COVID-19: The NFL's reported preseason plans make no sense for the New York Jets.

The NFL continues to alter its preseason in response to the COVID-19 pandemic with multiple reports on Monday that the league is cancelling Weeks 1 and 4 of the 2020 NFL preseason. That means the New York Jets might not play the New York Giants this year, even though both teams play in the same market.

Traditionally, the Jets-Giants tilt has been in the pre-season’s third week but this year, the game was moved to Week 1. Cancelling that game seems to contradict the idea of having a preseason schedule with limited travel. Both teams wouldn’t need to go anywhere more than one week. It makes a ton of sense for both teams to play each other in either of the remaining weeks.

Originally, the Jets were slated to play on August 13 against the Giants, August 20 at the Detroit Lions, August 28 against the Pittsburgh Steelers then close things up on September 3 at the Philadelphia Eagles.

If the games on August 13 and September 3 are canceled, that would leave the Lions and Steelers as scheduled opponents.

Travel is restricted due to the coronavirus pandemic, and other sports have isolated all the teams to one or two locations to play in a “bubble.” Major League Baseball is only having teams play within their division and play a handful of games in the other league’s similar division. Both of those strategies are designed to cut down on travel.

In the Jets case, it makes more sense for them to play the Giants and then the Eagles if the goal is to cut down on travel. Flying to Detroit and hosting the Steelers seems counter-intuitive in the fight against the pandemic simply because those games involve airplane flights. It would behoove the NFL to make sure as many teams cut down on travel as much as possible. In the Jets case, it makes no sense what the NFL is planning.

According to Pro Football Talk, the reason the league cut the first and fourth weeks is to give team’s a longer lead time before the first preseason game. Usually, the fourth game hardly involves starters and is considered to be the least important of the contests.

CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora reported that the NFL could cancel more of the pre-season. The league does still plan to have the regular-season start on time and in its entirety. The league has not backed off that plan despite recent outbreaks in Florida, Texas, and Arizona with hotspots around many NFL team headquarters.

The NFL has already canceled the Hall of Fame game and induction ceremony, scheduled for August 5. The league last week approved allowing teams to cover the seats closest to the field with a tarp that could include sponsor logos. They’re doing so to better prepare for social distancing this fall.

The league has 32 teams to figure out how to schedule safely and easily. The Jets playing the Giants and the Eagles makes the most sense. Those teams could play each other to complete a local area trifecta and no airplanes are needed.

It seems counter-intuitive to make the Jets play their two farthest opponents of preseason instead of working on a local angle that could benefit multiple teams.