The Cincinnati Bengals turn back to Andy Dalton as the calendar turns to December in the hopes of avoiding 0-16.
Only a handful of games remain but the panic button has clearly been punched as the odds of a winless season continue. The Bengals fell to 0-11 a week ago via a loss against a visiting Pittsburgh team and with it secured the worst start in franchise history.
In the process, rookie Ryan Finley had another disaster of a game, leaving the coaching staff without a choice but to hand the offense back to Dalton. But Dalton, 0-8 on the season with a 60.4 completion percentage with nine touchdowns and eight picks, hadn’t fared much better before taking a seat.
If there’s a reason for hope, it’s a rejuvenated running game that has tallied 173 and 86 rushing yards over the last two weeks while averaging north of four yards per carry.
There’s always a but though — the New York Jets happen to rank first in the NFL in run defense. If there’s a team capable of stunting any offensive growth the Bengals have shown lately, it’s probably Gang Green.
And rest assured the Jets aren’t taking the game lightly.
These Jets have won three straight games while scoring 34 points in each including a 34-3 trouncing of an Oakland team last week that had just rattled off its own three-win streak.
The Jets don’t do any one thing alarmingly well on offense, but the season-long numbers are skewered due to oddities like quarterback Sam Darnold falling ill early in the year.
Dalton under center or not, Cincinnati hasn’t scored more than 20 points in a game in six straight and has managed to do that just once all year. That won’t cut it against a Jets team starting to find its footing and roll. Joe Mixon could have another big game but again fade from the plan as the Bengals fall behind and look to pass more.
Prediction: Jets 28, Bengals 21
