Know Thy Enemy: Week 8: New York Jets vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Oct 20, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) hands the ball off during the third quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Time once again for another edition of “Know Thy Enemy”. With a game against the Bengals upcoming tomorrow afternoon, we talk to Jason Marcum, editor of our Fansided website, StripeHype.  Take a look at our conversation about our two teams, and the ball game:

THE JET PRESS: How do you feel about Andy Dalton?  He looked quite good last week, are you, and is the fan base convinced that he can be the quarterback to take this team to the promised land?

STRIPE HYPE: I am convinced he has the supporting cast to take the Bengals to the Super Bowl.  Dalton himself is not good enough to carry a team to a championship in the way Joe Flacco did last year. He just doesn’t have the arm strength to beat teamsdeep consistently and open up the whole field for the offense.  But theBengals have a wealth of offensive weapons that are now beginning to click withDalton. Mohamed Sanu is a great red zone and third-down target, while MarvinJones is becoming an all-around possession receiver who looks like a legitimateNo. 2 WR to compliment All-Pro A.J. Green.  That’s the key: Keep defenseshonest and unable to double-team Green, and this offense is close tounstoppable.  Not to mention they have tow of the most-gifted tight ends inthe league in Jermaine Gresham and rookie Tyler Eifert. Both have the speed,athleticism and ball skills to make the tough, contested catches over the middlethat keep defenses from just covering the boundaries to stop Green and the otherreceivers.

TJP: How do the Bengals open up holes for the Law Firm, against the second best run defense in the sport?

SH: What I mentioned above. So many threats in the passing game keeps the Jets back off of the line of scrimmage and opens up holes for the speedier Giovani Bernard to gain positive yardage on most of his runs, but I’m not sure BenJarvus Green-Ellis can pound out those tough yards against he Jets if their defensive line can contain him.Even if the Jets are playing their linebackers and safeties off the LOS, their defensive line is good enough to get off their blocks and tackle the slower Ellis before he gets going, but I’m not so sure they can against Gio. He’s much faster and hits the hole quicker and may be the best option against the Jets as far as running back carries go.

TJP: From what you have seen, what do you think of Geno Smith thus far? Do you think he can be successful on Sunday against you guys?

SH: Amazing. Great deep-ball thrower, and he’s shown instances in which he can read defenses properly and get to his second or third option, which to this point has been the likes of Clyde Gates( though he was cut I believe) and Jeff Cumberland (entered the year as second-string tight end). He’s winning with average receivers, unlike Dalton who need great receivers to look good. It’s early, but I think the Jets have their franchise in Geno as long as they get him some good weapons and don’t ruin his confidence by making him continue to throw to this bunch of receivers. Give him a healthy Santonio Holmes, a durable Chris Ivory and a consistent Stephen Hill, and this offense could be a scary one to face by season’s end. Mark that as a statement I thought I’d never make coming into this year.

TJP: The Jets defensive line is as good as they come? How does Jay Gruden and company plan to beat these guys?

SH: The second they drafted Sheldon Richardson in this year’s draft, I immediately fell in love with the Jets defensive line. As an avid SEC fan, I watched a number of Big Rich’s games last year, and he looked the part of a dominant NFL defensive lineman.When I learned he would be paired alongside Muhammad Wilkerson and Quinton Coples, the former defensive tackle in me was thrilled at the prospects of watching a d-line with that much talent on it. The fact that the Jets rotate between a 3-4 and 4-3 makes them even more intriguing. Coples can play DE or OLB, allowing the Jets to change up their looks more frequently and confuse even the bet NFL QBs, just like they did Tom Brady last week. I really think they’re going to wreak havoc this week against Jay Gruden’s offense, and Andy Dalton has shown at times he can be poor in reading coverages post-snap, and Rex Ryan is one of the best at disguising his defenses in making them look like one thing pre-snap, only to have them do something completely different post-snap, and I they’ll force Dalton into at least two turnovers.

TJP: What is your prediction for Sunday?

SH: As noted before, I think the defense causes a lot of problems for thew Bengals’ offense, and I think this is a defensive struggle throughout. Ironically enough, the way the Jets are improving could lead this matchup Sunday to being a playoff rematch down the road. Rex Ryan has gotten the better of Marvin Lewis to this point, by I think the Bengals finally find a way to overcome Sexy Rexy. Bengals win, 20-17.

Thanks to Jason for his time. Check out Stripe Hype at the link above for all things Bengals. He and his team do a great job.