Giants Country

New York Giants Film Study: Critical Third Down Review

Coach Gene Clemons reviews all the Giants' third-down plays on on the defensive side of the ball.

Gene Clemons

Oct 13, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) is sacked by New York Giants linebacker Brian Burns (0) during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
Oct 13, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) is sacked by New York Giants linebacker Brian Burns (0) during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images / Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
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The New York Giants lost to Cincinnati on Sunday night, but the defense played well enough to win the game. They held the Bengals, who have averaged more than 32 points per game over the past four games, to 17 points. 

The Giants defense also held the Bengals to 4-11 on third down. During a review of the game, the Giants were successful on six of the plays, the Bengals bailed them out on another, and there were two plays that were pivotal in the loss. 

Let’s take a look at all the third down defensive plays in the game and how the Giants played them.

First Quarter

3rd-and-6, CIN45 

The Giants sent a five-man blitz with three defensive linemen to the left and outside linebacker Brian Burns to the right. The blitzed inside linebacker Bobby Okereke, who was supposed to stay on the inside, but he drifted outside. 

When he did, quarterback Joe Burrow attacked the void and picked up 10+ yards on a first-down run. It was irresponsible to lose lane integrity and it cost the Giants defense a punt.

3rd-and 18, NYG47

The Giants sent five on a blitz once again and they played man coverage behind them. The Bengals set up with trips to the right and ran a crossing route with the single side receiver. 

Burrow was able to once again escape through the open B-gap to the left and he ran 47 yards for a touchdown. The Giants had four defenders to their right rushing which left that open gap. Yet more irresponsible lane integrity by the defense.

3rd-and-1, CIN12

The Bengals were in 2x2 in the shotgun, double-stacked. The Giants sent four and played zone coverage behind them. Outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari got a fantastic jump on the snap and blasted by the right tackle to wrap up Burrow quickly. 

Ojulari seemed to be trying to avoid a penalty here, so he let the quarterback go, and Burrow quickly threw the football away. It was a fantastic play by Ojulari to force a hurry, but he didn’t finish with the sack.

3rd-and-3, CIN30

The Giants sent four rushers, but were playing man coverage behind them. This time, they were not able to put pressure on Burrow. 

Receiver Tee Higgins ran a sit route and the running back swung out, which pulled inside linebacker Micah McFadden out of the box and opened up Higgins to box out cornerback Deonte Banks to catch the first-down pass despite Banks’s really tight coverage. 

He gets a hand in there on the pass but Higgins has a tight squeeze on the ball. It's good defense but unfortunately better offense.

3rd-and-3, NYG42 

The Bengals tried to run a gap scheme to the defensive left. They pulled the tackle to the left and the tight end was supposed to cut off the backside pressure. 

Burns exploded off the line and did a great job getting into the hip pocket of the tackle, which led him directly to the running back for a 4-yard loss. The tight end never had a chance of making the play.

3rd-and-22, CIN18 

On a third and long, the Giants sent four and dropped seven into coverage. Burrow threw a pass underneath to receiver Ja’Marr Chase and eight Giants flew in around him before he could get going. Chase gained 10 yards on the play and the Bengals were forced to punt.

Second Quarter

3rd-and-5, CIN46

The Bengals were in a 2x2 condensed set. They left five in to block the Giants' four-man pass rush. After a pump fake that got Burns off his feet, Burrow delivered a strike to Chase, who was streaking across the field, but the sure-handed receiver dropped the ball. 

It would have been a first down for the offense after a gain of at least 15 yards, but it is instead a punt. 

3rd-and-4, Midfield

The Bengals tried to get into field goal position before halftime. They set up in another 2x2 bunch set, and try to set up Chase on an angle route to the defense’s right.

But when he tried to go back inside, he was picked up by a defender, which made Burrow pump fake. When he reloads, Ojulari, who was coming off a T/E stunt, buries him for a sack, which gets the defense off the field and keeps points off the board going into the half.

Third Quarter

3rd-and-Goal, NYG11

After a Bengals touchdown run was brought back because of a holding penalty, the Giants defense had a chance to limit the damage to a field goal try.

The Bengals came out in an empty set and the Giants rushed four. They collapsed the pocket, while Burrow tried to find a lane to escape. This time, everyone has maintained their lane integrity.

Ojulari almost had him in his grasp, but Burrow was able to avoid him to the defense's left, where Dexter Lawrence was waiting. Lawrence brought him to the ground, forcing a field goal attempt.

Fourth Quarter

3rd-and-10, NYG44

The Bengals got on the fringes of field goal range. They line up in a 3x1 set with a tight end to the trips. He chipped before leaking into the flats while the back curled up just beyond the line of scrimmage.

The Giants send four and once again find success with the T/E stunt as Burns loops around and splits Burrow in half just as he threw an incomplete pass to the running back. The play kept the offense out of field goal range and forced a punt.

3rd-and-12, CIN34

With the Giants down by three points, they desperately needed a stop to force a punt and give the offense a final chance to tie the game or take the lead.

The Bengals lined up in a trips set with the tight end strong. On the snap, the tight end and back blocked quickly then leaked out into routes in the flat and just beyond the line of scrimmage.

The Giants ran the T/E stunt with Burns again; this time, the Bengals offensive line picked it up. That allowed Burrow to escape to the side vacated by Burns. It bought him enough time to find his receiver for a 26-yard gain on what was a crippling conversion for the Giants defense.

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Gene Clemons
GENE CLEMONS

Gene "Coach" Clemons has been involved with the game of football for 30 years as a player, coach, evaluator, and journalist.  Clemons has spent time writing for the Worcester Telegram and Gazette, Bridgton News, Urbana Daily Citizen, Macon Telegraph and footballgameplan.com.  He has a YouTube channel called "Coach Gene Clemons" where you can find his popular "X&O The Joes" series as well as other football related content. 

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