New York Jets: Five Takeaways From Loss to Cincinnati Bengals

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Sep 11, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets defensive tackle Steve McLendon (99) sacks Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

– Who needs Damon Harrison

One of the big losses in free agency was when Damon Harrison signed with the New York Giants. The other New York team had a ton of money to spend this offseason, and they handed Harrison a contract that the Jets could simply not compete with. On the Jets, Harrison was a great nose tackle and was certainly a reason for them having one of the best rushing defenses in the league.

In the offseason, the Jets were able to sign Steve McLendon to replace him, but nobody expected him to be as good. During his Jets debut, McLendon was able to prove that he will indeed be a great replacement for Harrison. In the loss, McLendon totaled two sacks on quarterback Andy Dalton, as he fit right in with Wilkerson and Williams.

The two-sack game was very impressive for McLendon, and it was really impressive since Harrison only totaled 1.5 sacks in his career with the Jets. Even though the loss of Harrison will no doubt have an impact on the Jets defense, McLendon might be positioned to thrive with all of the talent surrounding him on the defensive line.

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