Underachieving Bengals can’t afford slip vs. banged-up Giants

Two teams with hopes of salvaging their season meet Sunday night when the New York Giants face the Cincinnati Bengals in East Rutherford, N.J.

The Giants (2-3) not only have the advantage of playing in their home stadium, but they are also coming off a 29-20 road win over the Seattle Seahawks and now return with a chance to get to .500 on the season.

The Bengals (1-4) hope to get past their most recent disappointment in a season full of them, as they lost 41-38 in overtime to the visiting Baltimore Ravens last week.

The Giants are dealing with injuries to key performers on both sides of the ball.

Coach Brian Daboll said outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux is week-to-week after undergoing surgery to address a wrist injury, while rookie star wide receiver Malik Nabers was improving midweek but still remained in the concussion protocol and was day-to-day.

New York running back Devin Singletary was a limited practice participant on Wednesday after sitting out last week with a groin injury. He is “trending in the right direction” toward a return Sunday night, according to Daboll.

In their win at Seattle, the Giants recorded a season-best 420 total yards. They held the Seahawks to their lowest point total of the season, and New York is allowing just 20.8 points per game.

Dexter Lawrence has fought through double and triple teams to record six sacks, the highest total by a New York player through five games since 2011, when Jason Pierre-Paul had 6.5.

“It’s not an easy thing,” Daboll said. “There were times last week where there were three guys on him. So, again, he understands that. When he gets his opportunities, he’s got to make them go. Very thankful that he’s on our football team.”

The Bengals have little to be thankful for lately.

Against the Ravens, they built three different 10-point leads in the second half thanks to an impressive performance from quarterback Joe Burrow. However, the defense failed to protect the advantages, Burrow threw a late interception in regulation and the special teams failed in overtime when holder Ryan Rehkow bobbled the snap on a potential 53-yard game-winning field goal.

Burrow, who threw a career-high five touchdown passes, completed 30 of 39 attempts for 392 yards and a 137.0 passer rating. Burrow’s top receivers — Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins — each had a pair of touchdown grabs.

Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor preached the importance of not looking beyond this week’s matchup against the Giants.

“We’re five games into the season,” Taylor said. “I know what the noise is. We’re 1-4, and so we’re accountable for all of that. It’s not good enough. We have too much talent on this team to be in the position we’ve found ourselves in right now.

“But all we can do focusing forward is (to ask ourselves), how do we beat the New York Giants? How do we have a great week, how do we get back on the winning track? You look around the AFC and there’s plenty of opportunity there moving forward, and we just need to take advantage of it.”

The Bengals have scored 30-plus points in each of their past three games. They enter Week 6 tied for fourth in the NFL in scoring (28 points per game), ninth in total offense (359 yards per game) and fifth in passing offense (263 yards per game).

The two teams are meeting for just the 12th time, with the Bengals leading the series 6-5. The Giants won the most recent meeting 19-17 in 2020 at Cincinnati, the only time the visiting team has prevailed in the past 11 encounters.

–Field Level Media

Falcons hope they won’t need late-game magic vs. Panthers

The Atlanta Falcons have figured out how to make the most of their talent so far amid a makeover.

The Carolina Panthers are still trying to sort things out ahead of the Falcons’ visit to Charlotte on Sunday.

The Falcons (3-2) own a one-point victory, a two-point triumph and an overtime win after trailing in the last minute of each of those games.

“The guys just don’t blink,” first-year coach Raheem Morris said. “All of our games have been locked and loaded as far as a (tight margin).”

Atlanta hasn’t played since winning 36-30 in overtime against the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Oct. 3. The quest to show gains continues because the margins have been so tight.

“It’s a constant improvement all around,” Morris said. “Every week will be something different.”

The Panthers (1-4) have lost two games in a row, falling to 1-2 since Andy Dalton became the starting quarterback. Most recently, Carolina fell 36-10 to the Chicago Bears and rookie QB Caleb Williams.

“The players are ones who have to step up,” Dalton said. “Regardless of what the record is and how things have gone, there are a lot of positive things with this team.”

Other than winning on the road against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sept. 22 and producing some good stretches against the Cincinnati Bengals the next week, the Panthers haven’t held up well.

“We have to keep trying to take those steps,” first-year Carolina coach Dave Canales said. “We go into every game hopeful that this is the week. We’ve had some flashes the past couple of weeks, but can we be consistent and can we consistently execute our schemes.”

The Panthers will try to slow quarterback Kirk Cousins, who has given the Falcons stability at quarterback. Cousins threw for a franchise-record 509 yards in the win over the Buccaneers. Drake London has caught 32 passes from Cousins, with three going for touchdowns.

The Falcons have lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers by eight points and to the Kansas City Chiefs by five points. They won their only road outing, against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 16.

“If you’re a good football team, you put healthy pressure on everybody to perform,” Morris said. “I think that’s what we’ve got going on now, which is a lot of fun.”

Dalton’s veteran presence means the Falcons have to be prepared to adjust on defense.

“He has won a lot of games in this league,” Morris said. “Nothing you give him is going to shock him.”

Atlanta has been stingy on defense, and the Panthers have to be ready to deal with that. Dalton is familiar with the personnel on the other side.

“I was around (Falcons safety) Jessie Bates for a couple of years at Cincy, so I know what kind of player he is,” Dalton said.

Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo is 5-for-6 on field-goal attempts of 50 or more yards.

Carolina lost center Austin Corbett for the season because of a biceps tear last week, and there are concerns about the availability of right tackle Taylor Moton, who didn’t finish the Chicago game because of an elbow injury and missed practice time this week. Tight end Tommy Tremble has remained in concussion protocol.

The Panthers have been busy making moves. Among the roster shifts was promoting defensive end DeShawn Williams from the practice squad while signing offensive lineman Cade Mays, who previously played for Carolina, off the New York Giants’ practice squad. Mays started seven games for the Panthers across the past two seasons.

Only one Atlanta player sat out practice on Wednesday, linebacker Troy Anderson (knee).

The Falcons lead the series with Carolina by 36-22, including 15-14 on the road. The teams split last year, with Atlanta taking the season opener at home 24-10 before the Panthers responded with a 9-7 home victory in December.

–Field Level Media

Nick Sirianni, Eagles look to continue post-bye success at Browns

Two head coaches try to cool down their hot seats and two quarterbacks try to regain their successful form when the Cleveland Browns visit the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

Fourth-year coach Nick Sirianni looks to improve to 4-0 after a bye week with the Eagles (2-2), who alternated wins and losses in September. Since losing six of their last seven games in last season’s collapse, Philadelphia has yet to get back on track.

The Eagles are just 13-10 (including the postseason) since Sirianni and Jalen Hurts won the NFC Championship Game in their second season together in 2022. Hurts turned the ball over 28 times in those 23 games, including seven times (four interceptions, three fumbles) already this season.

Asked about the New York Jets’ firing this week of head coach Robert Saleh, Sirianni said he isn’t listening to the outside noise about his own job security.

“Anything out of your control or anything that consumes your mind that’s not focused on not getting better is a waste of time,” Sirianni said Wednesday. “It only clouds the process. … If you’re focused on things that you can’t control, that’s gonna cloud that hunger and drive to get better.”

Philadelphia has been idle since a 33-16 defeat at Tampa Bay on Sept. 29. Playing without leading receivers A.J. Brown (hamstring) and DeVonta Smith (concussion) and All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson (concussion), the Eagles quickly fell behind 24-0 and were outgained 445-227 by the Buccaneers.

Brown, Smith and Johnson were full participants in Wednesday’s practice session and are on track to return against the Browns (1-4), who are riding a three-game losing streak and playing their third consecutive road game.

The teams are meeting for the first time since 2020, a 22-17 home win by the Browns in head coach Kevin Stefanski’s first season in Cleveland.

Stefanski is sticking with struggling signal-caller Deshaun Watson, who has more interceptions (12) than wins (nine) since the Browns gambled $230 million on a player who made three straight Pro Bowls with the Houston Texans from 2018-20.

“This is not a one-person type of deal,” Stefanski said Monday. “When we’re playing how we’re playing on offense, we need everybody to do their job and do their job better. And I look at myself and how I can do that. But I believe in Deshaun, I believe in what he brings to this offense, and I believe he will play better.”

In Watson’s defense, he has been under constant pressure and sacked more times (26) than any other quarterback in the NFL this season. The Washington Commanders sacked him seven times in last weekend’s 34-13 romp.

Stefanski bought more time in Cleveland with last season’s late playoff push, engineered by 38-year-old backup Joe Flacco, but his overall record with the Browns is a middling 39-36 (including the postseason).

On Sunday, Watson takes aim at an Eagles defense that ranks 24th against the pass (237.0 yards per game) and has intercepted only one pass in its last 13 quarters.

Hurts and Saquon Barkley could find room to roam against a Browns defense that ranks 25th against the run (141.6 ypg) and has allowed eight rushing TDs.

The only limited participant on Wednesday’s practice report for Philadelphia was linebacker Nakobe Dean (ankle).

Cleveland practiced Wednesday without running back D’Onta Foreman (ankle), defensive end Myles Garrett (Achilles), safeties Grant Delpit (concussion) and Ronnie Hickman Jr. (ankle), cornerback Denzel Ward (hamstring), tight end David Njoku (knee, ankle), center Ethan Pocic (knee) and offensive tackle James Hudson (shoulder). Nine others were limited.

–Field Level Media

Lions return to scene of painful loss to Cowboys

Jared Goff could have earned the nickname “Mr. Perfect” after his last outing. The Detroit Lions quarterback completed all 18 of his pass attempts against Seattle and even caught a touchdown pass from his favorite target, receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Goff had extra time to reflect on his performance as Detroit’s bye week came up early on its schedule. The Lions (3-1) next travel to Arlington, Texas, to face Dallas on Sunday.

For Goff, his NFL record-breaking performance in the 42-29 home victory over the Seahawks on Sept. 30 wasn’t an all-time best.

“There are other games that I felt like I’ve played even better,” he said. “We just had no incompletions, which is rare. I felt good, but I’ve had games where I feel even better, and things are clicking even more. I think we can get there. We can do even better and continue to improve.”

The Lions’ last trip to the Cowboys’ home stadium, on Dec. 30, 2023, was memorable in a different way. Goff completed an apparent, go-ahead two-point conversion pass to lineman Taylor Decker in the closing seconds. However, Decker was deemed to be an ineligible receiver and Detroit lost 20-19. It was a controversial ruling that left the Lions fuming at the time.

Goff said there is a revenge factor but not because of the officials’ call.

“I don’t want to dwell on something that was eight months ago or whatever. I don’t think we got screwed intentionally,” he said. “I think it was just a mistake that the officials made, and it happens. That type of stuff happens, and you move on, but no, I don’t think we take it personally. Yeah, of course I think it’s more on the lines … we haven’t beaten these guys two years in a row and that’s more in our heads of like, ‘All right, it’s time to try and stop that.'”

The Cowboys (3-2) are still looking for their first home win. They bounced back from two consecutive home defeats with tight victories over the New York Giants (20-15) and Pittsburgh Steelers (20-17)

Slowing down Goff and the versatile Detroit offense will be the key to getting that elusive home win.

“As an offense, they’re really in sync,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said. “Those guys have been together a couple of years now and they’re playing with a lot of confidence.”

Goff’s counterpart, Dak Prescott, threw for 352 yards against the Steelers but he didn’t rely on his top receiver, All-Pro CeeDee Lamb. Jalen Tolbert led the receiving corps with seven receptions for 87 yards and the game-winning touchdown with 20 seconds left in regulation.

Rico Dowdle sparked the running game with 87 yards on 20 carries.

“We’ve played five games and in two of them we’ve been out of balance,” McCarthy said. “We want to play with balance. The run efficiency for the last two weeks has been 55 percent, which is where you want to live. We definitely want to build off of that.”

Lamb has only two touchdown catches while averaging five receptions per game. Lions coach Dan Campbell doesn’t expect that to last.

“He’s a point of emphasis. Everything starts with this quarterback and with him,” Campbell said. “That’s what it starts with their offense, that’s what it starts with their team. And so yeah, we have got to keep him in check.”

The Lions came back from the bye week healthy. Center Frank Ragnow (pectoral), who missed the Seattle game, practiced in full on Wednesday. Defensive end Micah Parsons (ankle) and linebacker Eric Kendricks (calf, shoulder) were among the Cowboys players who didn’t practice.

Cornerback DaRon Bland (foot), a first-team All-Pro in 2023 who has not played this season, was designated to return to practice and was a full participant, as was cornerback Trevon Diggs (ankle). Rookie defensive end Marshawn Kneeland (knee) was placed on injured reserve and will miss at least four games.

–Field Level Media