CINCINNATI (AP) — The New York Giants lost starting quarterback Daniel Jones to a hamstring injury in the second half on Sunday, but they generated enough offense to beat the Cincinnati Bengals 19-17.
Jones went down after completing a short pass in the third quarter with the game tied at 10. He returned for two plays on the next series but then was relieved by backup Colt McCoy, who played the rest of the game. There was no immediate word on the seriousness of the injury.
Wayne Gallman Jr. ran for a 2-yard touchdown on fourth-and-goal in the first quarter, and Graham Gano returned from the COVID-19 list to kick four field goals as the Giants (4-7) moved into a tie with Washington for first place in the woeful NFC East.
The Giants have won three straight games after losing their first five under first-year coach Joe Judge.
The Bengals (2-8-1) started quarterback Brandon Allen, a player who was promoted from the practice squad, in place of rookie Joe Burrow, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in last week’s loss to Washington.
Allen couldn’t keep the Bengals moving. He was 17 for 29 for 136 yards and Cincinnati mustered just 155 total yards of offense.
Nonetheless, the Bengals had a chance late. A 1-yard touchdown pass from Allen to Tee Higgins — set up by a pass-interference penalty in the end zone — got the Bengals within two points with 2:33 remaining.
Cincinnati got the ball back, but Allen fumbled while being sacked with 57 seconds left to seal it for the Giants.
One of the few Bengals highlights came in the first quarter after Gallman scored, set up by a 53-yard pass from Jones to Evan Engram.
On the ensuing kickoff, Brandon Wilson took the ball 3 yards deep in the end zone, found a seam in the middle and rumbled for a 103-yard touchdown, the longest in franchise history.
Before he departed with the injury, Jones was 16 for 27 for 213 yards. Engram caught six passes for 129 yards.
GALLOPING GALLMAN
Gallman’s first-quarter score gave him a TD in five consecutive games, the longest streak for New York since Saquon Barkley scored in five straight games in 2018. Gallman, who secured the starting job after Barkley and Devonta Freeman went out with injuries, scored three total touchdowns in his first three seasons. He had 24 carries for 94 yards against the Bengals.
INJURY REPORT
Giants: S Nate Ebner left the game in the first quarter with a knee injury and was ruled out. LB Kyler Fackrell was ruled out with a calf injury.
Bengals: G Alex Redmond was ruled out with a concussion early in the second half. Cincinnati was without two coaches because of COVID-19 issues: defensive line coach Nick Eason and secondary/cornerbacks coach Steve Jackson.
UP NEXT
Giants: at Seattle next Sunday.
Bengals: at Miami next Sunday.
