Bengals QB Joe Burrow impressed with Giants defense

The New York Giants lost their game against the Cincinnati Bengals, losing 17-7, which wasn't particularly impressive by primetime standards.

But when it came to Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, the Giants defense was absolutely ready for prime time.

““Yeah, they lead the league in sacks (26),” Burrow said after the game when asked how difficult the Giants defense was to deal with.

“They're the real deal, and they didn't have any of their guys today (outside of linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux). They have good players. They made it difficult for us and their second team had to maintain coverage all day. It's a good defense.

Although Burrow and the Bengals emerged with the win, the Bengals' signal-caller admitted that the Giants' defensive game plan, orchestrated by defensive coordinator Shane Bowen and implemented by the players, affected his own ability to play in the passing game.

“I felt like I let the pressure get to me a little bit,” Burrow admitted. “In the second half I was able to settle in there and find a rhythm, but in the first half I didn’t feel like I was in the rhythm at all.”

As for Burrow, he was under pressure on 40% of his dropbacks. according to Pro Football Focuswith the Giants attacking 17.1% of those pressure packages. Burrow, on 14 dropbacks where he was pressured, completed three of nine pass attempts for 45 yards with no scores and was sacked four times due to the Giants' pressure packages.

At halftime, Burrow was 9 of 15 for 87 yards and had absorbed three of the four sacks against him.

“I felt like I got happy feet in the bag. It just didn’t feel like everything was going right,” he said.

This season, the Giants have blitzed opposing quarterbacks 24.6% of the time11th in the NFL, and their blitz success rate is 21%.

The Giants have also converted 55.3% of their total pressures (47) into sacks (26). Ranks fourth in ESPN team pass rush win percentagewith outside linebacker Brian Burns ranking fifth among individuals with a 28% PRWR from the rim.

“They did a good job up front,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said of the Giants. “They are putting pressure on you. You can win some singles games. They've really invested in this area and it shows. “They did a good job at the back and just provided variety.”

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