D.J. Turner had the key play for the defense, breaking up Daniel Jones’ fourth-down pass with 3:01 left to help the Bengals hold onto a three-point lead. Andrei Iosivas then caught a 29-yard pass from Joe Burrow on third down to extend a crucial final drive for the Bengals offense, and Chase Brown broke loose for a 30-yard touchdown run to make it a two-possession game with 1:52 left.
The Giants missed two field goals in the fourth quarter, including one with 51 seconds remaining.
Cincinnati had scored 33 points or more the previous three games but only managed a win on one of those. This time one of the league’s worst defenses paved the way for a victory in primetime, and the Bengals improved to 2-4.
New York crossed midfield just once in the first half, only to have a redzone opportunity stopped when Germaine Pratt picked off Jones at the 3-yard line, but the Bengals went three-and-out on three of their next five drives after Joe Burrow scurried 47 yards for a touchdown the first series.
Mike Hilton broke up a pass on fourth-and-2 the first drive of the second half, to put the Bengals on the Giants’ 38 yard-line; however, Cincinnati gave the Giants the ball right back on a Zack Moss fumble. It was the team’s fourth lost fumble this season after leading the league with just two of those all last year. New York then made amends for its mistake, converting twice on fourth downs during a 16-play touchdown drive to tie the game with 5:45 left in the third quarter.
The Bengals got all the way to the 2-yard line on their next drive and thought they’d scored on a Chase Brown run, but Cordell Volson’s holding penalty negated the play and they ended up settling for an Evan McPherson field goal.
Fortunately, Giants kicker George Joseph missed a 47-yard field goal attempt, wide left, with 10:27 left after BJ Hill broke up a third-down pass. New York moved the ball into Cincinnati territory on its last four drives and only got the one touchdown out of it.
The Giants’ defense gave Burrow fits all night as he took four sacks for 25 yards and didn’t throw a touchdown pass. He completed 19 of 28 passes (67.9 percent) for just 208 yards – his lowest passing total since Week 1.
Jones finished with just 205 yards passing, and the Bengals sacked him twice but had a strong showing from their defensive line, which was back to full strength for the first time this season with Sheldon Rankins making his return to action Sunday.
The Bengals look to build on their momentum when they travel to play the Cleveland Browns next week.
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