In a gritty showdown, the Cincinnati Bengals leaned on their defense to scrape out a 17-7 win over the New York Giants on Sunday Night Football, securing just their second win of the season. Joe Burrow struggled to get much going offensively, ending the night with a modest 19-for-28 and 208 passing yards, but he stepped up with his legs, rushing for 55 yards and a touchdown. Notably, rookie receiver Jermaine Burton was a healthy scratch—a move that raised eyebrows until head coach Zac Taylor clarified, “There’s nothing to make of Jermaine Burton being inactive tonight specifically,” per Bengals reporter Kelsey Conway.
The win bumps Cincinnati to 2-4, a glimmer of hope after a dismal 0-3 start. Even Burrow admitted the team had their backs against the wall. “We really needed it,” he shared. “I don’t want to say we would have been out of it if we lost, but we’d be scratching and clawing the rest of the year. It was good to get a win. Great to see our defense step up like that.”
The Bengals’ defense redeemed itself after a tough loss to the Ravens last week, where they struggled against Lamar Jackson. This time, Trey Hendrickson was relentless with two sacks, and linebacker Germaine Pratt snagged an interception near the Giants’ end zone, setting the tone early. Former Giant B.J. Hill added pressure, sacking Daniel Jones as he threw, leading to Pratt’s pick. “We knew we had to come out and play our type of football,” Hill said, adding that while they’re far from perfect, the defense can build off this performance.
The Giants struggled without their key offensive players, receiver Malik Nabers and running back Devin Singletary, who both missed their second straight game due to injuries. Their absence was felt, as the Giants managed only one touchdown. Head coach Brian Daboll took responsibility, saying, “It’s hard to win games when you score seven points, and that’s the reality of it.”
Looking ahead, the Bengals have a prime chance to keep momentum going as they face the struggling Cleveland Browns in Week 7. Meanwhile, the Giants face a challenging matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles as they try to shake off this tough loss.
