With a New York Jets Week 8 game scheduled against the Cincinnati Bengals, this is no longer a matchup of two bad teams. Cincinnati is on the rise. We'll offer some Jets-Bengals predictions.

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New York Jets Week 8 Predictions

4. Jets will get two takeaways from the Bengals' high-powered offense

Robert Saleh has struggled to find answers on the offensive side of the ball, and it's true that the Jets gave up 54 points to the New England Patriots, but Saleh rose in the ranks of NFL coordinators because of his defensive acumen. He doesn't have a lot of talent, but he will certainly treat this game as the supreme challenge it is. He will find ways to get to Joe Burrow and at least bother him if not flummox him. New York will come out of the gate roaring on defense, forcing Burrow and Bengals coach Zac Taylor to make some midgame adjustments.

The Jets won't do everything right on defense, but they will get two turnovers from the Bengals.

3. Jets will be within one score of the Bengals at halftime

The Jets will find it hard to stay competitive for all 60 minutes in Week 8 — let's be realistic about their chances on Sunday without Zach Wilson or Joe Flacco — but they will give the Bengals a challenge in the first half. An inspired 30 minutes on defense, with Saleh giving Joe Burrow plenty to think about, will enable New York to stay close for one half. A 13-6 or 10-3 halftime score sounds about right in this game.

2. Jets will get outscored by 10 or more points in the third quarter

The Jets will play much better defense than they did against the Patriots, but their offense is going to leave them out to try. Mike White is not up to the task in this game. He might be able to manage the game for a half and at least avoid turnovers, but at some point, the Jets will actually have to move the ball and try to hit big plays if they are going to score enough to beat the Bengals.

That's when the pursuit of victory will run into its most central roadblock.

The Jets would love to rope the Bengals into a rockfight, a low-scoring and very messy game in which Burrow has a nightmare day and throws five interceptions. Given how well Burrow is playing, and given how well Ja'Marr Chase is performing as the elite game-changing receiver the Bengals needed in their offense, it is hard to see Cincinnati struggling for all four quarters.

As noted above, New York could certainly fluster and frustrate the Bengals for a half, maybe even three quarters, but at some point, the Cincinnati Ferrari is going to zoom down the field for at least a few touchdowns in Week 8. The third quarter is the most likely portion of the game in which this will happen, before Zac Taylor's team eases off the gas pedal in the fourth quarter and simply tries to run out the clock with a lead.

1. New York Jets will lose to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 8

While the Jets will put up an admirable fight, they have Mike White at quarterback. If Joe Flacco, re-signed from the Eagles to play in Zach Wilson's absence, had been ready for this game, maybe an upset was legitimately possible. White closes the door to that possibility.

The Jets will make the Bengals struggle for a half at least, 40 minutes at most, but it's hard to see how they will do anything more than that.