What is the biggest X-factor of Bengals vs Jets?

While many factors will decide the outcome of the Bengals vs Jets game in Week 1, the biggest X-factor is simple. It will come down to the battle of wide receivers against cornerbacks.

The New York Jets have one of the toughest schedules in the entire league. But as head coach Todd Bowles said in his season-opening luncheon, you’ve got to take it one game at a time. Hence why in this Bengals vs Jets Week 1 matchup, it’s all that is being focused on.

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As per the official Twitter account of the Jets, here is what Bowles had to say about this Week 1 contest:

“We don’t worry about the first six games, we worry about the first game. You can only play one at a time. We’ve got Cincinnati, we aren’t playing an All-Star team, we aren’t playing the first six games all gobbled up into one.”

“We expect to win every game, that’s the difference between this year and last year. We put in the work, we understand what we have to do, all we’re going to do is go out there and do it.”

#WednesdayWisdom

(Who else is ready to run through a brick wall for this guy?) pic.twitter.com/GCb7iZXAL3

— New York Jets (@nyjets) August 31, 2016

That’s going to be the trick for the Jets as they parlay through the season. Because it’d be real easy to look at the difficulty outright and let that overwhelm you. While on the other hand speaking of overwhelming, the Jets have quite the opening game against the Cincinnati Bengals. There are a ton of things to look out for in this game, but the biggest X-factor is an easy answer.

It’s the matchup between the Jets’ wide receivers and the Bengals’ cornerbacks. Arguably the biggest MVP on offense for the Jets is in fact, wide receiver Brandon Marshall. Ironically enough, Marshall was the team MVP for the Jets last season. The reason it’s the biggest x-factor is because the Bengals are having issues.

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Their first round pick cornerback, William Jackson III, is out for the season.

Another former first-round pick for the Bengals, cornerback Darqueze Dennard, looks like he’s going to be limited on Sunday.

So much of the onus is going to fall on cornerbacks Adam Jones and Dre Kirkpatrick. Fortunately for the Jets, they have one of the deepest wide receiver depth charts in decades.

Fortunately for the Jets, they have one of the deepest wide receiver depth charts in decades.

The Jets are going to start the season 1-0 if they take advantage of a wounded defensive secondary. There is no question, the Jets have the tools to do it with Eric Decker, Marshall, and Quincy Enunwa.

Although on the other side of the coin, if the Bengals take advantage of a porous offensive line they could dominate the trenches. Offensive tackle Breno Giacomini  for the Jets is out for the first six weeks of the season.

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Those will be the tell-tale signs on who wins this game, in a simplified answer. Ultimately it should be a very competitive game that will have huge playoff implications at the end of the season.