NFL Pick: Jets vs. Bengals

Our Week 1 preseason picks continue with what should be another highly anticipated and watched preseason game. The upstart Bengals host the Jets and that one guy…what’s his name? Oh yeah, Tim Tebow!

The NFL odds favor the home Bengals at -1 ½. Do you think the Bengals will win, or will the Tebow come through when it doesn’t matter at all?

Baby Bengals; year two 

Last season Cincinnati surprised everyone in the NFL, as they took a rookie quarterback and receiver all the way to the playoffs. Andy Dalton and AJ Green became a force during the season, as Cincy started 6-2. It could be argued that they had one of the easiest starts to their schedule of any team. Of their six wins at the start of 2011, none of the teams were playoff teams, while the two losses were against the Broncos and 49ers. They finished the season 3-5. 

Even though they had trouble beating the big boys, they beat who they were supposed to beat. This season, the bar will be set much higher, and hopefully for Cincinnati fans, there won’t be too much of a sophomore slump. Plus, they won’t be able to surprise anyone this season. 

Their main weapon was their defense, as their offense was still slightly below average. They were a top ten defense, and there is no better friend to a couple of rookies on offense than a defense that can get off the field and hold opposing teams.

Tebow time 

The long awaited (I have no idea why) debut of Tim Tebow in a Jets uniform will begin next week, as I expect Mark Sanchez to play very little. Tebow on the other hand will need to get used to his new role and new teammates. I expect Tebow to play a little more than normal, and we might even see a Tebow time touchdown. Say that five times fast.

This is a big season for the New York Jets, and especially Rex Ryan. Ryan is sitting on a pretty warm seat after last season, and if things go south, he could be on his way out. I am no Ryan fan, and I think he is overrated as a coach, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see the Jets falter this season. They were streaky last season, as all of their wins and losses came in minimum of two game streaks.

The Sharp Pick

Though I’m no Jets fan, I do think they will win this game. As I mentioned earlier, the sophomore slump is too much of a chance in Cincinnati, while the Jets have some new parts to try out. Plus, Rex Ryan is the type of coach that wants to win whether it counts or not. Even though this is the first preseason game, I like the Jets’ chances.

The Jets are 6-6 in the preseason under Ryan, but this season has a little more riding on it than last. The Jets fell off at the end of the season in 2011, and I’m sure Ryan will have his team ready to have a good showing. I’m taking the points, and banking on some Tebow time.