NFL

Bengals DBs coach Coyle explains how to slow Chargers

The top priority for the Jets this Sunday, according to Bengals defensive backs coach Kevin Coyle, should be making sure they don’t surrender big passing plays on first and second down.

There’s perhaps no more perfect person to break down the Jets-Chargers game than Coyle, the Bengals’ defensive backs coach. In the last 24 days, the Bengals have faced the Chargers once and the Jets twice, so Coyle knows both teams. The Chargers are a pass-happy offense, and since Coyle coaches the Cincy secondary, he knows exactly what to watch for.

“The Chargers are a heck of a team,” Coyle told The Post yesterday. “But I think the fact that the Jets are running the ball, best in the league throughout the season, and they’re playing really, really well on the defensive side . . . as long as you don’t give up those vertical throws down the field, I think that they’ll be able to be in this game. And at that point, you never know.”

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Coyle — whose Bengals lost to San Diego 27-24 on a last-second field goal Dec. 20 — thinks if the Jets can force San Diego to move methodically instead of hitting big passing plays, they’ll increase their chances of winning.

Coyle had statistics handy that show the Jets might be well positioned to do that. Coyle pointed out that the Jets surrendered the NFL’s second-fewest plays of more than 20 yards (31), and allowed the NFL’s fewest plays of over 40 yards (three).

When the Bengals faced the Chargers, Cincinnati allowed two passing plays of 20 yards (one ending in only a punt and the other to the game-winning field goal) and three plays of more than 20 yards — a 21-yard TD pass to Vincent Jackson, a 34-yard TD pass to Jackson and a 36-yard pass to LaDainian Tomlinson that led to another field goal. Those five plays led to 20 of the Chargers’ 27 points.

Coyle also believes the Jets have to balance their pressure with making sure they have enough personnel to cover the Charger receivers.

“You’ve got to mix it up, and just looking at the Jets, I think they’ve done a good job with that,” Coyle said.

He warns that the Chargers are “a very, very good screen team” and expects them to try screens against the Jets.

mark.hale@nypost.com