It’s back!
Frank returns with his schedule analysis series, where he breaks down key points in each team’s schedule. Please note that no predictions will be given on how a team’s season will go, as those are coming later on.
Just like last year, we start at the beginning of the alphabet in the town of Carleton, Michigan, as the Airport Jets are up first.
Aug 29 @ Ida
Sept 6 @ SMCC
Sept 13 Grosse Ile
Sept 20 @ Huron
Sept 27 @ Jefferson
Oct 4 Riverview
Oct 11 @ Flat Rock
Oct 18 Milan
Oct 25 Melvindale
Gut-check game: at SMCC. Not many things are tougher to do in the Huron League than to win at Navarre Field. If the Jets are going to take a step forward in Year 3 of Jim Duffy, stealing a win from the Falcons on their home turf would be a great place to start. The Falcons will be coming off of a huge game in Week 1 (more on that later), so this might be an opportunity for the Jets to spring an upset.
Trap Game: at Flat Rock. Besides being a rivalry game, Flat Rock is the lone road game in the month of October, and it comes sandwiched between home games against Huron League powers Riverview and Milan. If the Jets are in contention for a playoff bid, this is not a game they can afford to drop.
Snoozer: Since we aren’t allowed to pick on teams we cover, Melvindale in Week 9 gets the snoozer game. The Cardinals went 2-7 last season, with wins over woebegone Taylor and Lincoln Park.
Non-Con Challenge: A trip to Ida in Week 1 is a good test to see where the Jets are at amongst the out-of-conference powers in Monroe County.
Notable: Week 1 will mark the first time since a 6-6 tie in 1956 that both Airport and Ida will meet in football….The last time the Jets faced Melvindale was the District Championship in the 2007 playoffs when the Cardinals throttled the Jets 42-7.
Thoughts from Frank: The Jets’ schedule is a tale of two halves. They only have one home game (Week 3) in the first half, and are on the road once in the second half. The first three weeks couldn’t be any more brutal with back-to-back trips to Ida and SMCC, followed by a home date with the reigning Huron League Champs in Grosse Ile. If the Jets want to be a playoff team this season, they may have to win one (or two) games in that stretch.