When the schedule makers first circled the Cincinnati Bengals vs Giants date for the 2024 season, a lot of folks probably looked at it as just another mid-season filler. But honestly? That Sunday night game at MetLife Stadium turned out to be one of the weirdest, most telling games of the year. It wasn't just about two teams trying to claw their way out of a 1-4 hole; it was a bizarre defensive struggle that flipped everyone’s expectations on their head.
Normally, when you think of the Bengals, you think of Joe Burrow carving up secondaries with Ja’Marr Chase. You think of 40-point shootouts. But that’s not what happened. Instead, we got a game where the "maligned" Cincinnati defense—which had been getting shredded by just about everyone—suddenly decided to play like the '85 Bears for four quarters.
Why the Cincinnati Bengals vs Giants 2024 Meeting Was So Weird
The final score was 17-7. It sounds like a boring Big Ten game from the 90s. But if you actually watched it, you saw something pretty historic right out of the gate. On the opening possession, Joe Burrow didn't throw a touchdown. He didn't even look like he wanted to throw. Faced with a third-and-18, Burrow saw a hole, hit the gas, and rumbled for a 47-yard touchdown.
It was the longest rushing touchdown by a quarterback in the history of the Cincinnati Bengals franchise. Seriously. Longer than Jeff Driskel, longer than Ken Anderson. Burrow isn’t exactly Lamar Jackson, but for one play, he looked like a track star.
- The stat line: 47 yards on the ground.
- The impact: It set a tone that the Bengals could win ugly.
- The irony: Cincinnati’s high-flying offense only managed 10 more points the rest of the night.
Basically, the Giants' defense, led by Dexter Lawrence and Brian Burns, did a phenomenal job. They sacked Burrow four times. They made him look human. Usually, holding a Zac Taylor offense to 17 points at home is a recipe for a Giants win. But New York just couldn't capitalize.
The Defense Nobody Saw Coming
Going into this game, the Bengals' defense was ranked 31st in the league. They were basically a "get right" game for any struggling quarterback. Daniel Jones and the Giants must have been licking their chops.
👉 See also: What Really Happened With Nick Chubb: The Injury, The Recovery, and The Houston Twist
But things went sideways for Big Blue almost immediately. Daniel Jones threw a brutal interception to Germaine Pratt near the goal line in the first quarter. That’s a 10-point swing right there. Then you had B.J. Hill—a former Giant who New York traded away years ago—playing like a man possessed. He was in the backfield all night, hitting Jones and disrupting the timing of a Giants offense that was already missing Malik Nabers.
It's kinda funny how narratives work. We spent all week talking about how Burrow would need to put up 40 to win, and instead, Trey Hendrickson and the pass rush just absolutely took over. Hendrickson finished with two sacks, and the Giants' offense spent most of the fourth quarter looking completely lost.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. and the Giants' Missed Opportunities
You’ve gotta feel for Tyrone Tracy Jr. The rookie was one of the few bright spots for New York. He finished with 50 yards on the ground and his first NFL touchdown, capping off a massive 16-play drive that actually made the game feel competitive in the third quarter.
The problem? The Giants were 3-for-5 on fourth down but couldn't make the ones that mattered count. Greg Joseph missed two field goals—one from 47 yards and one from 45. In a 10-7 game, those are killers. You can't leave six points on the turf against a team with Joe Burrow, even if Burrow is having an "off" night.
Honestly, the turning point was a fumble that didn't happen. Well, it did happen, but the ball rolled out of bounds. Chase Brown coughed it up late in the fourth quarter, and for a second, every Bengals fan in the world felt their stomach drop. But the ball trickled past the sideline, Cincinnati kept possession, and one play later, Brown broke off a 30-yard touchdown run to ice it.
✨ Don't miss: Men's Sophie Cunningham Jersey: Why This Specific Kit is Selling Out Everywhere
Historical Context: The Long Game
When you look at the all-time series, the Cincinnati Bengals vs Giants history is surprisingly close. After that 2024 win, Cincinnati leads the all-time regular-season series 7-5. It’s a matchup that only happens once every four years (outside of the occasional preseason tilt), which is why there isn't a "blood feud" rivalry here.
But there is a lot of shared DNA.
- B.J. Hill: The defensive tackle was traded from the Giants to the Bengals in 2021 for Billy Price. It remains one of the most lopsided trades in recent memory, as Hill became a cornerstone for a Super Bowl team while Price struggled.
- The MetLife Curse: The Bengals have historically struggled in East Rutherford, but this 17-7 victory broke a bit of that hex.
- Defensive Identity: Both teams are currently trying to build through the front four. Seeing Dexter Lawrence and Trey Hendrickson on the same field is a masterclass in modern defensive line play.
What This Means for Your Roster and Betting Picks
If you're looking at this matchup from a fantasy or betting perspective, there are some hard truths to swallow. First, the under is almost always a "look" when these two play. Despite the offensive stars, the Giants' defensive scheme under Brian Daboll and Shane Bowen has a way of making life difficult for Joe Burrow.
For fantasy owners, Chase Brown has clearly taken the lead over Zack Moss in the Bengals' backfield. That 2024 game was the unofficial passing of the torch. Brown’s explosive 30-yarder showed the "home run" threat that Moss just doesn't quite have.
On the New York side, if Malik Nabers isn't on the field, the Giants' offense is basically "Daniel Jones scrambles and hopes for the best." Darius Slayton is a solid secondary target, but they lack the vertical threat to keep safeties out of the box.
🔗 Read more: Why Netball Girls Sri Lanka Are Quietly Dominating Asian Sports
Actionable Insights for the Next Matchup
When these two teams meet again, don't just look at the offensive rankings. Here is how you should actually evaluate the game:
- Check the Turnover Margin: In their last three meetings, the team that won the turnover battle won the game. It sounds cliché, but for these two specific teams, it’s the only stat that matters.
- Watch the Red Zone Efficiency: The Giants' failure to score from the 5-yard line in 2024 was the difference between a win and a loss.
- Monitor the Pass Rush: If Dexter Lawrence is healthy, the Bengals will struggle to run the ball up the middle. They are forced to go East-West, which plays into the Giants' athletic linebacker core.
The Cincinnati Bengals vs Giants matchup might not be a "rivalry" in the traditional sense, but it’s become a litmus test for both franchises. For the Bengals, it’s about proving they can win when the offense is cold. For the Giants, it’s about finding a way to finish drives. Next time they play, ignore the "experts" who predict a blowout. This one is always closer and uglier than it looks on paper.
Make sure to keep an eye on the injury report for the defensive interior. If the Bengals' B.J. Hill or the Giants' Dexter Lawrence are out, the entire geometry of the game changes. That’s where the real battle is won—not on the outside with the wide receivers, but in the trenches where nobody is looking.
Next Steps for Fans:
If you want to dive deeper into the tactical side, go back and watch the "All-22" film of the Bengals' third-down defense from their 2024 meeting. You’ll see exactly how Lou Anarumo used "simulated pressures" to confuse Daniel Jones into that crucial first-quarter interception. Understanding those defensive alignments will give you a much better idea of how Cincinnati plans to handle mobile quarterbacks in the future.