EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — On Sunday, the Jets were looking for their first two-game winning streak since 2020.
But, on a rainy, cloudy day at MetLife Stadium, Gang Green left their fans feeling gloomy.
Bengals (1-2) defeated the Jets (1-2) 27-12 to get their first victory of 2022.
The Jets came into the matchup with the Bengals as the No. 8 offense in the NFL, but they looked far from it.
Joe Flacco, who started his third consecutive game for the injured Zach Wilson (knee), along with the Jets offense struggled most of the afternoon. He completed 28 of 52 passes for 285 yards and two interceptions.
Flacco was also sacked four times, three times by defensive end Trey Hendrickson.
A week after his standout performance in the victory against the Browns, Garrett Wilson finished with six catches for 60 yards.
Greg Zuerlein was one of the few bright spots as he made all four field goal attempts.
The Jets entered this week’s game knowing that Cincinnati’s offensive line was one of its biggest weaknesses. The Bengals allowed 13 sacks in their first two games. However, Gang Green could not capitalize on that as they recorded only two sacks.
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow took advantage of the lack of a pass rush. He was 23-for-36 as Burrow threw for 275 yards and three touchdowns.
Bengals receiver Tyler Boyd caught four passes for 105 yards and a touchdown catch. Tee Higgins finished with five catches for 93 yards. Ja’Marr Chase recorded six catches for 29 yards and a touchdown.
The Bengals won the pregame coin toss and elected to receive instead of deferring into the second half. The gamble paid off as Cincinnati went on an 11-play, 75-yard drive that resulted in a Semaje Perine 12-yard touchdown catch that gave the team a 7-0 lead.
Gang Green responded by driving down the field and getting to the Bengals’ 32-yard-line. But after a Breece Hall drop on 3rd and nine, the Jets settled for a Zuerlein 50-yard field goal that cut the Jets deficit to 7-3.
The Jets caught a break on the Bengals’ second possession of the game as Chase fumbled and C.J. Mosley recovered on Cincinnati’s 43-yard-line. But it didn’t result in a touchdown as Zuerlein’s 40-yard field goal cut the Bengals lead to 7-6.
Gang Green’s third series against the Bengals was full of mistakes. First, a John Franklin-Myers unnecessary roughness call on third down gave Cincinnati a new set of downs. Then Jordan Whitehead’s missed tackle allowed Boyd to go for a 56-yard touchdown that extended the Bengals lead to 14-6.
The Jets’ defense continued to have problems slowing down Burrow and the Bengals’ offense as, in the second quarter, he completed a 47-yard pass to Tee Higgins. But Cincinnati managed to get three points out of it as Evan McPherson’s 22-yard field goal extended its lead to 17-6.
Midway in the second quarter, Flacco’s pass to Braxton Berrios was intercepted by linebacker Logan Wilson. A McPherson field goal increased Cincinnati’s lead to 20-6. Zuerlein’s 52-yard field goal before halftime made the score 20-9.
The Jets got the ball after halftime but turned the ball over after Hendrickson strip-sacked Flacco on their 24-yard line. That quickly led to a Chase five-yard touchdown catch, increasing the Bengals’ lead to 27-9.
Gang Green’s offense wasn’t much better in the second half as Flacco struggled with accuracy and decision-making. That caused fans to chant for Jets’ backup quarterback Mike White to replace the 15-year veteran. The Jets finished with three points in the second half as they couldn’t replicate the magic they had in last weekend’s 31-30 win against the Cleveland Browns.
The Jets will return to the field next Sunday as they will play the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Cincinnati will have a short week as it will host the Miami Dolphins on Thursday Night Football.
