Articles

by Adam Nardelli @adamnardelli

When the Giants’ schedule was released, some obvious games stood out, such as the two Monday night home games, as well as when the division games land.  However, there’s one game I haven’t heard too many people talking about and it is one of the more intriguing matchups on their schedule.  

My idea of intriguing, for the purposes of this article, is a game with some sort of storyline where you also feel the Giants have at least a decent chance of coming away with a win.  This isn’t to say there are games where I give the Giants no chance, but traveling to Baltimore and Seattle doesn’t exactly fit the above definition.  

Magic or Rookie Curve

The big game that sticks out is week 12 when the Giants travel to Cincinnati.  Now you might be saying the Bengals?  What’s intriguing about that game?  Well, it has a built-in storyline in that Giants fans will get to see front and center…1st overall pick Joe Burrow.  After having a 2019 season where Burrow threw 60 touchdowns, won the Heisman Trophy, and capped off the year with a National Championship for LSU, the expectations will be high for Burrow in his rookie year.  

Giants fans will get to see if Burrow can carry his 2019 magic into 2020 and truly rejuvenate a stalled franchise, or if the rookie bug will get to him. 

The potential rookie struggles of Burrow, as well as the fact the Bengals are probably not a team ready to win in 2020, adds to the intrigue.  Who knows where these teams will be by week 12, but looking at it in May this is a game the Giants may even be favored in. 

It’s a unique combination for Giants fans.  They can look forward to seeing the 1st overall pick in the draft while most likely not having to go into the game being double-digit underdogs.  Giants fans are starved for wins, so any time there can be a remote sense of confidence heading into a game we’ll take it.   

So when you’re combing through the 2020 schedule over the next couple months, don’t overlook a road trip to Cincinnati as one of the Giants more compelling matchups.  It’s a Jones vs Burrow match up fans will want to see.