Jets-Bengals Preview

SCOUTING REPORT

Bengals must run to set up the passHead coaches Eric Mangini and Marvin Lewis must find a way to get their seasons turned around quickly. Do the Jets make a change with Chad Pennington at QB? Regardless of who plays quarterback for the Jets, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer must find a way to jump start his struggling offense against a Bengals' defense that is allowing 393.2 yards per game. Expect Bengals defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan to load-up the box with multiple defenders, while being physical on the outside and force the Jets to be a one-dimensional team through the air. The Bengals are an explosive team through the air with QB Carson Palmer, but they must find more balance this week against a Jets' run defense that is allowing 131.5 yards a game. Meanwhile, Jets defensive coordinator Bob Sutton must find a way to stop the run, while creating pressure schemes to attack Palmer in the pocket.

· Full Scouting Report

Matchup
	W-L	PF	PA	HOME	ROAD	DIV	CONF
NYJ	4-12	268	355	3-5	1-7	2-4	4-8
CIN	7-9	380	385	5-3	2-6	3-3	6-6
· Complete Standings

Individual Leaders

NY Jets Passing   CMP% YDS TD INT Sanche... 53.8 2444 12 20 Clemen... 50.0 125 0 0

Cincinnati Passing   CMP% YDS TD INT Palmer 60.5 3094 21 13 O'Sull... 36.4 40 0 0

NY Jets Rushing   CAR YDS AVG TD Jones 331 1402 4.2 14 Greene 108 540 5.0 2

Cincinnati Rushing   CAR YDS AVG TD Benson 301 1251 4.2 6 Scott 74 321 4.3 0

NY Jets Receiving   REC YDS AVG TD Cotche... 57 821 14.4 3 Edward... 35 541 15.5 4

Cincinnati Receiving   REC YDS AVG TD Ochoci... 72 1047 14.5 9 Coles 43 514 12.0 5

Full Player Stats: NY Jets | Cincinnati

TEAM AVERAGES & NFL RANKS
TEAM OFFENSE	TEAM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Total Yards	NYJ	295.0
	CIN	348.0
Yards Passing	NYJ	188.4
	CIN	250.8
Yards Rushing	NYJ	106.3
	CIN	97.3
TEAM DEFENSE	TEAM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Yards Allowed	NYJ	331.9
	CIN	348.8
Pass Yds Allowed	NYJ	197.1
	CIN	230.4
Rush Yds Allowed	NYJ	134.8
	CIN	118.3

HEAD TO HEAD MATCHUPS (SINCE 2001)
NY Jets leads 2-1
Sep 12, 2004	NYJ 31, @CIN 24
Dec 16, 2001	NYJ 15, @CIN 14

The Cincinnati Bengals and New York Jets hope to begin turning around their dismal seasons when they meet Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium.

The Bengals (1-4) have lost four straight, including a disappointing 27-20 loss at Kansas City last weekend coming off their bye week. Cincinnati is mired in last place in the AFC North, a division they won in 2005 before missing the playoffs last year.

It's also the first four-game skid for Bengals coach Marvin Lewis, who claims he is not feeling any pressure for the poor start. Cincinnati is on its longest slide since a six-game losing streak from Nov. 10-Dec. 15, 2002, the season before Lewis was hired.

"I guess I'll disappoint the fans if they think there's heat," Lewis said. "My only heat is internal and that's what drives me. That's the good thing, I guess, about this position. I'm not going to get concerned.

"Our margin for error is tight. That's the result of being 1-4. That's what we need to realize. Every play right now, we're not getting the benefit of the doubt. Balls are not really bouncing our way. That's what we need to realize and keep doing things the right way. Building upon the positive things and making corrections when it's not as positive and correct."

One of the problems Cincinnati has faced is a slew of injuries, including to star running back Rudi Johnson (hamstring). He sat out a 34-13 loss to New England on Oct. 1, and had only four carries against the Chiefs. Johnson has 185 rushing yards on 62 carries and just one touchdown catch.

Right tackle Willie Anderson missed last week's loss with foot and knee injuries. The offensive line has used four different combinations in Cincinnati's first five games.

The lack of a productive running game has put pressure on quarterback Carson Palmer and receivers Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who have combined for 1,083 yards and 10 of Cincinnati's 13 offensive touchdowns. Houshmandzadeh has seven of those scores, two shy of his career-best set in 14 games last season.

New York (1-5) enters on a three-game losing streak, and quarterback Chad Pennington has taken the brunt of the blame. Pennington has thrown all six of his interceptions this season during the skid, including one in a 16-9 loss to Philadelphia last week -- the first time the Jets failed to reach the end zone this year.

With fans and media clamoring for backup Kellen Clemens to be inserted, coach Eric Mangini is sticking with Pennington.

"There's a lot of different areas that need to get better: interceptions, tackling, run fits, all those things, coaching, strategy," Mangini said. "All those things need to improve and we're all in this together. It's not a one-person issue."

Pennington completed a season-low 11 of 21 passes for 128 yards in last week's loss as the Jets' offense stalled despite a season-high 130 yards rushing from Thomas Jones. Tight end Chris Baker also criticized New York's play-calling, but receiver Jerricho Cotchery backed Pennington.

"He's our leader," Cotchery said. "He's the leader of this team, not only on offense. One guy isn't going to create a spark because each individual has to create that spark within himself to help this team out. I think that's kind of a sensitive topic because everyone loves Chad in this building."

Jones' effort was a bright spot. Acquired from Chicago in the offseason, he is averaging just 2.8 yards per carry on the road.

The Jets' defense also ranks among the bottom five teams in the NFL with six sacks and two forced fumbles.

New York has won five straight against Cincinnati, including a 31-24 victory on Sept. 12, 2004 in the last meeting.

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