The New York Giants couldn’t overcome their primetime curse on Sunday Night Football, falling to the Cincinnati Bengals, 17-7, at MetLife Stadium.
The offense, without rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers, couldn’t generate any big plays down the field against a porous secondary, while a healthier Bengals defensive line limited Giants running backs to 3.15 yards per carry.
Special teams fared no better as replacement kicker Greg Joseph missed two fourth quarter field goals wide right.
But there was one bright spot — Shane Bowen’s increasingly dominant defense.
Joe Burrow and the Bengals entered Sunday’s game averaging 32.5 points per game over the past month but were limited to just 17 on the night. Superstar wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins were kept under 80 yards each, and Burrow barely eclipsed 200 yards passing.
Retired offensive lineman and current NFL analyst, Brian Baldinger, took a look at that defensive performance and focused on two players: linebacker Azeez Ojulari and nose tackle Dexter Lawrence.
.@Giants defense couldnt play much better v @bengals who had been averaging 35 points a game over the last 3 games. @agentdexy97 has 7 sacks in first 6 games. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/DDbXbJrhlr
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) October 15, 2024
“When you watch it, Ojulari was outstanding,” Baldinger said. “Just outstanding in place of Kayvon (Thibodeaux).”
Ojulari created the pressure and pushed Burrow off his mark allowing Lawrence to swoop in for his seventh sack of the season.
.@Giants @agentdexy97 with his 7th sack of the season. And so timely holding the @bengals to a FG. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/u0VYiXOqPI
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) October 14, 2024
“Dexter Lawrence with his seventh sack of the season, pushing both the center and the guard. Joe Burrow gets off and there’s Dexy, right there. Another sack,” Baldinger said. “I mean, is any defensive tackle — nose tackle — playing any better than Dexter Lawrence?”
To answer Baldinger’s question, no. No one on defense is playing better than Lawrence. Full stop.
And credit to Ojulari as well.
