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EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – OCTOBER 19: Justin Fields #7 of the New York Jets is sacked by Tre’Von Moehrig #7 of the Carolina Panthers during the second quarter in the game at MetLife Stadium on October 19, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The Bengals have struggled to find their identity since Joe Burrow went down in Week 2 with a toe injury. Four straight losses followed, three of them by 13 points or more.
Enter Joe Flacco, who appears to have Cincinnati back on course after his turn-back-the-clock performance in Week 7 against the Steelers. In just his second start with the Bengals, the 40-year-old Flacco threw for 342 yards and three touchdowns in a 33-31 win.
Next on their schedule? The winless Jets (0-7) and a quarterback who shall be named later. Head coach Aaron Glenn has yet to name a starter for Sunday’s game at Paycor Stadium.
Jets Still Contemplating QB For Week 8
The Jets are in quarterback purgatory. At least publicly, they are still contemplating their options for Week 8.
Justin Fields was benched after a rough first half Sunday against the Panthers. His replacement, veteran backup Tyrod Taylor, didn’t fare much better. The Jets managed just 220 total yards and failed to score a touchdown for the second straight week, losing 13-6.
On Monday, Glenn said he was still undecided on a quarterback moving forward.
“That’s something that I want to continue to look at,” Glenn said, via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. “Again, it’s early on Monday. I said this yesterday, there’s a lot of thought that goes into that.”
Few Answers for Jets’ Struggling Offense
In the first half, Fields completed 6-of-12 passes for just 46 yards. He also had 22 yards rushing.
That poor performance came on the heels of a dismal showing during a Week 6 loss to the Broncos in London, in which Fields threw for only 45 yards on 9-of-17 passing.
Unfortunately for Gang Green, Taylor wasn’t able to provide much of a spark. Taylor completed only 10-of-22 passes for 126 yards. He also threw a pair of interceptions.
Through seven games, the Jets rank 29th in total offense (271.3 yards per game) and 27th in scoring (18.4 points per game).
Making matters worse, there isn’t a clear answer at quarterback. Fields has been a major disappointment since signing a two-year, $40 million deal with New York in the offseason, and Taylor is 36-year-old journeyman who hasn’t been used as a full-time starter since 2017.
Bengals’ Defense Has Been Among NFL’s Worst
Sunday could be a prime bounceback opportunity for the Jets’ stagnant offense. The Bengals are 31st in both total defense (394.4 yards allowed per game) and are allowing the second-most points per game (30.6).
Despite that, Cincinnati remains on the cusp of the AFC North race.
Douglas Bonjour is a breaking news contributor covering the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB and WNBA for Heavy. He is also a contributing writer for The Associated Press and has worked for Point Spreads, the Connecticut Post and Hearst Connecticut Media as a reporter and editor. More about Douglas Bonjour
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