If desperation hasn’t essentially set in by Week 6 of the NFL season, then it isn’t far off, both, for the league’s struggling groups.

The Cincinnati Bengals are a kind of groups. Getting into “Sunday Night time Soccer” on NBC with a 1-4 file, their margin for error to rebound and make the playoffs was slim, to place it mildly.

With a 17-7 win on the highway towards the New York Giants, the Bengals preserved their outdoors shot on the postseason. And it wasn’t due to their normally high-performing offense. As an alternative, the win rested on a protection that has normally been the supply of the staff’s issues. 

After permitting 10 or extra factors in 75 consecutive video games, Cincinnati broke the streak whereas holding New York to factors on simply considered one of its 10 drives. Giants QB Daniel Jones accomplished barely half of his passes (22-for-41) whereas throwing an interception. 

Bengals QB Joe Burrow was uncomfortable for a lot of the evening, as effectively, regardless of getting into as one of many league’s most prolific quarterbacks over the earlier month. After being sacked 12 instances in 5 video games, he was sacked by the Giants 4 instances Sunday alone.

But Burrow made maybe the evening’s key throw with 2:12 remaining within the fourth quarter, when he scrambled to his left dealing with third-and-12 and threw throughout his physique for a 29-yard acquire. Two performs later, the Bengals scored the game-sealing landing on operating again Chase Brown’s 30-yard run.

The Bengals subsequent face the Cleveland Browns on the highway in a single week. The Giants keep at residence — the place they’re 0-3 this season — and host the Philadelphia Eagles.