It’s hard to believe the Jets will have a chance at their fourth win in a row against the Bengals on Sunday considering where the team was less than a month ago.
With three consecutive wins in its back pocket, New York has climbed out of the conference basement to nearly return to respectability. A win over Cincinnati in Week 13 would give the Jets a 5-7 record — a far cry from the 1-7 mark the team possessed four weeks ago.
What should Jets fans be aware of before Gang Green takes the field this weekend? Let’s take a look at some pregame storylines to keep an eye on.
Can the Jets make it 4 in a row?
The Jets are finally playing the way everyone expected them to entering 2019.
Albeit against underwhelming competition, New York has put together three consecutive dominant performances. The Jets have outscored opponents 102-47 over that span and have left no doubt with each of their last three victories.
New York has a real chance to make it four in a row against a winless Bengals squad. It would be very Jets to lose this game, but odds are that isn’t going to happen.
The return of Darryl Roberts
The Jets are getting some cornerback depth back on Sunday, as Darryl Roberts is set to return to the field following a three-game absence against the Bengals.
It remains to be seen what Roberts’ role will be, but his return gives New York a veteran depth piece to insert in certain sub-packages or in the event of an injury.
Arthur Maulet and Bless Austin have emerged as a formidable cornerback duo, making it unlikely Roberts cracks the starting lineup in his return. That doesn’t mean he can’t make some sort of impact in Week 13, though.
Chuma Edoga’s status
It looks like the Jets are going to be without a key piece of their offensive line against the Bengals.
Rookie offensive tackle Chuma Edoga has not practiced all week due to a knee injury suffered against the Raiders and is unlikely to suit up against Cincinnati. Edoga’s absence would mean Brandon Shell’s return to the starting lineup.
After struggling in his first couple of starts, Edoga turned a corner during New York’s losing streak. Gang Green’s offensive line won’t look quite the same without him on the field.
Andy Dalton’s return to the lineup
After spending the last three weeks on the sideline, Andy Dalton will return to the field on Sunday against the Jets.
Unlike Darryl Roberts, Dalton’s absence was not caused by an injury. He was benched in favor of rookie Ryan Finley, who struggled mightily in his brief tenure as Cincinnatti’s starting quarterback. All this means for the Jets is they’ll have to gameplan for a veteran quarterback as opposed to a neophyte.
At 0-11, the Bengals don’t have much to lose by inserting Dalton back under center. His days with the organization are numbered and Cincinnatti is all but certain to draft a quarterback high in 2020. It’s only right that he ends his tenure with the team that drafted him on the field instead of planted on the bench.
