The Cincinnati Bengals will look to get their season back on track when they travel to New York to take on the Giants in the latest edition of Sunday Night Football.
Will the Bengals finally get a win, or can the Giants continue to exceed expectations? It’s an exciting prime-time game. Who will be the winning NFL pick at the top-rated sportsbooks?
NFL Pick
- New York Giants +3.5 (-110) at Bet365 (check our Bet365 Review)
Cincinnati Bengals vs. New York Giants
Sunday, October 13, 2024 – 08:20 PM ET at MetLife Stadium
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals might be the best 1-4 team in the history of the NFL.
The Bengals lost another close game when they fell in overtime 41-38 to the Baltimore Ravens last Sunday. They had an opportunity to get the win, yet the holder fumbled the snap and kicker Evan McPherson’s kick sailed left, allowing Baltimore the opportunity to get the win.
The Bengals have continuously come up short this season, and this is as close as we have seen to a must-win so far for any team this year.
Offense Shines, Defense Falters
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has not been the problem this year, passing for 1370 yards with 12 TDS and only two interceptions. He’s done an excellent job getting WR Ja’Marr Chase involved, who has 493 yards and five touchdowns. However, the Bengals are going to need to play better defense if they are going to be able to turn their season around.
The Bengals are currently 31st in the league in points allowed, at 29 points per game. They are 26th in the league in yards allowed at 365.4. They have been particularly vulnerable to the run, averaging 151.4 rushing yards against, which is 30th in the league.
The Bengals have an excellent team, and it will not take much to get this team back on track. However, the Bengals have been plagued with contract issues and the question needs to be asked; is their refusal to play top players coming home to roost? The Bengals have several disgruntled players due to the organization’s cheapness. If they fail to beat the Giants this Sunday, the season could be lost.
New York Giants
The New York Giants improved to 2-3 with a 29-20 win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. The Giants have lost both the home games they played so far this season, and will look to turn that around against the high-flying Bengals offense.
The Giants currently rank 16th in the league in passing yards at 227.6 and are 27th overall in points. They only average 17.8 points per game. The Giants will try to get their offense back on track against the floundering Bengals’ defense.
Nabors is Back
The Giants should be excited to have standout rookie WR Malik Nabors back in the lineup. Nabors has 386 yards and three touchdowns this season. The Giants will look to get the ball to Nabors early and often in order to keep pace with Cincinnati.
The Giants’ defense is playing better than expected this season and did a good job holding the Seahawks to 20 points last week. The Giants have a fearsome pass rush and are going to need to get pressure on Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow in order to have a chance to succeed in this game.
Giants Offensive Line vs. Bengals Defensive Line
The Cincinnati Bengals’ weakness this season has been stopping the run. The Giants will look to run the ball and continue that trend. If the Giants can establish the run early, Cincinnati could be in for another long day. If Cincinnati is finally able to shut down the running game and force Giants QB Daniel Jones to take to the air, they have a great chance to win their second game of the season.
The Bengals’ defensive line has been the biggest weakness of the team this season. The Bengals have been continually thrashed on the ground, and if they cannot turn that around, they’ll be in it for a tough season. The Bengals have an opportunity to get right here in prime time, but multiple injuries to the defensive line are taking their toll. If the Giants are able to take advantage of this weakness like other teams have, the Bengals could lose yet again
The Pick
The Giants are being undervalued in this spot. Catching 3.5 points at home is too much going against a Cincinnati team who has yet to put things together this season. Although the Cincinnati offense is good, the defense is pretty bad. The Giants will take advantage of that newfound momentum at home and keep this game close. Take the New York Giants + 3.5.
NFL Pick: New York Giants +3.5 (-110) at Bet365
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