Two teams that have exceeded and underachieved preseason expectations meet tonight when the New York Giants host the Cincinnati Bengals to close out Week Six Sunday action in the National Football League.
The Bengals, just a few years removed from a Super Bowl appearance and with the return of franchise quarterback Joe Burrow from last season’s injury, came into the 2024 campaign with lofty expectations. They were playing in what was considered one of the most talented divisions in football, the AFC North.
Then the season started, and things went sideways for Burrow and company.
They lost their opener to a talent challenged New England Patriots squad that was playing their first game in 25 years without Bill Belichick directing the action from the head coaching position. Okay, they were looking past the Patriots and already focusing on their second week of the season meeting with the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Bengals played their best game of the season against Patrick Mahomes’ squad but lost by a point on the scoreboard.
Okay, we’ll they figured their first win of the season was just 60 minutes of game clock away when they hosted the upstart Washington Commanders and their new head coach, Dan Quinn. Instead of the Bengals coming out party in this Monday Night Football affair, it turned into a showcase for the Commanders rookie quarterback, Jayden Daniels. He put up 38 points against the Bengals defense with a spectacular display of passing prowess and the Bengals suffered their third straight loss, 38-33.
The only thing that is a near-certain cure for losing is having your next opponent be the Carolina Panthers. Cincinnati downed Carolina by double-digits and had a shot at getting back in their division race with a win last week at home against the Baltimore Ravens.
The highly regarded AFC North Division was not living up to their press clippings. The Pittsburgh Steelers led the division heading into last week with a 3 and 1 mark, while the Ravens had lost two and the Cleveland Browns were dropping like an anvil off a roof with only one win in four starts.
The Bengals did have a shot at getting back in the race, but they missed late chances and a would-be overtime winning field goal in an eventual 41-38 home loss to Lamar Jackson and his Baltimore squad.
Now what?
Do the Bengals fade to black and lose here against a New York Giants team that surprised the Seattle Seahawks last Sunday on the road, or regain their edge and take out a should-be beatable foe with a strong effort on the road?
If I knew, I’d tell you.
I don’t.
The Giants are playing well enough to not feel confident laying points with a struggling Bengals team on their home field. The Bengals have superior personnel, and the Giants win last week at Lumen Field could be attributed as much to a poor performance by the Seahawks as real strength with the Giants.
New York also has two key players out of this game, including their most talented defensive stud, Kayvon Thibodeaux. The Giants linebacker was put on injured reserve and will miss at least four weeks of action.
Sure, the Bengals should win, but I’m not laying more than a field goal on the road to find out if they do.