The NFL playoffs kickoff today with three repeat matchups from last week, beginning with the most interesting matchup of the weekend between the New York Jets and Cincinnati Bengals.  The Jets won last week’s matchup in a 37-0 blowout as the Bengals rested their starters and choose to not give the Jets a glimpse into their playoff gameplan.

Can Revis Shutdown Ochocinco

The Jets enter the game with momentum on their side. Left for dead after losing six of seven games during the middle of the season, the Jets closed the season strong, winning five of their last six games to earn their spot in the playoffs.

In contrast, the Bengals are limping into the playoffs after a fast start to the season.  Opening the season with a 7-2 start, the Bengals have been pestered with the injury bug and closed the season with three losses in its final four games.

Last week’s result is meaningless, but should not be completely dismissed.  The Bengals had sewn up their playoff spot and used the game as an exhibition outing to scout the Jets.  Carson Palmer’s 1-11 stink bomb was more than just a rollover showing.  Today’s game will defined by who wins the key matchups, makes the proper adjustments from last week and enforces their gameplan successfully on the other team.

For the Bengals, the keys to victory will be establishing a running game on offense and stuffing the Jets running attack.  On the offensive side of the ball, the matchup between Chad Ochocinco and Darrelle Revis is all but determined.  Revis has shut down every top receiver with relative ease and made his mark as the best cornerback in the NFL.  Cincinnati’s depth at receiver is light, so the Bengals success will ride on the legs of Cedric Benson.

On the defensive side, the Bengals needs to control the line of scrimmage and keep the Jets top-ranked running attack grounded.  With rookie QB Mark Sanchez leading the charge, it is imperative for the Bengals to make Sanchez beat them with his arm.  With a penchant for poor decision making and interceptions in bunches, the Bengals defense can feed off Sanchez if they can keep the Jets consistently in third-and-long situations.

The key to the Jets success is the exact opposite.  They need to get the running game motoring with Thomas Jones and limit Sanchez’s potential errors.  On defense, they need to keep Benson in check.  With LB David Harris ailing from a cheap shot chop block last week by Cincinati’s Brian Leonard, this will be a significant challenge for the Jets defense with him not 100 percent.  The Jets need to make Revis the game decider as they have done numerous times this season, and if they can impose their defensive scheme, they will likely come out on top given Palmer’s lack of receiving options outside of Ochocinco.

The Jets pose a difficult matchup for the Bengals, matching stride for stride where they are strong.  Expect a close game with Revis making the difference in shutting down and hopefully shutting up Ochocinco.

Predicting a Jets victory, 17-13.

Tags: brian leonard, carson palmer, cedric benson, Chad Johnson, Chad Ochocinco, Cincinnati Bengals, darrelle revis, david harris, mark sanchez, New York Jets, nfl playoffs, thomas jones

This entry was posted on Saturday, January 9th, 2010 at 11:56 am and is filed under Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, nfl. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.