Gregg Williams’ defense continues to impress and now they’ll have another chance to show off against the 0-11 Bengals and one of the worst scoring offenses in the league. Cincinnati ranks 31st in points with 14.3 and the Jets should feast on a team that also ranks top-five in giveaways (22) and sacks allowed (40).
However, the Jets can’t overlook the lowly Bengals. Remember the last time the Jets faced a winless football team? They gave up 26 points and lost an embarrassing game against the Dolphins. The Bengals are objectively worse offensively than the Dolphins, but they’re starting a well-rested veteran quarterback in Andy Dalton and feature a dual-threat running back in Joe Mixon.
Here are four keys to the Jets defense against the Bengals.
Pressure Andy Dalton
The Bengals offense might see a slight rejuvenation with Andy Dalton back under center, so the Jets should pressure him early in order to take away the passing threat. Despite the Bengals’ winless record, Dalton actually ranks seventh in the NFL with 281.5 passing yards per game and the Bengals have scored 17 or more points in six of his eight starts this season. The Bengals’ line is still a sieve, and the Jets should have no trouble getting to Dalton – especially with the pass rush playing as well as it has the past few weeks.