W2L4: A Giant Win Needed To Resuscitate Bengals Season

Bengals (1-4) at Giants (2-3) Sunday, Oct. 13 at MetLife Stadium (Field Turf), 8:20 p.m. ET, TV: Ch. 5 NBC-WLWT-TV (Cincinnati) Mike Tirico (PBP), Cris Collinsworth (Analyst), Melissa Stark (sideline). Radio: Dan Hoard, Dave Lapham. WEBN-FM (102.7 FM), 700-WLW, ESPN1530. National: Westwood One Networks: Ryan Radtke (play-by-play) and Mike Golic (analyst).

NEW YORK — Two teams with hopes of salvaging their season meet in primetime Sunday night in New Jersey when the New York Giants (2-3) host the Bengals (1-4).

One of the NFL’s most disappointing teams through five weeks, Cincinnati is coming off a 41-38 OT loss to Baltimore in a Week 5 shootout at Paycor Stadium. The Bengals built three different 10-point leads in the second half thanks to an impressive performance from star quarterback Joe Burrow.

But the defense failed to protect it, Burrow threw a late interception in regulation and special teams failed in overtime when holder Ryan Rehkow bobbled the snap on a potential 53-yard game-winning field goal.

Burrow, who threw a career- high five touchdown passes, completed 30-of-39 passes for 392 yards and a 137.0 passer rating. Burrow’s star receivers – Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins – each had a pair of touchdown grabs.

Head coach Zac Taylor preached the importance of not looking beyond this week’s matchup against the Giants.

“We’re five games into the season,” Taylor said. “I know what the noise is. We’re 1-4, and so we’re accountable for all of that. It’s not good enough. We have too much talent on this team to be in the position we’ve found ourselves in right now.

“But all we can do focusing forward is (to ask ourselves), how do we beat the New York Giants? How do we have a great week, how do we get back on the winning track? You look around the AFC and there’s plenty of opportunity there moving forward, and we just need to take advantage of it.”

The Bengals have scored 30-plus points in each of their last three games, scoring 33, 34 and 38 in succession. They enter Week 6 tied for fourth in scoring (28.0 points per game), ninth in total offense (359.0 yards) and fifth in passing offense (263.0 yards/game).

The two teams are meeting for just the 12th time since Cincinnati entered the NFL in 1968, with the Bengals leading, 6-5. The Giants won the most recent meeting in 2020, 19-17, in Cincinnati, the only time the visiting team has prevailed in the 11 previous encounters.

The Bengals are searching for their first-ever road win against the Giants in five tries, dating to their first visit to the Meadowlands in 19

The Giants not only have the advantage of playing in their home stadium, but they are also coming off a 29-20 road upset of the Seattle Seahawks last Sunday and now return with a chance to get to .500 on the season.

The Giants are dealing with a couple of injuries to key pieces on both sides of the ball and the Bengals are catching a break with the absence of two star players.

Outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux is “week to week” and has been ruled out for Sunay after undergoing surgery on an injured wrist while rookie star wide receiver Malik Nabers is “feeling better” but still remains in the concussion protocol and will miss his second straight game Sunday night.

Daboll also said that running back Devin Singletary will practice after missing last week with a groin injury but is “trending in the right direction” toward a return Sunday night.

In their win at Seattle last Sunday, New York recorded a season-best 420 net offensive yards. The Seahawks’ 20 points were a season low, and the Giants enter this week allowing just 20.8 points per game.

Dexter Lawrence has fought through double and triple teams to record six sacks, the most by any Giants player through five games since Jason Pierre-Paul had 6.5 in 2011.

“It’s not an easy thing,” Daboll said. “There were times last week where there were three guys on him. So, again, he understands that. When he gets his opportunities, he’s got to make them go. Very thankful that he’s on our football team.”

Here’s what to look for:

• When the Bengals have the ball:

Attacking this Giants defense starts with making sure Dexter Lawrence II doesn’t wreck the offensive line and rush Burrow. Lawrence already has six sacks. He is an elite nose tackle while Brian Burns is a premier edge rusher. A big part of the gameplan this week is likely to come on the ground and in play-action under center. The Bengals want to keep the pass rush off balance and running the ball is one way to do that. The Bengals are hoping that Chase Brown isn’t too negatively impacted from Thursday’s quad injury and Zac Taylor indicated Friday that he is expected to give it a go.

• When the Giants have the ball:

The Bengals are catching a big break with the absence of star rookie receiver Malik Nabers. Already with 35 receptions and three touchdowns, Nabers would have stressed a Bengals secondary reeling with the loss of corner Dax Hill to a torn ACL in his right knee. The Bengals are getting Mike Hilton back in the secondary as the starting nickel corner after missing last week with a left knee injury. Can the Bengals keep Devin Singletary and rookie Tyrone Tracy Jr. from running all over them? Sheldon Rankins is also expected to return so the Bengals defensive front should be at full strength. The Bengals need to keep an eye on Darius Slayton, who caught eight balls for 122 yards and a touchdown in picking up the slack for Nabers last week in Seattle. Tracy had 129 yards on just 18 carries last week with Singletary sidelined.

• Bottom Line:

Again, another game the Bengals are capable of winning. Can they finish? They’ve been able to finish off just one of four potential games they had won this season. They failed at the end against the Patriots, Chiefs and Ravens. They catch a huge break with no Thibodeaux or Nabers. The offense has its full complement and the defensive front is at full strength. The Bengals get one final chance to revive their season.

Bengals 20, Giants 18