The red hot New York Jets hope to win their fourth straight game after beating up on the Giants, Redskins and Raiders over the past three weeks. Next up? The winless Bengals who check in at 0-11 with quarterback Andy Dalton making his return after starting the season 0-8 at the helm for Cincy. JetNation.com takes a look at some of the key match ups with kickoff just hours away.
S Jamal Adams vs QB Andy Dalton:
The Jets will look to rattle Dalton early and often and this ability to determine when Jamal Adams is coming as opposed to just showing blitz could be huge. If Adams is able to help pressure Dalton in some big spot, it can go a long way in winning the mind game that helps win the football game.
CB Bless Austin vs WR Auden Tate:
Austin has come up huge for the Jets as of late and Tate will be a decent test as he checks in at 6′ 5” and has been a productive receiver on a terrible offense this season. Missing TE Tyler Eifert means the Bengals will have to rely even more on their wide receivers.
CB Arthur Maulet vs WR Tyler Boyd:
Boyd has been one of the few bright spots for the Bengals this season as he leads the club with 63 receptions for 699 yards. If the Jets offense picks up where they’ve left off of late, Bengals will look to air it out and keep pace. Boyd isn’t a burner, but he has found a way to produce despite the Bengals being a disaster. This should be a good test for Maulet.
RT Brandon Shell vs OLB/DE Carlos Dunlap:
Shell figures to start with Chuma Edoga on the shelf so look for some key match-ups between Shell and Dunlap who is one of the better pass rushers on defense for the Bengals. Shell has been very good for the Jets of late, but he has been prone to inconsistency, looking like he has his act together one week, and then betting blown up the next.
WR Jamison Crowder vs CB Darqueze Dennard:
Crowder is one of Sam Darnold’s most reliable targets and will draw a decent defender today in Dennard who has become a quality cover man in the slot. Crowder should be able to win underneath with his quickness, but how consistently he can do it remains to be seen.
The red hot Jets should be able to win this one walking away, with the one X-factor being just how badly Andy Dalton wants to prove he’s not the problem in Cincy. If the red rifle has a big day, it could be upset city for the Jets, but we’re not calling it that way. Final score…Jets 34 Bengals 13.