The Bengals lost a number of key names in the offseason, leaving many feeling skeptical of the team’s chances of defending its AFC North division crown. But those uncertain fans can still expect Andy Dalton and co. to thrive, particularly on offense where they ranked seventh overall in scoring (26.2 PPG) in the previous season.
After all, Cincy has a young, promising backfield duo of Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard. Between the two, the former presents a more intimidating figure thanks to his relatively huge frame and strength. Hill will also be looking to bounce back from his poor performance in 2015, a year in which he averaged less than four yards per carry despite reaching the end zone 11 times.
Bernard, on the other hand, is quicker, craftier and has really good hands. He led the team in yards per carry (4.7) and caught 49 passes for 472 yards last year.
Meanwhile, the Bengals’ passing game remains a serious threat for opponents. Sure, Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu are gone, but Cincinnati arguably has one of the deepest receiving groups this season with A.J. Green, Brandon LaFell and Tyler Boyd on board. Green, if it’s still not obvious, is the leader of the pack as he registered 86 receptions for 1,297 yards and 10 touchdowns in his fifth season with Cincinnati.
Cincy is 6-4 SU and 8-2 ATS in its past 10 road games overall.
The Jets dealt with a lot of drama in the offseason, particularly because of quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, whom they managed to sign late in the free agency period. But there were also some positive moments, like when they acquired former Bears running back Matt Forte to fill in the big void left by Chris Ivory.
Forte, without a doubt, will make New York’s running game even more fun to watch this season. Despite turning 30 years old in 2015, he didn’t show any signs of slowing down as he rumbled for 898 yards and four touchdowns for Chicago. Forte also brings in some versatility to New York’s table, having caught 44 passes for 389 yards and three scores in that same year.
However, Forte’s touches could be limited in their season-opener against the visiting Bengals, who allowed just 92.3 rushing yards per game last season. That being the case, Fitzpatrick is bound to look for his main targets in Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker downfield. The two receivers finished with 1,507 and 1,027 receiving yards, respectively, and combined for 26 TDs in the previous year.
Of course, the Jets’ defense is always something to keep note of. It did an outstanding job in annoying almost every opponent in 2015, when they ranked fourth overall in total yards allowed and No. 2 in defending against the run.
New York is 6-4 SU and 7-3 ATS in its past 10 home games.
