As crazy as it sounds, the once 0-4, then 1-7 New York Jets could be a playoff team this year.
After a 34-3 dismantling of the Oakland Raiders this week, the Jets have won three in a row.
Somehow, the once hapless and winless Jets are now 4-7.
The other two wins in the Jets winning streak came against the New York Giants and Washington Redskins. The once dysfunctional Jets offense scored 34 points in each of those games as well.
Jets QB Sam Darnold was an efficient 20 for 29 for 315 yards and two TDs against Oakland. Plus, the Jets defense was equally impressive. They held the Raiders to just a first-quarter field goal and only 208 total yards.
Now, the same Jets team that started out the year as a laughing stock, with its franchise quarterback sidelined by mononucleosis, could now realistically run the table, end the season 9-7, and make the NFL Playoffs as a Wild Card.
Can the Jets run the table?
The Jets face the winless Cincinnatti Bengals and currently 2-9 Miami Dolphins over the next two weeks. Win both and they’ll be within a game of .500.
Then, it’ll be a tough test against the playoff-bound Baltimore Ravens and MVP candidate Lamar Jackson. Finally, the Jets finish things up against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Buffalo Bills.
The +50000 (DraftKings) to +150000 (William Hill) you can get on the Jets winning the Super Bowl is a longshot at most NJ gambling sites.
However, making a small bet is looking less like burning money and more like a shrewd move than it did.
The Jets will likely need to win all five of their remaining games just to get in the postseason. That all starts with keeping the Bengals winless this week.
It’s hard to think of a Jets vs. Bengals game as a marquee matchup. However, as long as the Jets keep winning and keeping the dream of a postseason berth alive, every game from here on out must be considered one.
Jets vs Bengals lines
To no one’s surprise, the Jets started out the week as road favorites against Cincinnati at most NJ sports betting sites.
Below is a look at the early Jets vs. Bengals lines at DraftKings Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook, and William Hill (Caesars Sportsbook NJ). Updated as of Nov. 24.
| Jets vs. Bengals | DraftKings | FanDuel | William Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spread | NYJ -3.5 CIN +3.5 | NYJ -3.5 CIN +3.5 |
NYJ -3.5 CIN +3.5 |
| Over/Under | 41 | 40.5 | 40.5 |
| Moneyline | NYJ -186 CIN +150 | NYJ -190 CIN +164 | NYJ -200 CIN +170 |
Jets vs Bengals history
The Jets have faced the Bengals 26 times and lead the series with a 17-9 record.
Although, Cincinnati has won the last two in a row.
This includes a tight 23-22 win in New Jersey the last time the two teams met in 2016. Andy Dalton was behind the center for Cincinnati in that one, going 23 for 30 for 366 yards.
Bengals Head Coach Zac Taylor announced this week Dalton would start again this week against the Jets. Taylor benched Dalton the past three games in favor of rookie Ryan Finley.
However, Dalton also threw for 325 yards and five touchdowns in a 49-9 drubbing of the Jets back in 2013.
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati.
Tune in to CBS to see if the Jets can keep their playoff hopes alive, push the Bengals to 0-12, and continue to give longshot futures bettors a chance at turning as little as $10 into $15,010.