New York Jets' Brad Smith, right, runs for a touchdown past Cincinnati Bengals defenders during the Jets' 37-0 victory Sunday in the final game of the regular season.

CINCINNATI — Linebacker Brandon Johnson was trimming some of his Cincinnati Bengals teammates’ hair after a frigid practice, getting them ready to look good for their next big moment. They couldn’t look any worse than they did in their last one.

Jets 37, Bengals 0.

The Jets dominated them in every way at the Meadowlands last Sunday, earning a playoff berth while drubbing the AFC North champs, who had little on the line and played like it. Even in their worst times, the Bengals (10-6) have never been beaten more soundly.

Days later, they didn’t sound like a beaten-down team. A group of them gathered for a little grooming, joking and laughing, turning the locker room into a raucous barber shop. They were confident the return of a few key players — and the much higher stakes — will close that 37-point gap in their wild-card rematch on Saturday at Paul Brown Stadium.

“Come Saturday, you’ll see an energetic, enthusiastic, rambunctious Bengals team,” offensive lineman Bobbie Williams said. “I like our odds this time.”

Given what’s happened, the Jets (9-7) like theirs even more.

New York won five of its last six games to reach the playoffs for the sixth time in the last 12 years. The Jets finished the regular season with the league’s top-ranked running game and its best defense, but were installed as the biggest long shot among the playoff teams. One reason: Mark Sanchez is a rookie quarterback.

The oddsmakers’ assessment doesn’t sit well with coach Rex Ryan.

“I wasn’t aware of that,” he said, “but to me, we should be favorites, so that’s fine.”

Favorites to win it all, he meant. First, the Jets have to pull off a rare back-to-back sweep of the same team.

Since 1991, when the current playoff format was adopted, teams have ended the regular season and then faced each other in the wild-card round nine times.

The Jets were involved in one of those games, beating Oakland to end the 2001 regular season, then losing to the Raiders six days later. Four of those nine teams managed to sweep.

It’s a little unusual for everyone involved.

“I think this is good for us,” said Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis, who shut out receiver Chad Ochocinco last weekend. “We just played these guys. We’re so familiar with them. It’s a good thing to go back and play them again for a doubleheader. It’s almost like an NBA playoff series. We’ll be ready.”

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis held running back Cedric Benson out last Sunday and told his coordinators not to give too much away because they could face the Jets again. Defensive tackle Domata Peko, defensive end Robert Geathers and safety Chris Crocker were given another week to heal from injuries.

New York Jets (9-7) at Cincinnati (10-6)

Time: Today, 1:30 p.m. TV: NBC

Jets offense — Overall (20), Rush (1), Pass (31)

Jets defense — Overall (1), Rush (8), Pass (1)

Bengals offense — Overall (24), Rush (9), Pass (26)

Bengals defense — Overall (4), Rush (7), Pass (6)

Streaks, stats and notes — Jets are making their 12th playoff appearance overall, sixth time in last 12 years. … Bengals are making ninth playoff appearance, only their second in last 19 years. They haven’t won playoff game since 1990. … Jets ended regular season as the NFL leaders in three categories: rushing offense, total defense and pass defense. They are eighth team since 1970 merger to lead league in both rushing offense (172.3 yards per game) and total defense (252.3 yards). … During 37-0 win last Sunday, Jets ran for 257 yards and held Cincinnati to 72 net yards, lowest total in Bengals history. Bengals QB Carson Palmer and Jets rookie QB Mark Sanchez — friends from Southern California — are two lowest-ranked passers in postseason. Palmer’s 83.6 passer rating is 16th overall in league; Sanchez’s 63 rating ranks 28th out of 32 starting QBs.