On paper, the matchup against the hapless Bengals looks to be a tasty treat for the Jets to consume with great gusto.  Theoretically, they ought to be able to gobble up Cincinnati’s running game and feast on errant passes thrown by Carson Palmer (or whomever is playing quarterback this week).

Jets fans hope the reality doesn’t cause them to have indigestion.

The Bengals are 0-5 and certainly qualify as a desperate team.  The funny thing about desperate teams is that, when their backs are completely against the wall and they are in danger of losing all hope for the season, they sometimes play…well…desperately.  The clawless Kitties might come out of that tunnel with an intensity that could be hard to match.

Gang Green is feeling good about themselves these days.  A bye week after a major offensive performance will do that for a team.  However, they are by no means good enough to rest on their laurels and take Cincy lightly.  To do so would be a major mistake.

Keys to winning the game:

Offense:

1.  Run that bad boy all day-  Cincinnati is one of the few teams in this league that surrenders more rushing yardage per game on average than passing yardage.  Thomas Jones should easily eclipse the 20 carry mark and a healthy dose of Leon Washington should keep the Bengals on their heels the entire game.

2.  Mistake free Favre- The Bengals have no pass rush to speak of (only three sacks on the year.)  However, they do have an underrated, ball-hawking secondary.  When Brett Favre needs to throw, he must take his time and not force his passes into dangerous spaces when there is no need to do so.

Defense:

1.  Destroy the timing- Should Carson Palmer play, the Jets will find out that, given ample time, he is a skilled enough quarterback to pick apart just about any defensive scheme.  The defense must blitz and switch up their packages constantly to prevent him from getting into a rhythm.

2.  Mind the gap- Cincinnati does have two talented receivers in TJ Houshmanzadeh and Chad Johnson-Ocho Cinco.  These two are especially good at running crossing routes over the middle and in the gap between the linebackers and the safeties.  The Jets will need to worry less about the long ball and more about defending these areas.

Final analysis- This game will be very telling about the state of Gang Green.  They can really make a statement about themselves based on what sort of effort they show on the field against this inferior opponent.

Jets 31, Cincinnati 20

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Tags: Brett Favre, Cincinnati Bengals, Frank, Mazzola, New York Jets, Thomas Jones