Why the New York Giants Will Beat the Bengals, Why They Won’t, and a Prediction

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones has been quietly playing solid ball this season as he builds a case to prove to general manager Joe Schoen that not being able to trade up in this past spring’s draft for a new quarterback was a blessing in disguise.

While Jones has been solid, a few things are still on his to-do list, two of which have eluded him so far. If he can accomplish them in tonight’s matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, it will go a long way toward helping his case.

The first is actually to win a game in primetime. Jones is 1-14 in games played under the flights, and while that record is not all on the quarterback, he is the leader of the offense, one of the marquee players, and the Giants, with him at the offensive helm in those 15 primetime games played so far, haven’t been winners.

The other thing–and this is specific to this season–is Jones has yet to win in what should be the friendly confines of MetLife Stadium. He is 0-2 this season in home games and has a career regular-season record of 12-19-1 in front of the home crowd.

Jones has never admitted to dwelling on the past, win or lose, and he didn’t seem moved one way or another when the topic was brought up.

“Look, I think the football field is the same, and it’s about going out and playing well, regardless of where you are,” he said. “So, I’m excited to get out there. I think we all are. It should be an awesome atmosphere for football.”

The same holds for touchdowns. Jones has tossed just 27 touchdowns in 32 home games and has just six games in which he’s thrown for multiple touchdowns in a game.  

“We’re always trying to score touchdowns, regardless of who we’re playing,” he said.  

As far as Jones is concerned, though, it’s not just in primetime where the Giants must step up. 

“I think we got to win more games,” he said. “You look at the past, over the years, we haven’t won enough, period. So, to say primetime or not, I think we got to win. We know we have to win and play well. I’m confident. I’m excited for the opportunity. I think we all are.”

Why the Giants Will Defeat the Bengals

Stats and streaks aside, the Giants have had some momentum lately, and there is something to be said for that. 

The momentum began in Week 2, when, had they had a healthy kicker, that game could have easily been a win. It continued through Week 3 with a win before coming up short in Week 4 against Dallas with a five-point loss. 

Then, it rose again against Seattle last week, and that win came without the two players (Malik Nabers and Devin Singletary) who, up until that point, had accounted for the bulk of the Giants’ offensive production.

The Giants defense, which leads the league in sacks with 22, is in mid-season form. It enters this week’s game as a top-10 unit ranked 10th overall (316.0 yards per game). 

The unit has played much better against the run (115.4 yards allowed, 12th), and their young defensive secondary has also shaken off some of the early-season struggles to rank 14th in the league (200.6 yards per game).  

From an offensive perspective, the Bengals’ run defense is ranked 30th in rushing yards allowed per game and 31st in sack rate. This should bode well for a Giants rushing attack that, while missing Devin Singletary, had a rather impressive showing last week.

The Bengals’ fourth-ranked passing offense poses a steep challenge, much like the Seahawks did last week. But again, this Giants defense has been building confidence in its ability to compete with anyone. 

Why the Giants Will Lose to the Bengals

The Bengals’ four losses this season have all been by one score or less. In their last three games (one win, two losses), they’ve scored at least 33 points, and this last game, which they played and lost to the Baltimore Ravens in overtime, was a classic scoring shootout.

As already mentioned, the Giants have been playing improved ball of late, but asking them to potentially get involved in a scoring shootout would be cause for concern, as would asking the defense, as it’s played so far this season, to try to hold the Bengals to under 30 points given how well that Bengals passing game has clicked.   

Prediction 

While one has to be encouraged by the confidence the Giatns have been showing of late and their scrappiness, they’re about to face an opponent who is used to scoring shootouts. The Giants? Not so much so, and if they do get into a scoring shootout, it’s easy to see a late-game field goal deciding this one. 

Bengals 30, Giants 27

ADDITIONAL READING