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The New York Jets pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the 2021 NFL season in Week 8 against the Cincinnati Bengals. It was the second win of the season for the Jets, with both coming against two of the top teams in the AFC Conference, the Bengals and the Tennessee Titans. It was an unlikely outcome for many different reasons.
The Jets are still one of the worst teams in the NFL but they continue to compete and play hard under the guidance of head coach Robert Saleh. They were without their starting quarterback, rookie Zach Wilson, but back-up Mike White scored a victory in his first start for the Jets. Here is how they got it done.
Keys to the Jets upset victory over the Bengals
#1 - Score First
Entering the Week 8 game against the Bengals, the Jets had scored a combined zero points in the first quarter in all of their games combined so far this season. This means that they are always playing from behind and facing an uphill battle. This is not a recipe for success for any team, but especially one of the bottom teams like the Jets.
They finally scored points in the first quarter against the Bengals. The Jets scored their first touchdown of the game and even had a seven-to-zero lead at the end of the first quarter. It was unfamiliar territory for the Jets. It served as the first sign that maybe this would be a good day for them.
#2 - Committing to Michael Carter
Michael Carter is a young and talented running back for the New York Jets. With Zach Wilson unable to play, the offense featured Carter more heavily than they ever have before. He made the most of his opportunity by logging season highs in carries, receptions, targets, rushing yards and receiving yards. It was an impressive performance against a solid Bengals defense.
#3 - Attack the Quarterback
Head coach Robert Saleh is a defensive specialist. He is best known for his time with the San Francisco 49ers as their defensive coordinator, where he often got a ton of pressure against opposing quarterbacks. Joe Burrow felt that against the Jets in Week 8. He was sacked three times in the game, hit a total of five times and pressured on a large number of his drop backs.
