“Never count your chickens before they hatch” is an adage that goes back a long way, but it also applies to football.
The sport, especially at the NFL level, is a one-game-at-a-time league, and pretty much every coach and player will tell you as much. However, there are times when looking down the road at upcoming contests can provide context.
In a must-win contest, the Cincinnati Bengals gutted out a tough one in New York. Those not in the Bengals or Giants contingents may have called it “boring”, but the Cincinnati defense rose to the occasion and led the team to a 17-7 victory.