The Primetiming - Giants vs Bengals Recap
The Primetime variant of a New York Giants loss is as laughably unremarkable as it is unoriginal. My football team has seemingly perfected the craft of remaining within 1 score to keep you invested, despite repeatedly demonstrating throughout the night that the touchdown drive is never going to come.
I watch the same 3rd down incompletions, transition into the same 3 State Farm Commercials, for 3 and a half hours. The exhaustion from a long weekend sets in and I ultimately enter a lucid dream-like state, where I know my team is going to lose, but I can’t do anything to snap out of the trance and go to fucking bed. I then spend my Monday sleep-deprived, unable to accomplish anything productive aside from telling you all a story you’ve heard time and time again.
The game started with Burrow perfectly identifying a pressure package and turning a 3rd and 18 into a 47-yard house call. Don’t get me wrong - this felt like death. However, it was a broken coverage that marred an otherwise impressive first series for the defense. I still felt good about the offense being able to move the ball and fully welcomed an entertaining shootout to avoid the manic episode described above.
Well apparently the return of Sheldon Rankins and BJ Hill was enough to transform one of the league’s worst defenses into the ‘85 Bears. That - or they simply ran into Daniel Jones on a week where he’s unable to complete a pass more than 5 yards downfield (an every other game occurrence for the past 6 seasons).
It couldn’t have been more apparent that the offensive performance against Seattle was an anomaly that would not be replicated. The Slayton stick routes that led to countless 3rd down conversions a week ago, were being jumped all night by some of the whackest DB’s in the NFL. Cincy simply crashed down on the short game and was good enough against the run. When DJ wasn’t forcing 3rd and 3’s to a receiver wearing a Bengals Corner as a JanSport, he was throwing passes directly at BJ Hill - whom Dave Gettleman traded away for Billy fucking Price.
After Daniel Jones added yet another promising entry into his “worst INT of career” folder, you just never got the sense that the Giants were going to take a lead, no matter how long Burrow and company spun their tires. And that’s the most disappointing aspect of this game - we wasted a masterful effort from Shane Bowen and this Giants defense.
I know the Bengals have largely been a disappointment this season, but they’re coming off a game in which they threw for nearly 400 yards and 5 TDs. Absent Kayvon Thibodeaux - Azeez Ojulari, Brian Burns and the rest of the Giants defensive line were able to live in the Bengals backfield, effectively shutting down one of the league’s best passing attacks.
When Big Blue wasn’t adding to their league leading 26 sacks, rookies Tyler Nubin and Dru Phillips were flying in from the second level to generate TFL’s in the run game. These two have been overshadowed by the fantasy football prowess of Malik Nabers, but have been massive contributors to the defensive renaissance this team is experiencing. Few will remember this performance due to the end result, but the dominant pass rush and young, ever improving secondary are definitely the positive elements to take away from an otherwise miserable night spent with Cris Collinsworth.
Early in the 3rd quarter, Zac Taylor declined a 10-yard penalty following a 3rd down stop - leaving the Giants with a 4th and 2, rather than a 3rd and 20 had he accepted. Evidently triggered, Daboll went for it on 4th down from his own 38, despite his defense pitching a shutout outside the Burrow scramble. When yet another short pass attempt fell incomplete, a knot in my stomach formed as I began to imagine the lashings he’d receive from the media for his latest arrogant antics.
However, the defense would bail out the G-Men once more by forcing a fumble just 2 plays later. On the ensuing drive, the Giants would then put together their only impressive possession of the evening behind the physical running of Tyrone Tracy Jr. - who converted on a pair of 4th down runs before capping off the drive with a TD.
While the initial 4th down try felt like a child raging at an older sibling - I have to give Daboll credit, as the rash decision making did eventually pay off and kept the Giants in the game. As time goes on, I’ve grown to appreciate my coach’s balls more and more (wait…). I just long for the days where we have a quarterback that can justify his undying trust in his team…instead of one who throws to the only covered receiver on 4th downs.
A pair of late missed FG’s would add insult to the litany of other insults directed at this team for their latest Primetime failure. Despite the defense’s consistent improvements, we’re still not able to function as an offensive outside of the quick passing game. We remain at the mercy of a moderately mobile quarterback who does not have the ability to push the ball downfield. If that sounds familiar, it’s because you’ve either read this exact statement in previous blogs, or have seen me shirtless in Times Square shouting about this exact topic.
I want nothing more than to be positive about this team moving forward, but after 6 weeks it seems…
ALL WORK AND NO BIG PLAYS MAKE BILL A DULL BOY.
