Bengals-Jets Preview: Five Factors for Cincinnati against New York

The 2010 NFL playoffs get under way Saturday when the Cincinnati-Bengals-Examiner%7Ey2010m1d7-BengalsJets-game-preview-Cincinnati-and-New-York-Examiner-QA">No. 4 Cincinnati Bengals host the No. 5 New York Jets at Paul Brown Stadium . The game is one of three matchups this weekend that consist of teams who met in Week 17.

Saturday's game will display two of the league's top defenses, which could make for a low scoring game between the Bengals and Jets. Here are five factors for success for Cincinnati as they look for their first playoff win since 1991.

Forget Last Weekend

This will be a completely different matchup between the Bengals and Jets.

Yes, to say the Bengals were embarrassed by the Jets last weekend would be an understatement. The 37-0 loss was ugly , but shouldn't be a concern entering Saturday’s game.

The circumstances for the outcome of last weekend’s game were completely different for both teams. While Cincinnati would still be playing at Paul Brown Stadium with a win or loss, New York simply needed a win to play in the postseason. The Bengals had to decide whether or not the No. 3 seed would be worth risking using all of their key players, which is why Cedric Benson, Domata Peko, Chris Crocker, and Robert Geathers got the night off.

This time around, expect a hard-fought matchup between two of the best defenses in football. For two teams who rely heavily on their running game, the winner may be decided by who shows up with the better passing game.

How Much Will the Passing Game Struggle after Ochocinco's Injury?

Before last weekend's game against the Jets, Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco tweaked his knee during pre-game warm-ups.  That injury has caused a concern considering how important he is to the passing game. After an MRI and treatment from doctors, he is expected to be good to go on Saturday.

Ochocinco ended a streak of 120 straight games with at least one reception after being hassled all game by Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis. This will be one of the key matchups in Saturday's game and could be the difference maker if the passing game plays a factor in the outcome.

On the season, Ochocinco leads the Bengals with 72 receptions for 1,047 yards and nine touchdowns. He has been the only consistent player in the passing game for Cincinnati, who finished 26th in the NFL, averaging just 180.6 yards per game.

Will the Bengals Struggle Again on Defense without Rey Maualuga?

The Bengals knew they were in trouble when Maualuga fractured his ankle against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 16, considering how much of an impact the rookie has had during his first season. Their biggest fear came true when Cincinnati's defense struggled against the Jets running attack, allowing 257 yards rushing.

Before Sunday's game against the Jets, the Bengals contained the No. 2 ranked rushing defense, allowing their opponents to average just 87.7 yards per game on the ground. Their performance against New York dropped them to seventh and it showed how much of an impact Maualuga's absence had on their defense.

Force Mark Sanchez To Throw More

Last season, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco and Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan helped their teams to the playoffs as rookies—which seemed unheard of until a few years ago. This season, the only rookie quarterback to be starting in the 2010 postseason is Mark Sanchez.

Sanchez is just like most rookie quarterbacks in the NFL—riddled with inconsistency. However, he has the support of the league's best running game (172.2 yards per game) and the No. 1 overall defense—which can make his job much easier.

The less Sanchez has to throw, the better chance the Jets have of winning. He's thrown for 12 touchdowns and 20 interceptions in his first season, but is 5-2 in games without an interception.

The Passing Game Will Be a Factor for Both Teams

One thing is obvious regarding Saturday's game between the Bengals and Jets; don't expect a strong performance in the passing game from either team.

The Bengals and Jets have both relied heavily on their running game and defense throughout the season. While New York is at the top of the league in yards per game on the ground (172.2), Cincinnati isn't too far behind them in ninth (128.5). Both teams also rank in the top-five when it comes to overall defense.

As good as the Bengals and Jets are in these categories, they both struggle with the one area that is considered important when trailing—the passing game. Both teams have passing games that rank near the bottom of the NFL (the Bengals are averaging 180.6 yards per game through the air, while the Jets are averaging just 148.8).

Then again, most teams don't need a strong performance from their passing game if they're already winning. Unfortunately, there’s a good chance one team will be playing from behind on Saturday and will need to rely on their receiving corp.

Dan Parzych is the Cincinnati Bengals Examiner for Examiner.com

He is also the founder of WhoDeyBengals.com

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