10/12 — The Meadowlands faithful are underwhelmed by the start to today's Jets-Bengals game. On the Jets' third offensive play, Brett Favre is sacked by an unblocked Antwan Odom and stripped of the ball. Cincinnati S Chinedum Ndukwe picks the spinning leather up at the Jets 15 and strides into the end zone for the stunning TD.

As far as we know, Ndukwe is not related to Chukie Nwokorie.

It's the fourth-fastest touchdown by a Jets opponent since 2000. Here is the list of the five quickest opponent TDs of the new millennium:

But the Jets are hardly deterred. They reply with a 10-play, 47-yard drive to the tying TD. Actually, the Navy & Gold (the Jets are wearing their Titans throwbacks, in case you forgot) dent the goal line three times on this drive. But the first two are waved off by Jets penalties — a Brett Favre-to-Dustin Keller score nullified by G Brandon Moore being ineligibly downfield, then a Favre-to-Coles score erased by Chansi Stuckey's pass interference.

But then the Bengals are hit for illegal contact by CB Leon Hall on third-and-goal at their 19, giving the Jets a first-and-10 at the 14. Three plays later, out of the "heavy" package with Chris Baker, Bubba Franks and Wayne Hunter at TE and Tony Richardson at FB, there isn't even a play fake — Favre sprints out from center and hits Thomas Jones all alone for the 2-yard score.

Remember to put a mental asterisk by this passing TD. No it's not a rushing score for No. 20, but it's kind of a hybrid.

Similar to the Arizona game two weeks ago, the Jets offense is a little slow starting, but they're starting to pick up speed as the first quarter comes to a close.

On the first play of the second quarter, Reggie Hodges' first punt since 2005 is a dandy, a 33-yard gross and net fair-caught by Antonio Chatman at the Cinci 4. The visitors' Kyle Larson punts from his end zone and Leon Washington returns to the C-34 to set up Jay Feely's 38-yard FG and the Jets' first lead of the day at 10-7.

Then the Bengals cough up the ball when Ryan Fitzpatrick (he got the start for ailing Carson Palmer) gets collared by Hank Poteat on the double corner blitz with Drew Coleman and coughs up the ball, with Calvin Pace falling on it at the Bengals 24.

Three plays later, TJ has another TD. Jones' second score of the day is a true rushing score, a burst off his left side behind blocks by FB Tony Richardson, LG Alan Faneca and others for 7 yards and a 17-7 lead with just under eight minutes left in the half.

It's the sixth regular-season two-touchdown game of Jones' nine-year career — eighth if you add in two 2006 playoff games. And it's the first multi-TD game he's ever had away from the Bears' Soldier Field home.

The Bengals had been bottled all first half. But with 4:13 to play, Fitzpatrick and the visitors, who have no first downs to this point, start to move. They pick up six first downs and move 66 yards on 14 plays to a score with 8 seconds left to make it Jets, 17-14. In fact, "Fitz" accounts for all six firsts, on four completions and two sneaks, the second from a yard out for the score.

The play is reviewed but ref Gene Steratore confirms the TD and the teams go in for halftime with the Jets leading by three against a winless but troublesome opponent that again, for the second time in three weeks, is playing a team that calls the Meadowlands home very tough.