NFL Game Odds: Bengals vs Giants SNF | After five games, if you had guessed that the Cincinnati Bengals would have a worse record than the New York Giants, then you would have won a lot of sports betting cash.
The Bengals have generally gotten off to slow starts in the Joe Burrow era, but by this point they have generally figured things out.
Offense isn’t the issue, shown in the 41-38 overtime loss to the Ravens. Special teams and defense are problems, with a botched snap and allowing the Ravens to pass freely.
They might be the best 1-4 team in the history of the NFL, but that’s still their record, and they have a lot of ground to cover just to think about a postseason appearance.
They take on a Giants team that has yet to win at home, but has a surprising 2-1 record away from MetLife Stadium.
Furthermore, they went to Seattle and shocked the Seahawks last week, as Daniel Jones seems to have found some confidence at the quarterback position after a frankly dreadful start to the 2024 campaign.
Don’t lock in any wagers on this Sunday night showdown until you read our thoughts on the game.
NFL Game Odds: Bengals vs Giants SNF in Week 6 | NFL 2024/25 Season
When: SNF, October 13, 2024, 8:20 pm ET
Where MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
TV: NBC
Radio: Westwood One
Live Stream: Peacock
Opening NFL Game Odds Subject to Change: Cincinnati -3.5 / O/U 48 // Cincinnati -178 / New York +144
Why should you bet on the Bengals in SNF?
Cincinnati had three different ten-point leads on the Baltimore Ravens in the second half last Sunday, but they couldn’t hold onto the lead. Joe Burrow found Ja’Marr Chase on a 70-yard catch-and-run touchdown that put the Bengals up, 38-28, with just 8:54 remaining. The problems came from the defense, as the Bengals allowed an 11-play, 70-yard drive and the Ravens got within three. The Baltimore touchdown came on a play when Lamar Jackson dropped the shotgun snap, picked it up, and was able to stiff-arm Cincinnati DE Sam Hubbard and get more time to pass.
The defense did get a fumble from Jackson in overtime, but that was when the special teams gaffes began. Holder Ryan Rehkow dropped a low snap. He set the ball down, but then kicker Evan McPherson hooked the kick. It would be easy to place the blame on Burrow for a couple of interceptions, but he also went 30 of 39 for 392 yards and five touchdowns – two apiece to Chase and Tee Higgins. The Bengals put up 38 points, which should be enough to win every week, but the defense just couldn’t get stops.
QB1.
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) October 9, 2024
Heavy emphasis on the 1. @NextGenStats | @awscloud pic.twitter.com/FVmkATYYOO
The Defense
The Cincinnati defense did bottle up Derrick Henry for most of the game – in regulation, Henry had 14 carries for just 41 yards, and the Bengals even wrapped him up for a safety in the second quarter. In overtime, though, he had a huge 51-yard carry after the Bengals’ missed field goal that set up Justin Tucker to boot the game-winner for the Ravens. If you like Cincinnati here, you’re aware of the talent differential between the two rosters, but you also think that the Bengals will be able to muster some sort of effort on defense this time around.
The Bengals’ last three losses have come in which the offense scored 25 (Kansas City), 33 (Washington), and 38 (Baltimore). That ridiculous 16-10 loss to New England in Week 1 was a comedy of errors, as the Bengals found a way to take a touchdown off the board twice in the same drive, including a player fumbling on his way into the end zone. The Giants are poised to take advantage of more mental mistakes from a team that styles itself as an AFC contender.
With these things said, Cincinnati has won 10 of their last 11 games against NFC teams, and they have gone 7-1 against the spread in Sunday games against teams below .500. Also, the Giants have lost their last two Sunday showdowns against teams below .500.
^Why should you put your money on the Giants in SNF?
Yes, the Giants beat the Seahawks on the road last week, 29-20. However, the game was a lot closer than that final score would indicate. The Giants led, 23-20, but the Seahawks were lining up to tie the game with a field goal. Isaiah Simmons jumped over the gap between the long snapper and the guard and blocked the kick. Bryce Ford-Wheaton grabbed the ball and took it 60 yards to the house with 55 seconds left on the clock, pushing the Giants’ lead to nine. Don’t overlook this win for the G-men, though – they didn’t have star rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers or tailback Devin Singletary.
They used a game plan filled with short passes designed to keep moving the chains, and quarterback Daniel Jones played with a poise and confidence that were missing in the team’s first two games. He went 23 of 34 with two touchdown passes, including a 30-yard hookup with Darius Slayton in the third quarter to put New York up, 17-10, giving them the lead for good. Slayton ended up with eight receptions for 122 yards, and rookie tailback Tyrone Tracy ran for 129 yards. On the day, New York had 420 yards of offense and controlled the ball for over 37 minutes. The final score could have been even more lopsided, but Rayshawn Jenkins returned an Eric Gray fumble 102 yards for a score in the first quarter for Seattle.
*Daniel Jones is 1 of 4 QBs with 2+ TD passes & 100+ passer rating in 3+ games this season
— Matt Citak (@MattCitak) October 11, 2024
*Wan'Dale Robinson has 5+ catches in 6 of his past 7 games
*OLB Brian Burns has 5 PD in his past 4 games
Numbers to know for Giants vs. Bengals ⤵️
📰: https://t.co/qCa8ZhCuTE pic.twitter.com/B9nwwoN5Ev
The Defense
On defense, the Giants were ferocious for most of the day. The pass rush sacked Seattle quarterback Geno Smith seven times; Dexter Lawrence II picked up three of those sacks all by himself. The Giants were also able to bottle up the Seattle running game for the most part. With the Cincinnati Bengals looming next, the Giants’ defense has to deal with a much more prolific passing attack, but they could also rely on forcing Cincinnati into a lot of third-and-long situations if they can keep the Bengals from running the ball effectively on early downs. This is a team that looks much more confident than they did after Weeks 1 and 2 – starting with the Week 3 win in Cleveland, the Giants have shown poise on both sides of the ball and have pushed their opponents hard. Expect something similar at home in prime time against Cincinnati.
The Giants’ defense permits 20.8 points per game, which ranks 11th in the NFL. They do need Daniel Jones to be good at home and in prime time, which brings pressure. However, he has shown confidence ever since the Cleveland win, and the porous Bengals defense should give him plenty of opportunities to find open targets down the field and use the zone-read on running plays to move the ball.
^NFL Game Odds: Bengals vs Giants SNF Final Score and Prediction
The Bengals have several key contributors listed as questionable for SNF, including tailback Zack Moss, defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, defensive end Joseph Ossai, and tight end Mike Gesicki.
The Giants’ injury list also has multiple key players listed as questionable: wide receiver Malik Nabers, guard Jon Runyan, tailback Devin Singletary, cornerback Adoree Jackson, and linebackers Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux.
Can the Bengals keep losing with Joe Burrow on the field?
We saw on Sunday that they can, as the Bengals got Burrow’s very best, but their defense couldn’t get stops when it mattered. The Giants lead the NFL in sacks, and while the Bengals’ pass protection is decent, they will rely heavily on Burrow to throw the ball as their running game has been decent at best. I see this game coming down to the wire, and even if Burrow can lead a last-minute drive, this is a one-score game at the most.
I predict a final score of Cincinnati 30, New York 27.
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