EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Joe Burrow made enough plays and the Bengals’ ferocious defense stepped up and earned a much-needed victory that gave Cincinnati some hope after a poor start.
Burrow He scored on a 47-yard run On the opening possession, Chase Brown added a 30-yard run on the game-clinching play after his fumble was fortunately out of bounds in a 17-7 win over the New York Giants on Sunday night.
“We really needed him,” Burrow said after the Bengals improved to 2-4. “I don’t want to say we’d be out of it if we lost, but we’ll be scratching and clawing for the rest of the year. We still are really but it was good to get the win. It’s great to see our defense step up like that. They’ve taken some heat in the two weeks They played great tonight.”
Evan McPherson made the go-ahead 37-yard field goal in the third quarter after a botched snap and fumble contributed to him missing a potential game-winning kick a week ago.
Rookie Tyrone Tracy ran for a 1-yard touchdown for the Giants (2-4), who have not had a win at home in three games and one of them scored a single touchdown. They failed to capitalize on a Bengals defense that ranked 31st in the league in scoring.
The Giants punted four times in the first half. In the second, they turned it over twice and Greg Joseph missed two field goal attempts.
The high-scoring Bengals were coming off a heartbreaking 41-38 overtime loss to visiting Baltimore, their second defeat of the season in which Burrow and the offense scored more than 30 points. McPherson’s missed punt contributed to the defeat, but the Bengals also couldn’t stop the Ravens and Lamar Jackson.
This time, Cincinnati was led by defensive tackle Trey Hendrickson, who had two sacks, and linebacker Jermaine Pratt, who intercepted Daniel Jones near the goal line in the first quarter after former Giant P.J. Hill hit Jones while throwing.
“We knew we had to come out and play our football,” Hill said. “We were better at it. We’re still not perfect, and we still have a long way to go, but we can build on this win.”
After Tracy’s TD run tied the game, the Bengals quickly regained the lead as Burrow danced in the backfield to buy himself time to find Ja’Marr Chase on a 33-yard pass to the Giants 37. McPherson converted his own go-ahead field goal with 41 seconds to go. End of quarter.
New York had a chance to tie the game shortly after, but Joseph missed a 47-yard attempt when the kick deflected hard left as it approached the post.
The Giants had another chance to tie it late in the fourth quarter, but a cross pass to Darius Slayton was broken up by DJ Turner.
The Giants, who had not scored a touchdown in the first 10 quarters at home this season, finally found the end zone on a one-yard Tracy run with 5:48 remaining in the third quarter. It capped a 16-run, 79 drive that featured two fourth-down conversions by Tracy.
Burrow put the Bengals ahead with his legs. After scrambling for a first down on the third play from scrimmage, he went unaffected on a 47-yard run for a TD on third-and-18.
“I saw an opening, and I saw it was man coverage,” said Burrow, who led the Bengals with 55 yards rushing on four carries. “I was able to squeak out of there and find the end zone.”
Burrow’s previous long run was 23 yards twice in his career that began in 2020.
The Giants played without rookie playmaker Malik Nabers (concussion) and starting running back Devin Singletary (groin) for the second straight week, showing Nabers’ absence.
“We didn’t score enough points offensively, and it starts with me,” coach Brian Daboll said. “It’s hard to win games when you score seven points, that’s the reality of it.”
Jones went 22 of 41 for 205 yards and also led New York with 56 yards rushing on 11 carries. Burrow had similar numbers — 19 of 28 for 208 yards — but was good enough when it mattered.
Injuries
Bengals: Burrow was evaluated in the sideline medical tent after being hit by Brian Burns but returned the next series.
Giants: Slayton was evaluated for a concussion and is back.
the next
Bengals: At Cleveland next Sunday.
Giants: Host their former star Saquon Barkley and Philadelphia next Sunday.
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