The NY Giants may not be off to the best start of the season, sitting at 2-3 after some truly depressing losses. However, their start is nowhere near that of the Bengals. Cincinnati, despite seeming like a playoff lock, is sitting at 1-4 on the year, losing to teams like the Patriots and Commanders.
Obviously, this is a far from ideal start, and members of the team are starting to let their frustrations out. Most notably, Ja'Marr Chase took to the media this week to make it known that if the Bengals don't take this game, a big problem is going to be on the way for them:
Bengals not hiding from the obvious that their season is pretty much over with a loss to the Giants https://t.co/32ARMtFRhY
— Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) October 10, 2024
Seeing a leader like Chase say something like this should be a massive wake up call to the rest of his teammates. The Giants are no joke, but if the Bengals fall to 1-5, there is no doubt that their season is over and we could see some serious changes in Cincinnati.
Ja’Marr Chase knows the pressure is on vs. the NY Giants
On the opposite side of the spectrum, this is a crucial game for the Giants as well. If they win and propel to a 3-3 record, they become serious contenders in the NFC East and have a much brighter outlook on the season than previously thought. However, it's clear which team has more at stake in this game.
The Bengals, again, were predicted to be a playoff lock and were looking to be serious contenders in the AFC. However, the start they've had to their season has shown some serious holes on both sides of the ball, specifically on defense.
This is something the Giants must take advantage of on Sunday night. The offense has looked significantly better in recent weeks and cannot back down against the Bengals. New York has a real chance to end another team's season just six weeks into the campaign - they simply must keep their foot on the gas.