The New York Giants are gearing up to face off against the Cincinnati Bengals in week 12 of the 2020 regular season, and the implications of this game mean more to the NFC East than any other.
At 3-7, the Giants are just .5 games out of first place in the division, with Washington and Dallas having the same win percentage, .300. The Philadelphia Eagles sit at .350 with an additional tie, but the Giants are 3-4 in the division and are looking to make a statement with first-year head coach Joe Judge.
The Giants are currently on their BYE, giving the players a chance to rest and prepare to take on the Bengals, who just lost star quarterback Joe Burrow to a torn ACL and MCL. The Giants are favored for the first time away this season, but this could be another trap game, similar to the San Francisco 49ers who overcame the Giants with back up quarterback Nick Mullens.
If the Giants wish to continue improving and trending upward, they must answer several questions during the second half of the campaign.
Three questions the New York Giants must answer during the second half of season:
1.) Can Daniel Jones continue protecting the football?
One of the big questions is Daniel Jones’ turnover problems. He has thrown nine interceptions and fumbled the ball seven times this year, but that is vastly improved compared to his 2019 statistics. Last season over 12 games, Jones threw 12 interceptions and fumbled 18 times. That means Jones will have reduced his fumbles by more than half this year, indicating a stark improvement.
Jones hasn’t turned the ball over a single time over the past two games, which were both victories over the Washington Football Team and Philadelphia Eagles. While the second-year quarterback is trending upward, consistency is needed to justify his development. The Giants are depending on him to lead their offense and keep the ball safe, which he has done well against two gaudy defenses.