Mark Sanchez
The Cincinnati Bengals fell to the New York Jets 24-14 on Saturday in the opening game of the NFL playoffs to bring a close to their long, emotionally draining season.
It’s a safe bet that the Bengals won’t put the franchise tag on kicker Shayne Graham this offseason. He missed two kicks, including a chip-shot 28-yard attempt that would have pulled Cincinnati within one score late in the game.
The New York Jets may indeed be a force to reckon with as coach Rex Ryan stated. They are a force that was led by two sensational rookie performances and their rookie head coach.
Rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez played remarkably well for his first playoff game. He was 12-of-15 passing for 182 yards and one touchdown. More importantly, he did not throw a single interception.
Rookie running back Shonn Greene also proved his worth by find the end zone and rushing for 135 yards on 21 carries.
Although Cincinnati played much better than last week against New York, they still came up on the short end of the stick offensively.
Outspoken wide receiver Chad Ochocinco was shut down by Jets cornerback Darrell Revis who limited him to just two catches for 28 yards. He was visably upset by the loss on the sidelines in the closing seconds of the game, crying on a teammate’s shoulders.
Meanwhile, Carson Palmer struggled for much of the afternoon, being sacked three times, throwing an interception and fumbling once. He was 18-of-36 passing for 146 yards and one touchdown.
As the passing game came up short, running back Cedric Benson had a monster game. Benson rushed the ball 21 times for 146 yards and a touchdown in the losing effort.
The Jets will next face either the Indianapolis Colts or San Diego Chargers.
The outcome of Sunday’s game between the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots will determine the schedule for the Divisional Round of the playoffs.