The Worksheet, a fantasy football overview by Rich Hribar, breaking down everything you need to know for the Week 3 Cincinnati Bengals at New York Jets Sunday afternoon game.
| Cincinnati | Rank | @ | NY Jets | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -4.5 | Spread | 4.5 | ||
| 24.75 | Implied Total | 20.25 | ||
| 18.5 | 19 | Points/Gm | 20 | 15 |
| 21.5 | 15 | Points All./Gm | 27 | 25 |
| 80.5 | 1 | Plays/Gm | 73 | 2 |
| 60 | 13 | Opp. Plays/Gm | 59 | 10 |
| 4.3 | 31 | Off. Yards/Play | 5.4 | 17 |
| 5 | 11 | Def. Yards/Play | 5.8 | 20 |
| 36.65% | 21 | Rush% | 25.34% | 32 |
| 63.35% | 12 | Pass% | 74.66% | 1 |
| 40.83% | 16 | Opp. Rush % | 49.15% | 27 |
| 59.17% | 17 | Opp. Pass % | 50.85% | 6 |
- Cincinnati is the last remaining team in the league to lead at any point this season.
- Cincinnati is averaging 4.5 yards per passing play, the fewest in the league. They averaged 7.2 yards per passing play in 2021, third in the league.
- The Bengals have already run a league-high 42.2% of their passing plays versus Cover-2. At this time a year ago, that rate was 13.6%.
- The Bengals are averaging a league-low 3.7 yards per play on first down.
- The Jets are 31st, averaging 3.9 yards per play on first down.
- The Bengals have been outscored 34-9 in the first half through two weeks, 31st in the league.
- The Bengals have outscored their opponents 28-6 in the second half, the largest differential in the league.
Quarterback
Joe Burrow: Throwing for just 6.0 yards per pass attempt (29th), Burrow is getting the treatment he anticipated this summer with opposing teams playing a heavy dose of Cover-2 against the Bengals to limit big plays through the air.
When these teams played in Week 8 a year ago, the Jets were in Cover-2 for just 9.8% of Burrow’s dropbacks in a game in which he completed 21-of-34 passes for 259 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. So far in 2022, the Jets have played Cover 2 on just 1.7% of pass plays, 29th in the league. We will see if Robert Saleh adjusts to the same game plan that the Steelers and Cowboys approached this matchup with.
It also has not helped that the offensive line and Burrow’s contributions to taking sacks have not improved through two games. Burrow has been sacked on 12.7% of his dropbacks after an 8.9% rate in 2021. The Bengals and Burrow have allowed and taken 10 sacks on non-blitzes, the most in the league.
Despite the struggles for Burrow and the Bengals, the Jets are still a vulnerable pass defense. They have opened the year 23rd in completion rate allowed (68.4%), 26th in yards allowed per pass attempt (7.8 Y/A), and 27th in touchdown rate allowed (7.0%). While it has been a frustrating start, this is a spot to keep going back to Burrow as a QB1.
