Giants vs. Bengals game day preview: Cincinnati has not been kind to Giants

The New York Giants have never won in Cincinnati, carrying on 0-5 historical record into today's matchup at Paul Brown Stadium with the Cincinnati Bengals. The Giants (6-3) are 4-point favorites to get off the Cincinnati schneid today, and it is a victory Tom Coughlin and his team need.

The Giants enter the game with a 2.5-game lead over the 3-5 Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East. They also, however, are facing their annual November swoon questions after losing last week to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Giants have a bye after Sunday, and they don't want to spend it listening to collapse questions and sitting on a two-game losing streak with a game against the Green Bay Packers next on the schedule.

The Basic Stuff

What: Giants (Giants (6-3) vs. Bengals (3-5)
When: Sunday, Nov. 11, 1 p.m. ET
Where: Paul Brown Stadium
TV: FOX -- Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick, Laura Okmin
Radio: Giants Radio Network (WFAN -- 660 AM), and affiliates
Line: Giants -4

Key Players

Giants

Eli Manning -- He can't go another week without throwing a touchdown pass, can he? He had better not.

Victor Cruz -- He hasn't been the playmaker the Giants have come to rely on, and fans have come to love, for the past couple of weeks. The Giants need some salsa!

Chase Blackburn -- He is a player fans love to hate, but one whom Giants' coaches and players tell you they miss when he isn't available. After sitting out last week with a hamstring injury and watching Pittsburgh have a great day running the ball Blackburn is back. Can he make a difference?

Bengals

Geno Atkins -- The big defensive tackle has an incredible seven sacks, along with 21 quarterback hits or hurries. The Giants have to control him somehow to give Manning a chance, and to run the ball.

A.J. Green -- Whether you thought he was a key player this week or not -- and I certainly did -- he made himself a bigger part of the story with his comments about the Giants' defense.

Andy Dalton -- The second-year quarterback is completing 63.9 percent of his passes, but has already thrown 11 interceptions. The Giants would like to add a few more to that total.

Storylines

The Giants are 6-3 and have a bye after this game, as we previously mentioned. "It (winning) would make a whole world of difference," linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka said. "You have a long time to sit and think about the loss and it's difficult to enjoy your bye week with your family when you're coming off of a loss, especially if you felt like you personally could have done things better. So that's what my personal goal is and I'm sure that's what the whole team's goal is to just make sure that no stone is left unturned. If it's extra studying, if it's extra conditioning, if it's extra running to the ball, we've just got to get that done so we can come out with a win."

There has, of course, been some sniping between the two teams this week -- courtesy of Bengals' wide receiver A.J. Green. That adds to the intrigue for fans, and maybe the intensity for the players.

Here is a little something extra, just because there has been so much talk this week about holes.

Holes - Trailer (via DisneyMoviesOnDemand)

Predictions

Mike Farley, Big Blue View -- Giants 27, Bengals 20

Jared Smith, SB Nation New York -- Giants 27, Bengals 17

[SB Nation picks all of Sunday's games]

Quotable

"I feel like they've got a lot of holes in their defense,"

-- A.J. Green of Cincinnat on the Giants

"I'll let my pads do the talking on Sunday. That's how I approach the game. That's how we approach the game, and if he sees me, he better duck."

-- Antrel Rolle of the Giants on Green's comments

Injury Reports