These are two teams heading in opposite directions at the moment.
With Burrow behind center, the Bengals looked like a tough out for most teams on the schedule because of Higgins, Boyd, and running back Joe Mixon leading a star-studded offensive attack. However, with Burrow and Mixon out, the Bengals look more like timid kittens on offense than a threat to knock off a playoff caliber roster.
Defensively, the Bengals are a mess.
Meanwhile, the Giants have won two consecutive games, nearly pulled off an upset against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier this month and are coming off the bye week as the healthier team.
Cincinnati’s wide receivers are most certainly going to be a problem, but the Giants have far more firepower on offense and the front-seven is playing some of its best football of the season while anchoring an ascending defense.
Call me crazy, but I think this could be a high-scoring affair and the Giants hold on for a critical win.
The pick: Giants 36, Bengals 27
Matt Lombardo is the site expert for GMenHQ, and writes Between The Hash Marks each Wednesday for FanSided. Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattLombardoNFL.