By Andrew Rosario
The good news that came out of the New York Football Giants victory over the Cincinnati Bengals last Sunday afternoon at Paul Brown Stadium was that they shared first place in a very flawed NFC East with the Washington Football Team. If the season would have ended Sunday, Big Blue would be the division winner as a result of them sweeping Washington. The bad news was New York having to hold off the Bengals after starting quarterback Daniel Jones could not finish the game due to a pulled hamstring. With 6:04 left in the third quarter, Jones runs up the middle for a 7-yard gain. Jones gets up limping and before handing the ball off to running back Wayne Gallman. Jones’ next pass attempt was completed to Gallman but it was clear he could not put any weight on his leg. Said Jones after, “I did feel it there on that run and probably never had anything exactly like this.” In comes back-up quarterback Colt McCoy. The drive ended in a Graham Gano 40-yard field goal giving the Giants a 13-10 lead. Jones went to the tent to be checked out by the trainers who cleared him to return. After two plays, Jones knew his day was over. “Just (was trying to test) how I was throwing the ball, planting, pushing off of it and trying to see what I can do and how I could move,” Jones said. “That was what I was looking for and didn’t think I was in great shape to do that at that point.”
The Bengals had quarterback issues of their own as their rookie sensation Joe Burrow blew out his left knee the week before against Washington ending his season. In steps Brandon Allen who started three games last year (1-2) as a member of the Denver Broncos. The rust showed as the Giants threw every defensive scheme at him. Allen finished the day completing 17 of 29 passes for 136 yards, 1 td and 1 int. After the Giants extended the lead (19-10) after another Gano field goal, Allen drives the Bengals 40 yards in 7 plays ending in a 1-yard touchdown pass to Tee Higgins getting them within 2 (19-17). The Giants would go three and out giving Allen a chance for the upset. With only .57 seconds left and on the 50-yard line, Allen drops back only to get sacked by Jabaal Sheard forcing a fumble that is recovered by Leonard Williams securing the game.
Daniel Jones underwent an MRI Monday and the results did not reveal the severity of his injury. Head coach Joe Judge in his Monday afternoon zoom call said, “there are actually more question marks than answers right now, to be honest with you. We have to wait and see how this guy responds in a couple of days.” Losing Jones for any number of games, especially at this point of the season, will hurt the team. McCoy is a veteran and the offense would have to be paired down under new offensive coordinator Jason Garrett. The Giants travel to Seattle Sunday to face a Seahawks team that took out the Philadelphia Eagles Monday night. After that, they host Arizona and Cleveland before traveling to Baltimore. They end their season at MetLife Stadium against division rival Dallas. Not an easy schedule.
Running back Wayne Gallman had another solid game running for 94 yards on 24 carries, 1 touchdown. He will have to continue to be productive in order for the offense to be successful. Defensively, the team held the Bengals to 155 total yards and stopped them 7 of 10 times on third down. Big Blue will face two of the best quarterbacks in Russell Wilson and Kyler Murray the next two weeks. Said Judge on facing Seattle, “we have a tough game, a tough opponent this week. We have to get ready. Obviously, it’s that quick turnaround to go out there and go out west. We have to do everything we can to get ourselves ready. It’s going to be a tough opponent, great challenge going to Seattle.”
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