolute worst among 30-or-older quarterbacks and the third-worst out of 726 all-time qualified seasons regardless of age. Week 13: vs. Las Vegas Raiders Las Vegas does not have any former Jets on its roster, but there are a pair of former Jets coaches that will be a part of the first NFL season in Nevada. John Morton, who was the Jets' offensive coordinator for a sole season in 2017, is the "Senior Offensive Assistant" for the Raiders. He took the position ahead of 2019 after spending the 2018 season out of the league. Morton did a respectable job in 2017. The Jets had the talent to field the league's worst offense by a wide margin, but Morton led it to an impressive 22nd in DVOA, a ranking that is actually pushed downward by an atrocious four-game finish under the inept Bryce Petty. With Josh McCown at the helm through Week 13, the Jets ranked 18th in scoring (22.2 PPG). McCown had a career year under Morton, setting personal bests in passing yards (2,926), passing touchdowns (18), and rushing touchdowns (5) while somehow mustering a 94.5 passer rating that ranked 11th-best that year. Morton's special assistance did not do much for the Raiders offense when they visited the Jets in Week 12 of 2019, as the Jets held them to three points. However, the Raiders offense did have a mostly strong season otherwise, finishing ninth in DVOA. The other Raiders coach with Jets ties is a bit more obscure - defensive backs coach Jim O'Neil. He was in New York from 2009-12, starting out as the quality control and defensive backs coach in 2009 and spending the next three years as the assistant defensive backs coach. Week 14: at Seattle Seahawks Does this section need any explanation? Jamal. Adams. Arguably the league's best safety on the field and inarguably its most egocentric off of it, Adams' grudge match with the team that he was once the face of is going to be must-watch television. MIAMI, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 03: Jamal Adams #33 of the New York Jets arrives prior to the game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on November 03, 2019 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) Adams is not the only former Jets Pro Bowler who will be taking his first licks against the team from Florham Park. For the first time since they elected not to re-sign him after a fantastic 2018 season, Jason Myers will be taking on the Jets organization with whom he revived his career. Myers made only 82.1% of field goals in Seattle this past season, which ranked 17th in the league, a decent drop-off from his 91.7% conversion rate with the Jets that placed sixth-best in 2018. His extra point percentage was identical in both seasons (90.9%), ranking bottom-10 each time. Offensive tackle Brandon Shell will also be looking for some sweet revenge. Shell started 40 games for the Jets at right tackle from 2016-19 after being selected 158th overall in the fifth round of the 2016 Draft. Shell was largely a liability in New York, showing interesting upside early in his career but failing to fully realize it. In 2019, Shell played the 45th-most protection snaps among tackles (468) yet tied for the ninth-most sacks allowed (7) and eighth-most total pressures allowed (43). Oh, yeah, this guy is a Seahawk, too. You may have seen him before. GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 12: Geno Smith #7 of the Seattle Seahawks warms up before taking on the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Divisional Playoff game at Lambeau Field on January 12, 2020 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) Week 15: at Los Angeles Rams One member of the Rams roster has worn a Jets uniform before, but he never wore one in the regular season. EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - AUGUST 08: Jachai Polite #56 of the New York Jets looks on from the sideline during a preseason game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on August 08, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) After lasting only four months with the Jets and then only 21 days on Seattle's practice squad, 2019 third-round pick (68th overall) Jachai Polite has managed to stick on Los Angeles' practice squad. He was picked up by the Rams two days after being cut by the Seahawks and signed a reserve/future contract in late-December. The Florida product clearly had serious issues off the field to be given up on so quickly by not one, but two teams within six months of being selected in the third round. Perhaps if he can get his commitment to the game up to a viable level, Polite's draft pedigree could get a team to believe in him enough to put him on the field for at least one regular season game. Los Angeles could use some pass-rushing help on the edge after losing Dante Fowler and replacing him with the inferior Leonard Floyd, so perhaps Polite's twitchiness as an edge rusher will be of particular interest to their coaching staff. Week 16: vs. Cleveland Browns For the first time since leaving New York, Sheldon Richardson will play a second consecutive season with the same team. He spent 2017 with Seattle after being traded there by the Jets and then played on a one-year deal for Minnesota in 2018. The former Defensive Rookie of the Year signed a three-year, $36 million contract with Cleveland ahead of 2019. Richardson was a game-wrecker for the Jets. He ranked fifth among interior defensive linemen with 3.3 pressures per game in 2014 and then broke out to an entirely new level with 5.0 per game in 2015, tied with teammate Muhammad Wilkerson for third at the position. In 2016, Richardson's dominance shifted to the run game. He still ranked a solid 17th in total pressures (42 / 2.6 per game), but he tied for fourth in run stops (33). At first and second, respectively - teammates Damon Harrison (49) and Leonard Williams (40). EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - SEPTEMBER 03: Damon Harrison #94 and Sheldon Richardson #91 of the New York Jets laugh on the field before a pre-season game against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium on September 3, 2015 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz /Getty Images) Richardson continues to be one of the most solid interior defenders in the league. In 2019, he ranked 20th among interior defensive linemen in pressures (37) and tied for 11th in run stops (27). Week 17: at New England Patriots Along with Copeland, safety Terrence Brooks is the second member of the 2018 Jets that is currently residing in Massachusetts. Brooks played in all but one game for the Jets from 2017-18. Brooks will likely be playing a much bigger role for the Patriots in 2020 than he did in his first season with the team a year ago. Two of New England's three key safeties - Duron Harmon (41.3 snaps per game) and Patrick Chung (46.7) - will be elsewhere. Harmon signed with Detroit while Chung elected to opt out of the 2020 season. Brooks, who ranked fourth among the team's safeties in defensive snaps (17.5 per game), is next in line to climb up the depth chart. He will compete with second-round rookie Kyle Dugger and Chargers veteran Adrian Phillips to take one of the two spots left over by Harmon and Chung. Although his role was small, Brooks still made his presence felt by Jets fans. Brooks snagged the fourth of four interceptions thrown by Sam Darnold on a Monday night from hell. Coming in the end zone on a potential touchdown to Demaryius Thomas, Brooks' interception turned what could have been a feel-good finish for Darnold into another gut-wrenching mistake. EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - OCTOBER 21: Terrence Brooks #25 of the New England Patriots intercepts the ball in the end zone preventing a touchdown against Demaryius Thomas #18 of the New York Jets during their game at MetLife Stadium on October 21, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) Back in 2018, Brooks (390 special teams snaps) and Copeland (327 snaps) ranked first and second in snaps on the Jets special teams unit that led the NFL in DVOA. Brooks recorded six tackles in coverage without a single miss. Brooks' most notable moment as a Jet was his two-interception game against Miami in Week 3 of 2017, helping to snap an 0-2 start and kickstarting the Jets' turnaround from "favorite for the No. 1 pick" to "surprisingly competitive team." EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - SEPTEMBER 24: Terrence Brooks #23, Buster Skrine #41 and Morris Claiborne #21 of the New York Jets celebrate with the fans after breaking up a pass attempt on fourth down against the Miami Dolphins during the second half of an NFL game at MetLife Stadium on September 24, 2017 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The New York Jets defeated the Miami Dolphins 20-6. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)