The New York Giants suffered another crushing defeat on primetime as they lost to the Cincinnati Bengals by a final score of 17-7 on Sunday night. The defensive line's stellar outing was not enough to secure the win as the G-Men fell to 2-4 on the season.
All eyes were on Giants quarterback Daniel Jones entering this one. Jones had played better in recent weeks but there were still some question marks regarding his ability to win in big moments. Unfortunately, he answered those questions, but not in the manner Giants fans had hoped he would.
Jones turned in an abysmal performance, going 22-41 passing for 205 yards (5.0 average), zero touchdowns, and one interception with a 57.5 rating. He also added 56 yards rushing on 11 attempts but it was not enough. Jones now has a career 1-14 record on primetime with a 12-20 TD-INT ratio under the bright lights.
Despite the team's 2-4 record, the Giants' offensive line has been one of the best in the NFL this season. Superstar DT Dexter Lawrence II continued his Defensive Player of the Year campaign, totaling his seventh sack of the season against the Bengals. Star EDGE Brian Burns added eight tackles and one sack with a few pressures. EDGE Azeez Ojulari was inserted into the starting lineup with Kayvon Thibodeaux ruled out and had a breakout performance, posting two sacks, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, and one forced fumble.
The defense was not the problem on Sunday night as they ultimately held the Bengals' high-octane offense to only 17 points. It was the offense's struggles that ultimately resulted in the loss for New York.
The Giants' offensive line has looked solid through the first several weeks of the season, however, their Week 6 performance will be one to forget. Jones was knocked down several times as the unit ultimately surrendered two sacks and a multitude of pressures. Both sacks were tallied by Bengals elite pass rusher Trey Hendrickson against Giants star LT Andrew Thomas. The offensive line will hope to bounce back in Week 7.
Fifth-round rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. looks like a gem that the G-Men uncovered. After a breakout, 129-yard rushing performance in Week 5, Tracy backed it up with another strong outing on Sunday night. He totaled 50 rushing yards and one touchdown on 17 carries (2.9 average) and also added six receptions for 57 receiving yards. Tracy has definitely earned the right to more playing time moving forward.
It wasn't the prettiest game from the Cincinnati Bengals' offense but they still found ways to score and a way to win. Superstar QB Joe Burrow, not known for his rushing skills, ran one in from 47 yards out to open the scoring. RB Chase Brown plunged in for the Bengals' second touchdown of the game. Burrow made crucial plays throughout the game to secure the win. Having the better quarterback performance ultimately put the Bengals on top.
The Giants will be back at home in Week 7 to host the Philadelphia Eagles. The Giants are 2-4 this season with an 0-2 record against the division. The Eagles are coming off a clutch win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 6. This will be a crucial matchup for a Giants team aiming to get back in the divisional race.