Takeaways: Bengals overcome mistakes to get primetime win over Giants

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J — When the pocket broke down, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow’s rigorous offseason program paid off.

He reported to training camp in August in the best shape of his life. He was faster, bigger and stronger than he used to be, and Burrow’s objective was being able to provide more big plays on the move in 2024.

Burrow’s 47-yard rushing touchdown to open Sunday’s 17-7 win over the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium was what he had in mind. This was the fastest and the farthest that he had ever run in an NFL game, and the touchdown gave the Bengals an early lead.

The touchdown pushed Burrow to his physical limits. But still, it only gets more difficult from here for the Bengals’ franchise quarterback.

“We’re 2-4, so we’re trying to find ourselves,” Burrow said. “We’re trying to find wins. We found one today.”

With the win over one of the worst teams in the NFL, the Bengals improved to 2-4 on the season. They dug themselves into a big hole by blowing games against the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens as well as falling flat against the lowly New England Patriots and the young Washington Commanders.

Getting the Bengals back in the playoff mix is going to be a lot more difficult than Burrow’s touchdown run. But the score, as well as Sunday’s win, was at least a step in the right direction in a game the Bengals had to win.

“We needed it,” linebacker Germaine Pratt said. “We got the defensive line back (from injuries). They help us make plays. They disrupt the quarterback. The (defensive backs) made plays on the ball. It was a collective effort."

Facing a bad Giants team that was missing its best receiver, its starting running back, its best pass rusher and its veteran safety, the Bengals didn’t pull away because they were getting in their own way.

An intentional grounding penalty on Burrow, a drop by wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, a terrible third down play call by head coach Zac Taylor, a fumble by running back Zack Moss and a bevy of negative plays prevented the Bengals’ offense from looking like the intimidating unit that it had been through the first month of the season.

The Bengals took a 7-0 lead into halftime, with Burrow’s touchdown being the only score. The Bengals’ defense was much better, and the highlight was the pass rush sparked by defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins’ return. But facing a struggling Giants’ offense, all that the Bengals had to do was make a few plays to pull out the win.

For the first five weeks of the season, the defense couldn't buy those plays when it needed them the most. The Bengals got a few of those on Sunday.

A missed 47-yard kick from the Giants prevented them from tying the score early in the fourth quarter. New York had another chance at a game-tying field goal later on but went for it on 4th and 3 from the Bengals’ 36-yard line.

Bengals cornerback DJ Turner broke up the pass over the middle for Giants receiver Darius Slayton. Turner had a rocky game, but he made the play when it mattered most.

To run out the clock, running back Chase Brown scored a 30-yard touchdown that iced the win.

“Fortunately, we were able to lean on the defense today,” Burrow said. “It was great to see them step up like that. They needed that one.”

The Giants’ defensive line makes Joe Burrow run

The Bengals tried everything to neutralize the Giants’ star-studded pass rush. Taylor called quick game passes and play action passes, moved the pocket and tried everything from max protection formations to empty sets.

No matter what the Bengals tried, the Bengals’ offensive line got knocked around and allowed five sacks.

Burrow had to take off on his 47-yard touchdown run because the Giants created pressure from the right side of the pocket. Burrow was consistently scrambling around the pocket, taking hits and making throws with pass rushers in his face.

“I missed some throws I normally make,” Burrow said. “I felt like I let the pressure get to me a little bit. I was able to settle down in the second half and find a rhythm. In the first half, I wasn’t in a rhythm at all.”

Giants defensive end Brian Burns, a two-time Pro Bowler, screamed around the edge on a 3rd and 1 run by the Bengals and ended the drive with a tackle for loss.

The Bengals’ offensive line has been a strength this year, but the Giants had all of the answers against that unit on Sunday. Burrow took a hit in the fourth quarter that was so vicious he had to be evaluated by trainers in the blue medical tent.

The Bengals took a 10-7 lead late in the third quarter with a field goal by Evan McPherson. A 33-yard throw from Burrow to Chase got the Bengals in scoring range. When Burrow got flushed out of the pocket again, he heaved the ball down the field to Chase, who beat an outmatched cornerback and made the play.

“Offensively, we were able to finish it out,” Burrow said. “We found a way to go on the road and get one for ourselves.”

The Bengals’ defense capitalizes on poor day by Daniel Jones

Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, who New York’s front office actively tried to replace this offseason, lived up to his reputation with shaky accuracy all game. Even when Bengals’ cornerbacks were out of position, a poor throw led to a positive play for the Bengals.

Still, a splash play by the Bengals’ defense in the first quarter represented a notable step forward.All year, the Bengals haven’t won enough one-on-one plays at the line of scrimmage and generated enough pass rush. With Rankins’ return, the Bengals had their full complement of pass rushers for the first time all year.

“You saw us rolling and playing fresh,” defensive end Sam Hubbard said. “It went a long way.”

Rankins had a strong game, and the highlight of the night by the Bengals’ defense came from the teammate lined up right next to him.

In the first quarter, defensive tackle BJ Hill broke through the line of scrimmage with a terrific pass rush move. Jones made a terrible decision to throw as he took a massive hit, and Jones’ pass turned into a can of corn for an interception by linebacker Germaine Pratt.

The Bengals survive a number of losing plays

The Bengals should have blown out the Giants on Sunday, but one mistake piled up after another.

Running back Zack Moss fumbled a carry in Giants’ territory. Burrow bounced a potential touchdown throw to wide receiver Andrei Iosivas, and a touchdown run got called back due to a penalty by left guard Cordell Volson.

Two stops by the Bengals’ defense turned into first downs as a result of holding penalties by Turner. The Giants scored a touchdown on a 16-play drive that safety Vonn Bell and defensive end Joseph Ossai could have stopped with tackles on two separate plays.

These types of problems have cost the Bengals all season. The Giants weren’t good enough to capitalize on them on Sunday.

Even though the Bengals pulled out the win, the game provided several reminders of how far the Bengals have to go.

“It’s a resilient group that goes about it the right way, believes in each other and believes in what we’re doing,” head coach Zac Taylor said. “That’s what I expect to see from those guys.”

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Takeaways: Bengals overcome mistakes to get primetime win over Giants