Jets grades vs. Cincinnati Bengals in Week 8
Jets quarterback Justin Fields runs into the end zone for a two-point conversion during the second half of an NFL game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday in Cincinnati. Credit: AP/Joshua A. Bickel
OFFENSE: B
Three touchdowns for 23 points in the fourth quarter was impressive, especially considering that the Jets had scored just 1 touchdown in the previous 11 quarters of play. Their 502 yards of offense were the most since 2021 (also against the Bengals). Justin Fields was able to block out a very noisy week and complete 21 of 32 passes for 244 yards. He also ran for and completed critical two-point conversions. Breece Hall ran for 133 yards and two scores behind a bullying offensive line and threw the game-winning touchdown pass to Mason Taylor.
DEFENSE: C-PLUS
The Jets were unable to put any consistent pressure on 40-year-old Joe Flacco, let Ja’Marr Chase catch 12 passes for 91 yards, didn’t have a takeaway, and were gashed for three runs of 20 or more yards on missed tackles and bad angles. They allowed the Bengals to score on six of their first eight possessions and the 38 points scored by the Bengals was the most by an opponent all season. In the end, though, they made the plays that needed to be made including the lone sack of the game with about seven minutes left to force a three-and-out, pressure up the middle from Jermaine Johnson with 32 seconds left to force Flacco to throw the ball away, and Jarvis Brownlee Jr’s tight coverage on the fourth-and-9 pass to Andrei Iosivas that fell incomplete and sealed the win.
SPECIAL TEAMS: A
Nick Folk keeps chugging along and the Jets remain the only team in the NFL that has not missed a field goal or an extra point kick this season. Folk was 3-for-3 with a long of 46 on field goals. The early kickoff and punt returns were sluggish but in the fourth quarter Isaiah Williams brought a kickoff out to the 40 to set up the touchdown that made it 38-32 and also had a 21-yard punt return that allowed the game-winning drive to begin at the 42.
COACHING: A
Kudos to Aaron Glenn for maintaining the faith during the rough 0-7 start to his tenure here. His words may not always hit the right notes outside the building but whatever he says to his players has them believing in him and themselves. Turned out maneuvering for that field goal as time expired in the first half wasn’t as meaningless as it seemed at the time and it was good to see the Jets learn lessons from previous failures in that area. Winning without Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson makes it even more impressive. And winning the game on a halfback option pass for a touchdown? Gutsy.
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
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