The Cincinnati Bengals stare down one of their most winnable games on the 2021 schedule on Sunday against the New York Jets.
It sure doesn’t hurt that those Bengals are 5-2 and tops in the AFC and AFC North after last week’s 41-17 beatdown of the Baltimore Ravens.
Everything seems to be going right for these Bengals. The elite-looking defense has more sacks in seven games than it did in all of last season. Joe Burrow has finally reached the 17-game mark and his numbers look elite. And Ja’Marr Chase is off to the best start by a receiver…ever.
Then there’s the Jets. New York is 1-5 and enters this one after a 54-13 loss to New England. The team won’t have starting rookie quarterback Zach Wilson and will instead start former fifth-round pick Mike White, who has attempted 32 career passes. New York’s defense, minus big names like Carl Lawson, has mustered 14 sacks and coughs up a bottom-four 29.2 points per game on average.
So no, there isn’t much of a reason to doubt the Bengals in this one. It’s a road game and the third of those in a row. But the team has already won in Pittsburgh and Baltimore this year, so winning in New York should be simple enough. It’s hard to see the Jets moving the ball much at all, so a fast start by the Bengals should secure 6-2.
Prediction: Bengals 30, Jets 6
