Giants' loss to Bengals extends their winless streak at MetLife Stadium

EAST RUTHERFOPD, N.J. (AP) — The New York Giants are giving new meaning to the phrase: “There is no place like home.”

Home is becoming the last place the Giants (2-4) want to be these days. They have played three games at MetLife Stadium and lost them all, the latest coming on Sunday night in a 17-7 defeat to the struggling Cincinnati Bengals.

Not only have the Giants lost, they have not given their fans much to cheer about, especially the offense. It has scored 28 points in losses to Minnesota, Dallas and Cincinnati and tallied one touchdown, that coming on a 1-yard run by rookie Tyrone Tracy Jr. in the third quarter following a pass interference call in the end zone.

“It’s probably a number of things. I’ll go back and watch the tape,” coach and offensive play-caller Brian Daboll said. “I thought we had some opportunities throughout the game. Whether it be run, whether it be pass.”

The mistakes by the offense were huge.

Quarterback Daniel Jones drove New York to the Bengals 14 with about four minutes left in the first quarter with the Giants down 7-0. On first-and-10, he looked for tight end Theo Johnson on a throw back across the field and was hit by former Giants defensive lineman B.J. Hill while throwing. The ball fluttered in the air and Germaine Pratt intercepted it near the goal line.

Late in the second quarter, Jones connected with Darius Slayton on a quick crossing pattern and run for 56 yards. The run-pass option that started at the Giants 9 was nullified when left tackle Andrew Thomas was ruled to be illegally downfield.

That's the way the night went for New York, which was 5 of 15 on third down and 3 of 5 on fourth down. The Giants outgained the Bengals 309 yards to 304.

“It’s very disappointing — just couldn’t sustain drives, execute, get into a rhythm, and frustrating,” said Jones, who was 22 of 41 for 205 yards. “I feel like we’ve taken steps and progressed as an offense. Obviously, we didn’t do that today, so we’ll get a look at what we need to do better and clean it up.”

What's obvious is the Giants have missed rookie sensation Malik Nabers, who was leading the league with 35 catches when he sustained a concussion against Dallas on Sept. 26. He has missed the last two games, although New York won at Seattle last weekend.

Nabers, who has three TD catches, has been progressing and the hope is he can return next Sunday against the Eagles, which unfortunately is also at MetLife Stadium.

“He definitely brings out a certain energy, he brings out a certain aura when he is on the field,” outside linebacker Brian Burns said. “He’s an explosive player and we would love to have him (back out on the field), but we have seen guys step up last week and guys step up this week, so it’s always next-man-up.”

The Giants longest plays in the game were four passes for 15 yards, which are not considered explosive plays.

“It makes it tough when you have to do that in this league,” said Jones, who led the Giants with 56 yards rushing on 11 carries. “I think credit to their defense, their scheme and their plan is to prevent some of those plays, but we’ve got to execute and find a way to generate some of them.”

The positive for the Giants was the defense has played well at home the last two games. It limited Dallas to 20 points in a 20-15 loss last month and the Bengals to 17, after they had scored at least 33 in each of their previous three games.

Special teams also did not help Sunday. Kicker Greg Joseph missed field goals from 47 and 45 yards in the fourth quarter, the first one with New York down 10-7.

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New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones speaks during a news conference after an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. The Bengals won 17-7. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Giants cornerback Cor'Dale Flott (28) runs past Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Joseph Ossai (58) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Giants linebacker Brian Burns (0) tackles Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) and New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, right, greet each other on the field after an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. The Bengals won 17-7. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New York Giants wide receiver Jalin Hyatt (13) is unable to make the catch as Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt (29) defends during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll speaks during a news conference after an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. The Bengals won 17-7. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Giants kicker Greg Joseph watches his missed field goal in the second half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) sacks New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29) celebrates scoring a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J.(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

The remains of a woman who fell into a sinkhole were recovered Friday, four days after she went missing while searching for her cat, a state police spokesperson said.

Trooper Steve Limani said the body of 64-year-old Elizabeth Pollard was being taken to the Westmoreland County Coroner’s Office for an autopsy.

Authorities planned a midafternoon news conference at a nearby fire hall to provide additional details.

The announcement came in the fourth day of the search for Pollard, who had last been seen Monday evening, looking for the cat near a restaurant half a mile (0.8 kilometers) from her home in the village of Marguerite.

Axel Hayes, Pollard’s son, said a state trooper told him and other family members that her body had been found.

“I was hoping for the best, I really was,” Hayes said in a phone interview. “I was hoping she was still alive, maybe in a coma or something. I wasn’t expecting all of this.”

Pollard’s family reported her missing around 1 a.m. Tuesday as the temperature in the area dropped below freezing.

The search focused on a sinkhole that began as a manhole-sized gap and may have only recently opened above where coal was mined until about 70 years ago. Hunters and restaurant workers who were in the area in the hours before Pollard’s disappearance told police they hadn’t noticed the sinkhole.

Police said they found Pollard’s car parked about 20 feet (6 meters) from the sinkhole with her 5-year-old granddaughter sleeping inside. The cat, Pepper, has not reappeared, Hayes said.

The effort to find Pollard included lowering a pole camera with a sensitive listening device into the hole, although it detected nothing. Crews removed a massive amount of soil and rock to try to reach the area where they believed she fell into the chasm about 30 feet (9 meters) deep.

Pollard grew up in Jeanette, about 12 miles (19 kilometers) from Unity Township, where she lived for much of her adult life. She previously worked at Walmart and was married for more than 40 years.

Freelancer Matt Freed contributed from Unity Township.

Crews work near the sinkhole where the remains of Elizabeth Pollard were found, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024 in Marguerite, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

A Pennsylvania State Trooper looks over the sinkhole, where the remains of Elizabeth Pollard was found Friday, Dec. 6, 2024 in Marguerite, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

The sinkhole, where the remains of Elizabeth Pollard was found Friday, Dec. 6, 2024 is shown in Marguerite, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

An employee of the coroner's office walks the scene, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, where Elizabeth Pollard is believed to have disappeared in a sinkhole while looking for her cat, in Marguerite, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

An employee of the coroner's office walks the scene, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, where Elizabeth Pollard is believed to have disappeared in a sinkhole while looking for her cat, in Marguerite, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

The scene, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, where Elizabeth Pollard is believed to have disappeared in a sinkhole while looking for her cat, in Marguerite, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Law enforcement members watch as rescue workers continue to search, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, for Elizabeth Pollard, who is believed to have disappeared in a sinkhole while looking for her cat, in Marguerite, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

A rescue dog searches though debris that was removed from a sinkhole, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, where rescue workers believe Elizabeth Pollard disappeared into while looking for her cat, in Marguerite, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Kenny Pollard, 75, holds a photo in his home from a vacation that he and his wife, Elizabeth, took to Clearwater Beach, Fla., approximately 10 years ago. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Rescue workers continue to search, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, for Elizabeth Pollard, who is believed to have disappeared in a sinkhole while looking for her cat, in Marguerite, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)