New York Jets: Top 5 things to know ahead of Cincinnati matchup

The New York Jets are looking for their fourth straight victory on Sunday vs the Cincinnati Bengals. Here are the top 5 things you need to know.

The New York Jets are looking to continue their red hot winning streak and of course avoiding another embarrassing loss.

Right before this recent winning streak, the Jets were the first team to lose to the winless Miami Dolphins. They’d like to avoid repeating that history on Sunday vs the winless Cincinnati Bengals.

To get a full understanding of this Bengals squad, we sat down with Dylan Streibig, Site Expert for Stripe Hype. A FanSided sister network that covers everything Cincinnati Bengals.

Here are the top five things you need to know ahead of the matchup: NFL Draft, head coaching issues, and who are the players to watch out for on Sunday.

1. If the Bengals were forced to make the No. 1 overall pick right now who would it be and why?

The Bengals’ front office has always been a mystery under the ownership of Mike Brown. They don’t have anyone w/ the GM title and have one of the smallest scouting departments in the NFL.

It is tough to predict what they are thinking. However, I can tell you it should be one of the top QB prospects and Joe Burrow is the consensus around town.

The franchise started over with the coaching staff after last year. Now, the same thing needs to happen w/ the roster. They may as well start at the most important position.

2. Why go back to Andy Dalton? How has he handled the benching? Will he be playing for a new team next year?

As far as why? The Bengals are trying to avoid 0-16 and Ryan Finley was dreadful, it goes no deeper than that. He clearly wasn’t happy with being benched and no one can blame him, but nothing dramatic spilled out to the public. Thus, I guess he handled it well. Again, you never know, but I can’t see any way he is in stripes next year. Personally, I think he fits in Chicago.

3. In what has been a horrible season for Cincinnati, who has played well for the squad?

This was hard… Really hard. On offense, the Bengals have finally made more of an effort to feed Joe Mixon in recent weeks. Last year’s AFC leading rusher has 63 total carries in the last three weeks and has averaged over 90 yards per game on the ground in that span.

Rather than single out one name on defense, I’ll say that the Bengals D line isn’t terrible. Veterans Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap have combined with Sam Hubbard to tally 10 sacks this year. Dunlap has missed two games.

4. How has Zac Taylor done as the head man? Do Bengals fans believe the team is heading in the right direction?

Unless it is the top of the draft board, no one can really argue this team is going anywhere positive. Taylor inherited a tough situation, but it isn’t that much tougher than what Mike Tomlin has dealt with it Pittsburgh.

The Steelers are hunting the playoffs, the Bengals are winless.

Taylor’s proximity to Sean McVay’s Rams offense got him the job. Yet, the Bengals have scored 20+ points just twice this year. The team has played hard for Taylor in the last two weeks. Still, if it were up to me, he would be one and done. However, Marvin Lewis got about six years more than he should have. Taylor is safe.

5. Give us a final prediction, how do you see this game playing out?

Cincinnati has made the Oakland Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers sweat in recent weeks. Everyone knows Andy Dalton wasn’t the big issue now. I fully expect his return to be a spark. Despite all of this, I just can’t pick the Bengals to win a football game right now. 27-20 NYJ.