~ ~ jets @ cincinnati...Sun. Oct. 27 - 4:05 pm ~ ~

[kelly]

Working against another rookie, Bengals hope to stop Jets from starting a run

After disposing of New England in overtime last week, the Jets have a new goal as they approach Sunday’s game against the Bengals – start stringing some wins together. Only twice in a 31-game span has Gang Green been able to post back-to-back wins. You have to go back to the end of the 2009 season, when the Jets beat the Colts and Bengals, for the last time they have done it against teams over .500. “If anybody’s got any answers, I’ll be willing to listen,” said coach Rex Ryan about his team’s one-step-forward, one-step-back tendencies during a Monday press conference. “This will be our fourth shot at it this year. The fact that we’re playing Cincinnati doesn’t help matters. That’s for sure. They’re playing about as well as anybody right now. Again, our mindset’s going to be ‘It’s all about this opponent.’ We respect an opponent. We respect all opponents, but we fear nobody.” No one epitomizes the roller coaster more than quarterback Geno Smith. One week he’s leading the Jets on a game-winning drive and the next he looks every bit a rookie. So far the Jets’ pattern has been wins in odd-numbered weeks followed by losses in even-numbered ones. In Week 2 at New England, Smith threw three fourth-quarter interceptions. In Week 4 at Tennessee it was two picks and two fumbles. Against Pittsburgh two weeks ago it was another two interceptions.

Quick facts

Cincinnati (5-2) vs. New York Jets (4-3) | 4:05 p.m., CBS | Paul Brown Stadium

TV announcers: Kevin Harlan and Solomon Wilcots

Radio: WLW-AM (700), WCKY-AM (1530), WEBN-FM (102.7)

The line: Bengals by 6.5

Series: Jets lead 17-7 but are 5-5 at Cincinnati. The Jets have won the past four and nine of the last 10.

Last week: The Bengals got their second straight road win, edging Detroit 27-24.

The Jets defeated New England 30-27 in overtime.

Bengals league rankings: Offense 12th (18th rushing, 9th passing); Defense 9th (9th rushing, 113h passing).

Jets league rankings: Offense 15th (11th rushing, T-21st passing); Defense 4th (2nd rushing, 10th passing).

CONNECTIONS

Between head coaches: Marvin Lewis and Rex Ryan coached together in Baltimore from 1999-2001. Lewis was the defensive coordinator and Ryan the defensive line coach.

With UC: Ryan was the defensive coordinator in 1996-97. He also was a defensive ends coach at Eastern Kentucky for two seasons (1987-88).

With Ohio State: WR Santonio Holmes started 28 of 36 games from 2003-05 and had 25 touchdowns. ... C Nick Mangold, a Centerville native, was a three-year starter, serving as a co-captain his senior year in 2005.

Others from Ohio: TE Jeff Cumberland is a Columbus native. ... RB Chris Ivory played at Tiffin. ... Offensive line coach Mike Devlin coached at Toledo from 2004-05.

Others from Kentucky: RB Bilal Powell played at Louisville. ... Assistant/linebackers coach Jeff Weeks coached at Western Kentucky from 1987-88, and at Morehead State from 1990-91.

Former Jets: Bengals assistant head coach/offensive line coach Paul Alexander (1992-93) and defensive backs coach Mark Carrier (2010-11) were on the Jets’ staff for two seasons. ... K Mike Nugent was drafted in the second round in 2005 and played for New York from 2005-08.

JETS TO WATCH

QB Geno Smith: The second-round pick passed for one touchdown and rushed for another in the win over New England. Smith has led a game-winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime in all four wins and he is the only quarterback since the 1970 merger with four such game-winning drives in his first seven games. He has eight touchdowns but also the third-most interceptions in the league with 11.

DL Muhammad Wilkerson: The third-year player has 6.0 sacks, which is eighth in the AFC, and is a new single-season high for him. Wilkerson has a sack in three straight games and, dating back to 2012, has re-corded 10 sacks in his last 14 games. Through seven games, he has 41 tackles, one forced fumble and leads the team with 18 quarterback hurries and seven tackles for loss.

KEY NUMBER

15: Third-down receptions by Jeremy Kerley, which is tied for second in the league. He is averaging 13.1 yards per catch with one touchdown. Kerley leads the team in receptions (24) and receiving yards (319).

 

> http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20131022/SPT02/310230201/&nclick_check=1

[kelly]

...

Greg McBrain has Jets intel

Remember Greg McElroy? Sure, you do. Until two months ago, he was one of the names of the New York Jets' quarterback carousel. He's a guy who started ahead of Tim Tebow last season when Mark Sanchez was benched. Ah, fun times.

A short time before he gave McElroy a pink slip, Rex Ryan referred to him as the "smartest guy in the building." Coming out of Alabama, he almost aced the Wonderlic test, scoring a 48 out of a possible 50. This week, that brain will be working against Ryan & Co.

McElroy is a member of the Cincinnati Bengals' practice squad and, although he won't be in uniform Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium, he will impact the game by what he contributes before Sunday. He will be an invaluable resouce for the Bengals, a virtual scout with intimate knowledge of the Jets' schemes and personnel.

McElroy was exposed to Marty Mornhinweg's offense for only five months, but believe me, he knew it cold. Mornhinweg may have to change his audibles, because you can bet McElroy will be sharing his intel with the Bengals' defense. He also spent four months with Geno Smith, so he knows his strengths and weaknesses. I'm telling you, McElroy has a chance to be a general manager some day -- if he's not in politics or working college games for ESPN.

The Jets might be preparing for the Bengals' No.1 red-headed quarterback, Andy Dalton, but the other red head -- McElroy -- is preparing for them.

ICYMI: Tough times for Bill Belichick. First, he lost to the Jets. Second, he admitted he botched a rule interpretation on the controversial field goal push play. On Tuesday, he decided to fire back at the Jets. ... Four fans from Sunday's game, including the Long Island lout who slugged a woman, were charged with simple assault and disorderly conduct. That includes the woman who was struck. ... We analyzed the game tape. Yes, we study tape here at ESPN.com. ... See where the Jets landed in the current ESPN.com power poll.

 

> http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/jets/post/_/id/29798/green-day-greg-mcbrain-has-jets-intel

 

[kelly]

[SoFlaJets]

Now this is the earliest I've ever seen a gameday thread started

[Lizard King]

Now this is the earliest I've ever seen a gameday thread started

Yeah, well we are just THAT excited

[slowmoe57]

I would not call this a gameday thread but more like a pre-gameday thread or preview of things to come. JMO

[kelly]

Now this is the earliest I've ever seen a gameday thread started

 

better early than late

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

p.s.  oh ,..by the way, SoFlaJets  when some  " THINGS "  are LATE.....

[kelly]

A History: Jets vs. Bengals

The Jets lead the all-time series 17-7, while outscoring the Bengals 628-489 in the process.

December 8, 1968: The Jets (9-3) looked to continue their best season in the franchise's young history facing the Bengals (3-9) late in the season. Led by future Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath, New York got off to a quick start in their first ever meeting against the Cincinnati Bengals. Receivers George Sauer and Don Maynard both caught first quarter touchdowns via Broadway Joe. Despite the quick start and superior record, Cincinnati was able to cut the deficit to 10 points after a Paul Robinson rushing score by halftime. In the fourth quarter, now leading 20-7, New York allowed the Bengals to have comeback dreams after a fumble at their own one yard line was recovered for a touchdown. Babe Parilli, who threw 15 times in this game, would toss a touchdown pass of his own later in the quarter, extending the Jet lead to 27-14, and giving Gang Green a win in their first game against the men in orange and black. New York would continue this run into the playoffs, where Namath would come through on his brash guarantee and deliver the Jets first and only Super Bowl title.

December 21, 1986: The Jets (10-5) faced off against the Bengals (9-6) in Week 17 of the '86 season. Winner of this game would be guaranteed a higher seed in the AFC playoff picture. The game could not have gotten off to a better start for New York, who took a 7-0 lead right out of the gate on a Bobby Humphery 96-yard kickoff return. The Jets and Bengals went back-and-forth throughout the first half, as Freeman McNiel ran for two early touchdowns for New York while Stanley Wilson and Cris Collinsworth (circa Bengal QB Boomer Esiason) reached the end zone as well, leading to the Jets up 21-17 at the half. This is where things would get bad for New York. Esiason and the Bengals offense exploded in the third quarter, converting three touchdowns—all from Esiason—to Collinsworth, Rodney Holman and Anthony Munoz. The Cincinnati bludgeoning continued in the final quarter, as Esiason threw his fifth touchdown pass of the day—and connecting with Collinsworth for the third time—and Larry Kinnebrew rushed in for a score of his own. The Bengals won by a convincing 52-21 score. The Jets went on to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs 35-15 in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs, and then dropped an excruciating game to Cleveland in double overtime.

December 16, 2001: The Jets (7-5) met against the Bengals (4-8), looking to continue their playoff push. The first half of this game was mostly defense, as the two teams combined for just one touchdown coming off of a one-yard run by Bengal runningback Corey Dillon. Much of the same occurred in the third quarter, as the only score came off another run by Dillon, this time for a robust three yards. The Jets continued to struggle to put points up, as they entered the fourth trailing 14-3. A Jet loss would put a major crimp in their postseason hopes as both the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins were ahead of them in the AFC East. Realizing this, New York sprung back to life after a Vinny Testaverde touchdown pass (and failed two-point conversion) to James Dearth cut the lead to 14-9. After the Jet defense stood up time in time again, all New York had to do was get one last good drive on offense, and that's exactly what they did. From two yards out of the end zone, Anthony Becht caught a touchdown pass from Testaverde, giving the Jets a one-point edge over Cincinnati. Gang Green went on to win the game and while they finished third in the AFC East at 10-6, they made the playoffs as the #6 seed, where they lost 38-24 to the Oakland Raiders in the opening round of the postseason.

January 9, 2010: After defeating them in a win-and-in regular season game the week prior, the Jets (9-7) once again faced off against the Bengals (10-6) except this time it was in the postseason. Despite having the #1 overall defense and rushing attack in the NFL, the Jets were playing the role of underdogs on the road. The scoring opened with Laveranues Coles—who had fumbled on a drive earlier in the first—caught a touchdown pass from Carson Palmer in the corner of the end zone, giving Cincy a 7-0 lead. The Jets broke through in the second quarter, as rookie back-up runningback Shonn Greene took a counter-pitch from—fellow rookie Mark Sanchez—39 yards to the house, knotting the game at 7 a piece. Later in the quarter on a play-action fake and roll out, Sanchez found Dustin Keller who caught, ran and tip-toed along the sideline for a 45-yard touchdown, giving the Jets their first lead of the playoffs. In the third quarter, New York added to their lead with a rushing score from Thomas Jones, making it a 21-7 game. Cedric Benson rushed for a touchdown in the fourth, cutting the lead to seven, however it could have been closer had Shayne Graham not missed two field goals. Jay Feely would add a field goal of his own and the Jets wound up defeating the Bengals 24-14, delivering the first playoff win of the Rex Ryan era.

After throwing at least one touchdown in 52 consecutive games, Tom Brady has now been held to zero two times this year... by the Bengals and Jets. Now these two defenses will face off in a big game on Sunday, pitting third year quarterback Andy Dalton against the rookie Geno Smith. The Jets will have their hands full as they'll have to attempt to contain superstar receiver A.J. Green, all while protecting Smith from Geno Atkins and the rest of the Bengals stout defensive line. Cincinnati is favored by 6.5 points entering Sunday's match-up but if the Jets can protect their quarterback and make sure he makes little to no mistakes, they'll have a chance to get to 5-3.

> http://www.ganggreennation.com/2013/...ets-vs-bengals

 

 

[kelly]

-- Among the most compelling numbers from the all-time Cincinnati Bengals-New York Jets series is one; as in the number of times Bengals coach Marvin Lewis has beaten the Jets in his 11 years as a head coach.

For whatever reason, the Jets have been a bugaboo for Lewis' teams. Regular season, postseason, it doesn't matter. The Jets have found a way to come out on top every time.

While that's one number to keep in mind, here are a few others you'll want to take note of Sunday afternoon when the Bengals and Jets square off at Paul Brown Stadium:

5: Combined number of game-winning field goals this season for Cincinnati's Mike Nugent and New York's Nick Folk. Nugent has hit two, one as time expired and one in overtime. Folk has three, two in the final two seconds of regulation, and another in overtime.

27.1: Percentage of NFL games this season decided by a fourth-quarter comeback victory. That figure puts the 2013 season on pace for the second-highest percentage of games with a fourth-quarter comeback win since the 1970 merger. In 1989, 31.3 percent of games were decided in that fashion.

74: Number of NFL games that have been within seven points at some point in the fourth quarter. That's the highest total through seven weeks in NFL history.

3.1: Yards per rush the Jets' defense has allowed. That's the lowest yards-per-rush figure in the NFL. Last year, they ranked 21st in the league, allowing an average 4.3 yards per rushing attempt.

3: Number of teams that have allowed less than 80 yards rushing per game. The Jets, at 77.7 yards, are one of those teams.

4.6: Yards per play the Jets' defense has allowed. That figure ranks third in the league.

1.7: Yards per rush before contact the Jets' defense has allowed. That ranks as the best in the NFL.

17: Number of sacks the Jets have when sending four or fewer pass-rushers on pressures this season. They have 24 sacks total; the third-most in the league and most through seven games under coach Rex Ryan since 2009.

4: Game-winning drives Jets rookie quarterback Geno Smith has led. According to Elias, he's the fourth quarterback since the 1970 merger to lead a game-winning drive in each of his first four career wins.

60.9: Smith's QBR in the Jets' four wins.

9.7: Smith's QBR in the Jets' three losses. He has seven interceptions and one touchdown in those games.

14: Turnovers Smith has committed through seven games.

25: Times Smith has been sacked through seven games. No other player in the league has a higher number of turnovers and sacks.

.889: Winning percentage for the Jets in the last nine games between them and the Bengals. New York has won eight of the last nine games against Cincinnati, including a 2009 playoff game at Paul Brown Stadium. In the past two regular-season meetings, the Jets have outscored the Bengals, 63-10.

4: Number of quarterbacks who have thrown for 300 yards and three touchdowns in consecutive games this season. They are: Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton. Dalton has thrown more touchdowns in his last two games than in his first five games of the season.

6.9: Yards per passing attempt in Dalton's first five games.

9.6: Yards per passing attempt in Dalton's past two games.

65.1: Dalton's completion percentage in the first five games.

67.6: Dalton's completion percentage in the past two games.

53.0: Dalton's combined QBR in the first five games.

82.0: Dalton's combined QBR in the past two games.

8: Number of players who have thrown 300 yards and three touchdowns in three straight games in a single season since 2001. If Dalton does it Sunday, he'll be the ninth.

69.2: Dalton's completion percentage on passing plays 15-plus yards downfield in the past two games.

36.1: Dalton's completion percentage on passing plays 15-plus yards downfield in the first five games.

77: Times Dalton has targeted receiver A.J. Green. That's tied for the most times an NFL receiver has been targeted this season.

619: Yards receiving for Green. That ranks third among pass-catchers.

258: Yards receiving for Green in the past two games.

 

> http://espn.go.com/blog/cincinnati-bengals/post/_/id/2273/bengals-jets-numbers-watch-statistics

[kelly]

Bill Belichick might still be talking about the Jets. But the Jets aren't talking anymore about Sunday's overtime win over the Patriots or the pushing penalty controversy that just won't go away.

"We won the game," linebacker Quinton Coples said Tuesday. "We're moving forward. We're moving on to Cincinnati."

The Jets (4-3) were so pumped up to face and then beat the Patriots that visiting the 5-2 Bengals this Sunday might seem like an afterthought.

 

But Coples and other players who were on hand Tuesday to help break ground for a new playground said the celebration ended soon after Nick Folk's 42-yard field goal beat New England.

Well, maybe not right away.

"After the game, it's great," Coples said. "Celebration. Monday, we go back in and it's about beating Cincinnati. You celebrate, you're happy that you won against New England on Sunday. But the next game is this week."

The Jets enter the week tied with San Diego for the second wild-card spot in the AFC. That's impressive for a team that was ranked 32nd -- that's dead last -- in one preseason poll.

"Every year we go in with the same goals, which is to win the AFC East and make it to the Super Bowl, as far as the two years I've been here," Coples said. "Regardless of any power rankings or anything outside that says we're not as good as we are, we feel that we're the best team and we've got to continue to play like it. At the end of the day, whether we get recognized or as far as being the best team, that doesn't matter. We just want to mention that we go out there, trust our coaches, do what they ask, trust the game plan and move forward and win ballgames. That's what it's all about."

Coples and rookies Geno Smith and Dee Milliner were the biggest names helping out at Central Park of Morris County. Smith, who outplayed Tom Brady on Sunday, got the biggest ovation from the small crowd. The Jets have their training facility in nearby Florham Park.

"The fans here, people around the community, even in my own neighborhood, they're all great," Smith said. "We all interact and they know who I am. Very nice community. A place that I just love living."

Of course, a quarterback is only as popular as his last game, and Smith has had the usual ups and downs of a rookie. But everything was sunny Tuesday in more ways than one: Skies that had been cloudy suddenly brightened just before the Jets' team bus pulled up at the park.

Even though Belichick brought the gloom and doom in New England -- accusing the Jets of running the same pushing play that drew a game-changing penalty in overtime -- the Jets were looking forward, not back.

"Just focus on what counts, which is winning," Smith said.

Said Coples: "One week at a time, one mission at a time. Beat Cincinnati and then go forth from there."

 

> http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/quinton-coples-jets-focus-is-on-bengals-not-patriots-1.6304181

[kelly]

Jets rookie left guard Brian Winters has never battled someone like Bengals All-Pro defensive tackle Geno Atkins. But he has seen someone like him every week.

“He kind of reminds me of Sheldon Richardson,” Winters said, comparing Atkins to the Jets’ rookie defensive tackle. “This week in practice I’ve asked to go against him, just to kind of get a feel for [Atkins] because they play similar.

“[Atkins has] got the leverage and he’s really aggressive. He’s a tough player. He goes to the end of the whistle. You can’t ever give up or go light on him. You always got to attack.”

On Sunday in Cincinnati, Atkins will lead one of the league’s most dangerous pass rushes against a Jets offense that has allowed 25 sacks this season, the fifth-most in the league.

Winters, who allowed two sacks last Sunday and will be making his fourth straight start since replacing Vladimir Ducasse, will face the toughest test of his young career, going against a player with 20 sacks over the past two seasons and four this year.

Atkins is a new challenge for Winters — he played left tackle at Kent State and is learning a new position — but is a familiar foe for right guard Willie Colon, who played Atkins twice a year for the past three years while with the Steelers.

“The thing that people don’t understand is he’s not a tall guy, but as short as he is, he’s strong as a bull,” Colon said of the 6-foot-1 Atkins. “If your hands and your feet aren’t correct, he’ll take advantage of that.

“His center of gravity and my center of gravity are two different places. You just have to be extremely conscious of where your hand placement is at. Some of the things you may do against a bigger guy, you can’t do against him or he’ll take advantage of that.”

Jets coach Rex Ryan said Atkins is as difficult a player to stop as any his line will see all season, but the coach also noted the rest of the Bengals’ unit — Carlos Dunlap, Michael Johnson and Domata Peko — can be just as troublesome, earning an additional eight sacks this season.

“This defensive line, it’s outstanding, it really is,” Ryan said. “Man, [Dunlap’s] really playing well as the left end. Of course, the Atkins kid is becoming a household name having 12½ sacks last year, a Pro Bowl guy. And he earns that reputation, he really plays hard. Then Michael Johnson, the big, huge guy they franchised last year. … It’s a huge challenge for us.”

The Jets have alternated wins and losses since the season-opening win against the Buccaneers, and though Colon can’t figure out why, he admitted the team’s preparation and focus suffered in the weeks they lost.

An identity, he said, is emerging though, seen in the Jets’ throwback ground-and-pound performance against the Patriots, with Chris Ivory running 34 times for 104 yards.

Cementing that identity is what Colon thinks can make them great.

“One thing I give credit to about the Patriots and I hate to even talk about them, they’re just good at what they do,” Colon told The Post. “They don’t blitz a lot, they don’t give you a whole lot of exotic things, they’re just great at what they do. They’re disciplined, they’re focused and that’s what makes them a great team.

“We have to get on a level where what we do is just great. Pittsburgh, they’re just great at power, that’s just what they do, they run the football. We want to find that niche and just perfect it. … If we come out and play physical and we block them up front, the sky’s the limit for this team.”

> http://nypost.com/2013/10/25/bengals...for-jets-line/