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Despite Brian Daboll's bold decision-making, which featured five fourth-down attempts in the second half to ignite a struggling offense, the New York Giants fell 17-7 to the Cincinnati Bengals at MetLife Stadium on Sunday night.
“It’s hard to win games when you score seven points,” Daboll said, addressing the offense's struggles. While they finally scored their first home touchdown of the season, the team also had a red-zone turnover and missed two easy field-goal attempts. “Seven points won’t get it done,” he added.
Multiple missed opportunities for Brian Daboll and the Giants
The Giants had an opportunity to tie the game with 10:27 left, but Greg Joseph's 47-yard field goal veered wide left. After the defense forced a punt, the Giants regained possession at their own 11-yard line with 8:06 on the clock. They drove to the Bengals' 35, but on a crucial third-and-2, running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. slipped, resulting in a 1-yard loss.
Instead of attempting a 54-yard field goal, the Giants opted to go for it on fourth down. Daniel Jones' pass to Darius Slayton over the middle was broken up by DJ Turner II, turning the ball over to the Bengals with 3:01 remaining.
The defense came close to forcing a three-and-out, but on third-and-12 from the 34, Joe Burrow scrambled and connected with Andrei Iosivas for a 29-yard completion, effectively sealing the Bengals' win.
Chase Brown fumbled on the next play before the two-minute warning, giving Jason Pinnock a chance to recover. However, the ball went out of bounds, allowing the Bengals to retain possession.
On the following play, Brown secured the ball and sprinted 30 yards for a touchdown with 1:52 left on the clock. Greg Joseph missed a 45-yard field goal with 51 seconds remaining, ending any chance of a Giants comeback. Both the Giants, now 0-3 at home, and the Bengals sit at 2-4 for the season.
This loss dropped Daniel Jones' career primetime record to 1-14. He hasn't thrown a touchdown pass at home since clinching a playoff berth against the Colts late in 2022. Jones went 22-for-41, passing for 205 yards with an interception, while adding 56 rushing yards on 11 carries. Tyrone Tracy Jr. contributed 17 carries for 50 yards and caught six passes for 57 yards.
The Giants turning aggressive during the second half
After a sluggish first half, the Giants took a more aggressive approach. On fourth-and-2 from their own 38, with the Bengals declining an illegal-formation penalty to test them, Brian Daboll kept the offense on the field.
“I thought we needed to be aggressive. We didn’t have any points, and I felt good about the stuff we had,” said the Giants head coach.
Three plays later, Azeez Ojulari forced a fumble on Zack Moss, which Micah McFadden recovered, giving the Giants another chance. Staying aggressive, the Giants faced another fourth-and-2, this time from their 40. They executed an option pitch to Tyrone Tracy, gaining 4 yards and keeping the drive alive.
On a fourth-and-1 from the Bengals' 35, the Giants converted once more with a 5-yard run by Tyrone Tracy thanks to a crucial block by tight end Chris Manhertz. A pass-interference call on a throw to Darius Slayton in the end zone placed the ball at the 1-yard line. Tracy then finished the 16-play, 79-yard drive with a touchdown run, marking the Giants' first home touchdown of the season and tying the game at 7.
Continued struggles for Giants' Daniel Jones
The Bengals quickly countered with an offensive surge as Joe Burrow found Ja'Marr Chase for a 33-yard gain, advancing the ball to the Giants' 1-yard line. On third-and-goal, it appeared that Zack Moss had crossed into the end zone, but Cordell Volson was flagged for holding Dexter Lawrence.
This setback moved the Bengals back to third-and-goal from the 11, where Lawrence sacked Burrow, leading to a 37-yard field goal that gave the Bengals a 10-7 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
The Giants' best opportunity to score, aside from the touchdown, came late in the first quarter. Daniel Jones had connected on three-straight passes for a total of 38 yards, bringing the ball to the 14-yard line.
However, on his next dropback, he attempted to force a risky pass into the end zone while being pressured by Bengals rusher and former Giant B.J. Hill. The pass floated and was intercepted by Germaine Pratt at the 3-yard line.
In the second quarter, the Giants almost had a huge highlight when Daniel Jones found Darius Slayton for a 56-yard gain. However, a penalty for illegal motion on Andrew Thomas wiped out the completion. Consequently, the Giants' longest gain of the night remained just 15 yards.
With a 2-4 record, Brian Daboll and the Giants remain winless at home (0-3), and their quarterback struggles in primetime games. Giants fans, who deserve a team that can inspire their cheers, expect better performances.
