Brett and the Jets Look to Light up Struggling Bengals

The last time New York Jets (2-2 SU, 2-2 ATS, 2-2 O/U) quarterback Brett Favre took the field, he tossed a career-high six touchdown passes.

Playing against the lowly Cincinnati Bengals (0-5 SU, 2-3 ATS, 2-3 O/U) this week at Giants Stadium could allow Favre to tie or even surpass that personal record as the winless Bengals don’t figure to offer much resistance as they seek their first win of the 2008-09 NFL season.

Favre completed 24 of 34 passes for 289 yards and those six touchdown passes against the Arizona Cardinals in a Week 4 matchup that New York won 56-35 on Sept. 28 and come into this contest well-rested after having a bye week in Week 5.

The Bengals fell to 0-5 on the season in the BetUS Sportsbook by losing to the Dallas Cowboys 31-22 on Sunday, though they actually didn’t play too bad in giving the Cowboys a bit more than they bargained for in the road loss.

Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer, suited up and took the field despite his questionable status last week, throwing for 217 yards with two touchdowns and an interception while hooking up with wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh for 85 yards and two touchdowns.

While the Bengals have been the owners of one of the game’s best offenses the last several seasons under Palmer, they have struggled immensely to move the ball this year, ranking 31st in total yardage, (239.2), 27th in passing, 30th in rushing and 29th in scoring, averaging just 14.8 points per game.

Cincinnati has succeeding in stopping opponents’ passing attacks this season, ranking a surprising sixth in pass defense, (167.6 ypg), but that is likely because their opponents have seen they can move the ball by simply running it down the Bengals’ throats.

Cincinnati is ranked 29th in run defense, allowing a whopping 171.0 yards per game on the ground while also ranking an identical 19th across the board in every other meaningful defensive category including scoring, allowing 23.6 points per game.

The Jets acquired Favre in the offseason in the hopes that he could put them into Super Bowl contention this season, but the team is ranked an identical 20th in both, total offense and defense.

New York is sixth in scoring, averaging 28.8 points per game, in large part because of the team’s 10th-ranked passing offense, but are allowing more points per game than they are averaging, ranking 28th in scoring defense by allowing 29.0 points per game.

Here is a look at the key trends for each team, followed by my analysis and NFL Gambling Free Picks:

Bengals

Cincinnati is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games

The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Cincinnati's last 11 games

Cincinnati is 2-11 SU in its last 13 games on the road

Cincinnati is 4-2 ATS in their last 6 games when playing NY Jets

Cincinnati is 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing NY Jets

The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cincinnati's last 6 games when playing NY Jets

Jets

NY Jets are 6-15 SU in their last 21 games

The total has gone UNDER in 6 of the NY Jets last 8 games