New York Jets vs. Cincinnati Bengals: Marvin Lewis's Last Game as Head Coach?

NFL Week 12 Thanksgiving's special concludes when the Cincinnati Bengals come to face the New York Jets in a matchup of two teams going on different paths.

The New York Jets have lived up to their expectations thus far, sitting at 8-2 and tied for the best record in football.

The Bengals, expected to be a possible Super Bowl contender in 2010, have been anything but a threat in the AFC. Cincinnati is riding a league-high, seven-game losing streak, and is fighting for team pride the rest of the season.

In 2010, it has been a common theme for the Bengals. Injuries on both sides of the ball, unnecessary penalties and a bunch of turnovers have resulted in a team that is one of the bigger disappointments in the league this season.

The combination of Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco has not worked out as planned. While Owens is putting up Pro Bowl-caliber numbers, Ochocinco's stats have dramatically dropped from his career averages. In recent weeks, both Owens and Ochocinco have become more vocal on the sidelines, which has been anything but good news for this team.

Rookie tight end Jermaine Gresham and receiver Jordan Shipley haven't been as productive in the offense as hoped. This can partially be due to the number of touches Owens is receiving in the offense.

Quarterback Carson Palmer continues to create more doubt—not only in his teammates, but in the fans as well—that he can be the quarterback of the future.

The biggest surprise of all could be the struggles on the defensive side. After finishing fourth in total defense last season, the Bengals defense continues to give up big plays against the run and the pass. Last week, the Buffalo Bills scored 35 straight points on the Cincinnati defense, which resulted in an 18-point loss.

The disappointments of the Cincinnati Bengals are resulting in pressure on head coach Marvin Lewis. His future as the Bengals coach has been questioned for years, but last year's run to the playoffs created more confidence for Lewis and his team.

Now, with the Bengals sitting at 2-8, the questions will continue to be asked regarding the future of Marvin Lewis as head coach. More importantly, can this be the last game Lewis will coach for the Bengals?

In the past month, the Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys (two of the league's biggest disappointments) have fired their head coaches. It is clear they are giving their hopeful coaches in waiting a chance to prove themselves and believe their team can finish on a strong note.

For the Cincinnati Bengals, this may be the best way to go about finding a new head coach. The Bengals will be on national television tonight, and if an embarrassing performance occurs, it will be time to move on with a new head coach.

Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer was rumored for head coaching vacancies last season, and is well respected by the Bengals players.

President Mike Brown has been dissatisfied by the thousands of seats that were empty in last week's game against the Bengals. Brown has always been a controversial figure in Cincinnati, and the fans are showing their disappointment in this team.

In order to salvage the season in any way, the best move could be to move on from Marvin Lewis. Lewis's contract expires after this year, so money wouldn't be an issue in the firing. This Bengals team is undisciplined, and after tonight, may be a team that stops playing for the veteran head coach.

Matt Miselis is an NFL Featured Columnist for BleacherReport.com.
Follow me on twitter: twitter.com/MattMiselis.