Okay, so the Cincinnati Bengals beat the New York Giants 17-7 back on October 13, 2024. I know, not exactly a high-scoring thriller, right? But man, this game had some moments that’ll make you remember it.
Both teams came into this one with 1-4 records. Yeah, they were both struggling bad. So this wasn’t just another Sunday night game—this was basically a “we need this win or our season’s toast” kind of situation.
The game happened at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, and almost 79,000 fans showed up to watch. The weather was decent, the lights were bright, and both teams were hungry. Let’s break down what actually went down.
The Final Numbers Don’t Tell the Whole Story
Final Score:
- Bengals: 17
- Giants: 7
Now here’s the crazy part. The Giants actually controlled most of the game. They had the ball for almost 34 minutes compared to Cincinnati’s 26 minutes. They ran 74 plays while the Bengals only ran 52.
But you know what they say—it’s not about how much you do, it’s about what you do with it. And the Giants? They couldn’t do much with all that time and those extra plays.
Joe Burrow vs Daniel Jones: Tale of Two Quarterbacks
Joe Burrow’s Night
Let me tell you about Joe Burrow’s stats:
- He completed 19 out of 28 passes
- Threw for 208 yards
- Zero touchdowns through the air
- Zero interceptions (that’s huge!)
- .. he ran for 55 yards and scored a rushing touchdown
Now that rushing touchdown? Dude, that was insane. Picture this: it’s 3rd down, the Bengals need 18 yards, and instead of forcing a bad throw, Burrow just takes off running. He goes 47 yards—the longest rushing TD by a Bengals quarterback EVER. The speed tracker said he hit almost 20 mph. For a quarterback, that’s wild.
Burrow didn’t have flashy passing numbers, but he played smart. No stupid throws, no turnovers, and when they needed a play, he made it happen. That’s veteran quarterback play right there.
Daniel Jones Struggled Hard
Poor Daniel Jones. Look at his numbers:
- 22 completions out of 41 attempts (only 53.7%)
- 205 passing yards
- Zero touchdowns
- 1 interception (at the worst possible time)
- He also ran for 56 yards on 11 carries
That completion percentage tells you everything. Jones was missing guys all night. The Giants offense couldn’t get into any rhythm, and when you’re completing barely half your passes, you’re in trouble.
The worst part? His interception came near the goal line. The Giants had a chance to score, and Jones threw it right to Germaine Pratt. Game over for that drive.
When your quarterback is your leading rusher with 56 yards, something’s not working. The Giants had to rely on Jones running because nothing else was clicking.
The Running Game: One Team Had It, One Didn’t
Bengals’ Ground Attack
Chase Brown was the main guy:
- 10 carries for 33 yards
- 1 touchdown
Chase had a rough night for most of the game—just 23 yards on his first 9 carries. But then late in the fourth quarter, boom! He breaks off a 30-yard touchdown run that basically ended the game. That’s what good running backs do—they wait for their moment.
Don’t forget Burrow’s 55 rushing yards too. Between Chase’s late TD and Burrow’s big scramble, the Bengals rushing attack came through when it mattered.
Giants Couldn’t Run at All
The Giants managed only 50 yards rushing the entire game. That’s terrible. They averaged less than 3 yards per carry.
Daniel Jones with 56 rushing yards was literally their best rusher. That’s not a game plan—that’s desperation. When you can’t run the ball, the defense knows you’re passing, and everything gets harder.
Wide Receivers: Who Showed Up?
Bengals Pass Catchers
Tee Higgins was Joe Burrow’s best friend:
- 7 catches for 77 yards
- He caught literally everything thrown his way (7 targets, 7 catches)
When Burrow needed a safe throw, he found Higgins. Every. Single. Time.
Ja’Marr Chase made the biggest catch:
- 5 receptions for 72 yards
- That 33-yard grab set up the go-ahead field goal
Chase is that guy who shows up in big moments. When the Bengals absolutely needed yards, Chase got them.
The Bengals finished with 19 catches for 208 yards as a team. Not huge numbers, but efficient.
Giants Pass Catchers
Wan’Dale Robinson and Darius Slayton both caught 6 passes for 57 yards each. Theo Johnson added 5 catches for 50 yards.
The Giants actually had 22 catches for 205 yards—almost identical to the Bengals! But here’s the difference: the Giants couldn’t score with all those catches. They moved the ball but couldn’t finish drives. That’s the frustrating part for Giants fans.
Defense: Where the Game Was Really Won
Bengals Defense Stepped Up Big Time
Coming into this game, the Bengals defense was giving up 29 points per game. Not good. But against the Giants? They only allowed 7 points. That’s a massive improvement.
Trey Hendrickson had both of Cincinnati’s sacks. The guy was in Daniel Jones’ face all night, hitting him 3 times total. When your pass rusher is on fire like that, it makes the quarterback rush everything.
B.J. Hill was a monster in the middle:
- 7 tackles
- 2 pass breakups
- 2 quarterback hits
Hill’s pressure forced that huge interception. He was collapsing the pocket from the inside all game.
Germaine Pratt came up with the game-changing interception at the goal line. The Giants were about to score, and Pratt just snatched it away. That’s a 14-point swing right there—instead of tying the game, the Giants got nothing.
DJ Turner II had the play of the game at the end. Fourth down, Giants trying to come back, and Turner breaks up the pass. Game over. No comeback for you.
The Bengals recorded 69 total tackles, 2 sacks, and 8 pass breakups. More importantly, they held the Giants to just 7 points.
Giants Defense Tried Their Best
Dexter Lawrence had 8 tackles, 1 sack, and 2 QB hits. He was doing his job.
Bobby Okereke led the team with 9 tackles. The guy was everywhere.
The Giants defense actually recorded 4 sacks and 7 tackles for loss—more than the Bengals! But they couldn’t create that one turnover when they needed it most. Defense can only do so much if your offense isn’t scoring.
The Plays That Changed Everything
Let me break down the four moments that decided this game:
- Burrow’s 47-yard rushing TD – Changed the whole vibe. Giants thought they had him stopped, and he just takes off. Momentum shift, baby.
- Pratt’s goal-line interception – Giants about to tie it up, and nope. Interception. That’s heartbreaking for New York fans.
- Chase’s 33-yard catch – Set up the field goal that put the Bengals ahead for good. When you need your superstar to make a play, he did.
- Chase Brown’s 30-yard TD run – Put the nail in the coffin. Up by 3 isn’t safe, but up by 10 with a few minutes left? That’s game.
The Giants needed 16 plays to score their one touchdown. The Bengals scored on one play (Burrow’s run) and another single play (Brown’s run). That’s the difference between efficient offense and struggling offense.
Red Zone: The Real Story
Bengals in the Red Zone
Perfect. Every time the Bengals got close to scoring, they scored. Two touchdowns, one field goal. That’s 100% efficiency.
Giants in the Red Zone
Horrible. They got down there and couldn’t punch it in. The interception at the goal line? That’s the story of their night. Get close, fail to score.
You can move the ball all you want, but if you can’t score when you’re close, you’re not winning games. The Giants learned that the hard way.
Third Down & Fourth Down: Crucial Moments
Third Down Conversions:
- Bengals: 5 out of 13 (38%)
- Giants: 5 out of 16 (31%)
Neither team was great, but the Bengals were slightly better.
Fourth Down Conversions:
- Bengals: Didn’t try any
- Giants: 0 out of 2 (failed both)
That fourth-down stop by DJ Turner? That ended the Giants’ last hope. When you go 0-for-2 on fourth down, you’re basically giving the game away.
The Injury Factor
The Giants were missing some big names. Malik Nabers, their rookie receiver who was having a great season, was out. Before getting hurt, he had 35 catches for 386 yards. That’s your best young weapon gone.
They were also without linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux, which hurt their pass rush.
When you’re missing your explosive rookie receiver and one of your best pass rushers, you’re already playing uphill. The Giants just didn’t have enough weapons to overcome these losses.
What the Numbers Really Mean
Yards Per Play:
- Bengals: 6.3
- Giants: 4.4
The Bengals got way more yards every time they ran a play. That’s efficiency.
Explosive Plays (15+ yards):
- Bengals: 8 big plays
- Giants: 4 big plays
The Bengals had twice as many chunk plays. Those are the plays that kill defenses and flip field position fast.
Fantasy Football Stuff
If you had these guys on your fantasy team:
Winners:
- Tee Higgins: 15.7 points (solid WR2 numbers)
- Chase Brown: 13.3 points (that late TD saved his day)
- Joe Burrow: 18.2 points (that rushing TD was huge)
Losers:
- Daniel Jones: 8.5 points (rough night)
- Ja’Marr Chase: 12.2 points (decent but not his usual monster game)
Betting & Predictions
The Bengals were supposed to win by about 3.5 points. They won by 10, so they covered the spread easily.
The over/under was 47 total points. The game ended with only 24 points combined. That’s way under. If you bet the under, you made money.
This was one of those defensive games that nobody predicted. Everyone thought it’d be a shootout with two struggling defenses, but it turned into a defensive battle.
What This Means Going Forward
For the Bengals (2-4)
They really needed this win. At 2-4, they’re still in trouble, but at least they’re not 1-5.
Good stuff:
- Defense finally showed up
- Burrow can hurt you with his legs now
- They make plays when it matters
Problems:
- Still below .500 with all that talent
- Offense is inconsistent
- They keep losing the time of possession battle
For the Giants (2-4)
This loss hurts because they controlled so much of the game and still lost.
Good stuff:
- They moved the ball okay
- Defense created pressure
- Jones showed some toughness running
Problems:
- Can’t score in the red zone
- That interception was a killer
- Missing too many key players
- Need more consistency from Jones
My Take on This Game
Look, this wasn’t a pretty game. Both teams came in struggling, and you could tell. But the Bengals found a way to win, and that’s what matters.
The difference? The Bengals made plays when they had to. Burrow’s crazy run, Pratt’s interception, Chase’s big catch, Brown’s late touchdown—those are winning plays.
The Giants? They played hard, they controlled the clock, they ran more plays, but they couldn’t finish. In the NFL, you’ve got to finish drives. You’ve got to protect the ball. You’ve got to make the play on fourth down. The Giants didn’t do any of that when it counted.
What I learned from watching this game: efficiency beats volume every time. Doesn’t matter if you have the ball for 34 minutes if you only score 7 points. Doesn’t matter if you run 74 plays if you can’t get touchdowns.
The Bengals ran fewer plays, had the ball less, and still won by 10. That’s because they took care of the football, they executed in the red zone, and their defense made the big stop when they needed it.
For the Giants, this has to be frustrating. You do everything except score, and you lose. But that’s football. The scoreboard doesn’t care about your time of possession or total yards. It only cares about points.
Quick Questions People Ask
Who won the Bengals Giants game?
The Bengals won 17-7 on October 13, 2024.
How did Joe Burrow play?
Pretty good. He threw for 208 yards with no turnovers and ran for 55 yards including a 47-yard TD. Not his best passing game, but he made the plays that mattered.
What happened to Daniel Jones?
Tough night. Completed only 53% of his passes, threw an interception at the goal line, and couldn’t get the offense going.
Who were the best players?
For the Bengals: Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins, and the entire defense. For the Giants: Dexter Lawrence and Bobby Okereke on defense tried their best.
Why did the Giants lose?
Couldn’t score in the red zone, turned the ball over at a crucial moment, and failed both fourth-down attempts. Also missing key players like Malik Nabers hurt them.
Bottom Line
The Bengals vs Giants player stats tell a story about a team that knew how to win versus a team that’s still figuring it out.
Cincinnati wasn’t perfect—not even close. But they protected the ball (zero turnovers), scored when they got close (100% red zone efficiency), and their defense made the stops when it mattered.
The Giants moved the ball, controlled the clock, and still walked away with nothing but another loss. That’s the cruel part of football sometimes.
If you’re a Bengals fan, you’re breathing easier knowing your defense can actually play well. If you’re a Giants fan, you’re probably throwing stuff at your TV wondering how you control the game for 34 minutes and still lose by 10.
That’s football, folks. Sometimes the better team on paper loses, and sometimes the team that plays smarter wins. October 13, 2024, was one of those nights where being smart and efficient beat being busy and aggressive.
Both teams are still trying to save their seasons, but at least the Bengals showed they can win when it counts. The Giants? They’re still searching for answers.
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