New York Jets vs. Cincinnati Bengals Prediction

The New York Jets and Cincinnati Bengals switch venues less than a week after these two teams met on Sunday night football and we have your New York Jets vs. Cincinnati Bengals prediction and game betting preview.  This is Carrie Stroup reporting for Gambling911.com. 

Cincinnati is now the home team, and a 2 ½-point favorite, after being pummeled 37-0 by the Jets last week in a game that meant nothing to the Bengals.

Bettors at Sportsbook.com seem to be looking for a repeat performance of that game, as 75% of them are calling for an upset by backing the Jets on the Money Line at +115.

The Jets held Cincy to just 72 yards of offense last week, and finished #1 in the NFL in total defense. They are making their first playoff appearance in three seasons. Cincinnati last played in the postseason after the '05 season and was beaten at home by Pittsburgh.

Most of the top trends for this game indicate potential problems for the Bengals, as they are 0-8 ATS vs. good defenses yielding <17 PPG over the L3 seasons, and 0-7 ATS as a favorite in '09.

The Jets are built to go deep in the playoffs. Led by cornerback Darrelle Revis and linebacker David Harris, they ranked atop the NFL in total defense, yielding roughly 250 yards per game, and Thomas Jones spearheads the league's best rushing offense at 170 yards per game.

With rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez (13 touchdowns, 20 interceptions) capable of imploding at any time, head coach Rex Ryan and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer will serve the hosts a heavy dose of Jones and rookie Shonn Greene. If they run the ball upwards of 30 times, the Jets won't be an easy out.

The Bengals, making just their second postseason appearance in 19 years, may not stick around long if they don't get back to the level they were playing prior to Week 11 when they laid an egg in Oakland. They've dropped four in a row on the road, and late-season home victories over Cleveland, Detroit and Kansas City left a lot to be desired.

Of great concern to head coach Marvin Lewis and offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski is the passing game, which has been on a downward spiral since the beginning of November.

Quarterback Carson Palmer went 17 games without throwing for 300 yards before hitting for 314 in a Week 15 loss in San Diego, and his No. 1 receiver, Chad Ochocinco, who just completed a seventh 1,000-yard season, has to contend with Revis. Palmer played horribly in the regular-season finale and was 1 of 11 with an interception.

If Ochocinco fails to rise to the occasion, the Bengals better hope Cedric Benson (1,251 yards, six touchdowns on 301 carries) does or else they'll be in trouble. The Bears' castoff enjoyed six 100-yard games, a franchise single-season record, but he hasn't scored in two months.

New York holds a commanding 15-7 lead in the all-time series and has won seven of the last eight meetings.

Our New York Jets vs. Cincinnati Bengals Prediction: Expect a defensive struggle to come down to which backfield-Jones and Greene or Benson and Larry Johnson-wins the battle on the ground. That should be the former, and as long as Sanchez doesn't go playing Santa Claus the Jets could make their fans happy in January for a change.

N.Y. JETS 17 - CINCINNATI 13

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Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter