The Cincinnati Bengals play their first game without Joe Burrow in Week 12 against the New York Giants.

Those Giants are a fellow rebuilder grooming a young franchise passer of their own under center and would likewise hope for a win to establish momentum (and keep pace in a terrible NFC East).

To get a better look at the cross-conference game, we sat down with Dan Benton of Giants Wire.

Bengals Wire: The Giants have won two in a row. Is there a sense they’re pushing for the postseason and capable of it with four-win Washington sitting atop the NFC East?

New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton (86) rushes against the Philadelphia Eagles in the second half. The Giants defeat the Eagles, 27-17, at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020.
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Giants Wire: If it were any other division, obviously not. But the NFC East is a unique animal here in 2020 because, well… 2020. Here’s the thing about the Giants though: they’re actually getting better. New York has been very competitive in all but one game this season and had double-digit leads in most. It took them a while to round into shape without a preseason under a first-time head coach, but they’re really starting to “get it” and it’s showing on the field. There is still an issue with the overall lack of depth coupled with the youth of the team, but a positive foundation is being built. It just so happens that their division is so bad they could very well make a playoff push.

Bengals Wire: If things trend the other direction, does the organization seem committed to Daniel Jones or could another high pick be in play?

New York Giants defensive end Leonard Williams (99) and tackle Dexter Lawrence (97) celebrate Williams’ sack in the second half. The Giants defeat the Eagles, 27-17, at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020.
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Giants Wire: Joe Judge is 110 percent committed to Daniel Jones and has attempted to make that as clear as possible to anyone listening. And both he and the team should be. Jones has flashed some very elite talent on more than one occasion and his earlier issues stemmed from trying to do too much with a paper thin roster that has let him down more often than not (we’re looking at you, Evan Engram). Over the past month, we’ve seen Jones all but eliminate those issues and with other players (now we’re looking at you, Wayne Gallman) finally stepping up, his positive production has increased. It’s also important for people to keep in mind that Jones, 23, has opened his NFL career with two different head coaches, two different offensive coordinators, two different system and a COVID-19 hindered offseason in his first year as a starter.

Bengals Wire: What’s the early verdict on Joe Judge, especially after that fallout with Marc Colombo?

New York Giants lineman B.J. Hill (95) smiles as the Giants defeat the Philadelphia Eagles, 27-17, at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020.
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Giants Wire: Joe Judge is an amazing coach all around. Obviously, things could have gone the other way with the Giants bringing in a relative unknown, but Judge has taken to this job like a fish to water and has completely changed the culture in East Rutherford in less than a year. The issue with Marc Colombo is what it is. You can’t dress down your boss multiple times (and in front of the team) and expect to keep your job. That wouldn’t happen anywhere in the country, so Colombo really made his own bed. It’s not like the offensive line was playing well until Judge began to step in and oversee things anyway. I would encourage anyone to watch Judge’s weekly film sessions so they can get a firsthand look (and feel) for what the guy is like. I guarantee it’ll be a learning experience for even the most intelligent football fans/writers/pundits.

Bengals Wire: On the field, are there underrated Giants on either side of the ball Bengals fans should know about?

New York Giants cornerbacks Julian Love (20) and James Bradberry (24) celebrate after breaking up an Eagles pass in the second half. The Giants defeat the Eagles, 27-17, at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020.
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Giants Wire: The aforementioned Wayne Gallman immediately comes to mind. Throw out the box score stats because they don’t tell the story. He’s an intelligent, hard-nosed North-South runner with good field vision and is capable of making some plays in the receiving game as well. He picks up tough yards and give every play all he’s got.

Bengals Wire: How do you see this one playing out?

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) rushes against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first half of a game at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020.
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Giants Wire: Historically, the Giants have been known to play up or down to the level of their opponent. Even under Bill Parcells and Tom Coughlin that tended to be the case. This is their first true test as odds-on favorites who are expected to win, so I’ve got no recent history to go off of as far as expectations go. They’ve played close games all season long and I can’t imagine that would suddenly change. I think they win, but I don’t think it will come in blowout fashion by any means.