Halftime: Bengals 7, Giants 0
For a game that has featured eight punts, and zero points since the opening drive, the context surrounding the game makes the action strangely compelling. Consider the Giants’ position in the NFC East, where only Washington has looked like a credible playoff threat so far. If any of Philadelphia, Dallas or New York can get their act together, they’ll have opportunity.
And for the 1-4 Bengals, they can’t realistically afford many more losses until their playoff hopes officially end. If their turnaround was ever to start, it would have to do so tonight in a winnable game.
At the half, Bengals QB Joe Burrow has completed nine of his 15 passes for 87 yards. while Giants QB Daniel Jones is 8-for-16 for 81 yards and an interception. The most explosive play of the night belonged to Burrow’s 47-yard rush for a touchdown.
New York has run 27 plays for only 119 yards, while the Bengals have gained 149 yards on 29 plays.
Giants get another stop after more pressure
Even without injured edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux, who will miss at least four games following surgery for a wrist injury, the Giants have made Joe Burrow’s life miserable since the opening drive. Cincinnati’s last drive before halftime ended with the third sack of the night of Burrow, a quarter of his season total.
Bengals’ best combination can’t extend drive
There is no receiver that Joe Burrow targets more than Ja’Marr Chase, and the duo has become one of the league’s best. Chase produces the spectacular so often it was stunning, then, to see Burrow’s potential first-down throw dropped by Chase on a crossing route.
For the game, Burrow is 8-of-14 passing for 80 yards. He’s scored the game’s only touchdown on the ground and has 57 yards on two carries.
Another Giants drive ends without points
Halfway through the second quarter, the Giants’ four drives have resulted in three punts and an interception. Their latest traveled 28 yards, needing seven plays to do so. It was New York’s longest possession by time, taking 4:42.
Quick punt for Bengals
Where has the vaunted Bengals offense that entered so highly rated gone? After their opening-drive touchdown, they have punted on three consecutive drives.
For Giants, it’s Daniel Jones or nothing
The Giants have run 15 offensive plays, and 13 of them have been either a Daniel Jones throw (6 for 11) or run (two, for 24 yards). Tyrone Tracy Jr. has run the ball twice, for three yards.
Brian Burns blows up Bengals
Rushing off the edge on third down, with Cincinnati at midfield, Giants end Brian Burns dropped Bengals running back Zack Moss for a loss of four yards to end the drive. Outside of Burrow’s 47-yard scramble for a touchdown, Cincinnati is averaging 3.3 yards per rush.
Interception, Bengals!
Daniel Jones is coming off his best game this season, and has three games with two touchdowns and zero interceptions – most in the league. But he ends New York’s second drive with a terrible decision to throw while backing up, under pressure. His pass was lofted harmlessly and intercepted by Germaine Pratt.
Giants able to do what few have: Pressure Burrow
As we pointed out earlier in the blog, this matchup is a fascinating meeting of contrasts. The Giants, with their league-high 22 sacks, and the Bengals, who have allowed a league-low pressures on Joe Burrow.
It’s early, not even halfway through the first quarter, but advantage New York. The Giants have sacked Burrow once and gotten to him with pressure.
Bengals can’t add to lead
Pinned against their own end zone, the Bengals punted after three unsuccessful plays. Frankly, they were lucky not to have given up two points on a safety. Joe Burrow somehow evaded a sack when the Giants’ defender shoved him with two hands rather than take him down.