If the Jets want to have a long postseason run, Mark Sanchez will have to step up and make a big play at some point. Hopefully that won't be this week. The formula has been simple lately. Give Sanchez simple reads. If it's wide open, hit it. If it's not, don't force it.
For its part, the offensive line has done a great job. Mark had enough time to eat a sandwich back there when he dropped back last week. Things will be tougher this time around. Cincy had some linemen sitting out in that first contest. Domata Peko didn't register a sack in the regular season but was decent winning his matchups. Robert Geathers also sat out Sunday. He only had 3.5 sacks on the regular season and wasn't much of a force rushing the passer. He's still better than what the Bengals ran out there last week.
I do expect the Bengals to get more aggressive with their pass rush. As usual, we'll see eight in the box at least. Still, there aren't really many big time pass rushers playing for Cincy right now. If you're looking for blitzers, Dhani Jones had 3.5 sacks from the middle linebacker position. Chinedum Ndukwe had 2 at safety.
It seemed last week like the Jets were making it a point of getting Jerricho Cotchery the ball quickly on slants and screens. The idea is for Cotchery to break tackles. It's not a bad idea with the Bengals owning one of the best cornerback tandems in football, Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall. Plays like those are safe and give Cotchery a chance to make a play.
Dustin Keller had a second consecutive disappearing act late in the year so I don't think he'll play much of a role even against a linebacker corps average in coverage.