EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul cant remember the last time the New York Giants won four games in a row.Fourth-year defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins and third-year receiver Odell Beckham Jr. havent experienced the feeling of being in the postseason chase.Victor Cruz knows the playoff feeling, but its been a while.Halfway through the season, the Giants (5-3) are in the playoff hunt. Theyve won three straight and head into Mondays night game against Bengals team that is desperate. Their five-year streak of making the playoffs is in danger.While they beat Cleveland and tied Washington in their last two games, the Bengals (3-4-1) needed Washington to miss a 34-yard field goal late in overtime to avoid a loss in London on Oct. 30.Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton knows this game takes on more importance coming out of the bye week.Its big, Dalton said. Its the start of the second half of the season. Theres a lot out there for us to go take. Its the first opportunity in the second half to go take it. Its important to get a fast start.The Giants just want to keep things going. They have not won four in a row since 2013 .That long? Pierre-Paul said.That was the year Hankins was drafted by the Giants. Beckham was taken the following season.This is the first time for me and I dont want to think about it too much, Hankins said. We just have to continue doing what we are doing, taking one game at a time until we get to the point where we see who is in the playoffs and where we fall.This is new for Beckham, who has seen the Giants post 6-10 records the past two seasons despite his contributions.We have a great opportunity ahead of us, Beckham said. A position I havent been in since Ive been here. Its great to feel this way. Its great to be 5-3 at the moment. You cant sit here and be complacent with it.Cruz, who missed most of the last two seasons, is excited.It is starting to get into my belly a little bit now and it feels good, obviously, as a team to get into that mode, he said We just have to remember that it is still a long season.Some things to note for the nationally televised game:JACKRABBIT VS. A.J.: Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkin, `Jackrabbit to his teammates, has gone against the oppositions top receivers most of this season. That means he will likely travel with A.J. Green , who lead the NFL with 59 catches and is second with 896 yards receiving. The two were paired last year when the Rams, Jenkins old team, faced the Bengals and Green. He had two TD catches.NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY: The Bengals are making a familiar trip. They opened the season with a 23-22 win over the Jets at MetLife Stadium. Its only the second time in team history theyve played two road games in the same stadium in the same season. They also made two trips to the Meadowlands in 2008.The win over the Jets ended a streak of nine straight losses to the Jets on the road and marked their first win at the Meadowlands. Theyre 0-3 at the Giants.Yeah, thats weird, cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick said. Im expecting to go out there and see the green, but its going to be blue, so its kind of flip-flopping with your mind. But it will be cool.MONDAY NIGHT WOES: The Bengals played two Monday night games last season and lost both, leaving them 11-22 all-time on Monday nights. Theyve never played a New York team on Monday night. They beat Miami on Thursday night earlier this season, and have two more night games scheduled: hosting Pittsburgh on Sunday, Dec. 18, and playing at Houston on Christmas eve.GIANTS LINE WOES: With left guard Justin Pugh likely to be sidelined for a month with a sprained right knee, the Giants are not saying whether Brett Jones replaces Pugh or they will make other moves. Bobby Hart, who has played right tackle since Marshall Newhouse was hurt in the second game of the season, could replace Pugh and allow Newhouse to return to right tackle. Whatever happens, the line needs to improve. The leagues worst running game has been held under 80 yards the past five games.RING OF HONOR. The Giants will induct two-time Super Bowl winning coach Tom Coughlin, former general manager Ernie Accorsi and defensive lineman Justin Tuck into their Ring of Honor at halftime.---AP Sports Writer Joe Kay in Cincinnati contributed.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and -http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFLNike Free Clearance Australia . The Oilers come in having lost five in a row (0-4-1) and 16 of their last 20 games, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. Nike Free Australia Online . The Hall of Fame defenceman told Landsberg that he believes fighting still has a place in todays game, but thinks staged fighting needs be outlawed. http://www.nikefreeaustralia.com/ . -- Devin Hester is done returning kicks in Chicago. Nike Free Cheap Australia . Parker had 26 points and eight assists and San Antonio beat Toronto 112-99 Monday night. "We won that game because of Tony Parkers aggressiveness," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "His juice; his aggression all night long. Nike Free Cheap Online . -- In one brief spurt, Brazil turned a close game into a rout and proved again it will be a strong World Cup favourite. KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Royals Yordano Ventura stood on the mound one out away from taking a tie game into the seventh inning. Two hits and one wild pitch later, he walked off with the Mariners in control.Seattle scored the tying and go-ahead runs on that wild pitch, and Hisashi Iwakuma pitched into the seventh inning, helping the Mariners to a 3-2 victory over Kansas City on Friday night.Ventura (6-7) gave up only a sacrifice fly to Ketel Marte in the fifth before unraveling the next inning, beginning with Seth Smiths two-out single and Robinson Canos double.Nelson Cruz stepped to the plate and nearly gave Seattle a three-run homer, sending a pitch soaring down the right-field line. First base umpire CB Bucknor initially signaled home run, then signaled foul ball, then decided that he wasnt quite sure and met with the rest of the umpires.I lost it. Cruz said I think that happened to the umpire too. I had no clue.After a review, the ball was declared foul and Nelson dug in again.This time, Venturas pitched got past catcher Salvador Perez and bounded away, allowing Smith to score from third base and tie the game 1-all. Perez threw the ball away trying to get him out at the plate, allowing Cano to also score -- the star catcher was given an error on the play.I was pitching good up to that point, I got two quick outs in that inning, Ventura said. I lost concentration and got a little bit behind the count, gave up a couple of hits and then came that play.Ventura allowed three runs, six hits and a walk over seven innings. He struck out five.Those three runs were enough for Iwakuma (9-6), who allowed one run, five hits and three walks over 6 2/3 innings, striking out six. He kept the Royals off balance with his usual herky-jerky delivery, the only run he allowed coming on Cheslor Cuthberts base hit in the fourth inning.We didnt have scoring opportunities, Royals manager Ned Yost said. Hes tough, got a good sinker, a good split. Keeeps you off balance with you know a decent slider.ddddddddddddSteve Cishek, who blew the save in the series opener, allowed Perezs homer in the ninth before finishing off the inning. It was his 21st save of the season.Obviously, yesterday was tough, he said. I felt really good yesterday, its just baseball. So, I wanted a chance to go back out there and, if I had the chance, give the team the win to make up for it. It got a little sketchy there. I didnt think he hit that that well, but, you know, I was able to finish it.Not to mention snap the Mariners 10-game road losing streak.Thats the beauty of baseball, Cishek said. You play so many games that if you have a bad outing you have an opportunity to get back out there the next night.HOME SWEET HOMEYost has given up trying to explain his clubs bizarre home-road split -- they began the day 28-11 at Kauffman Stadium, best in the majors, but are just 16-30 away from the spacious ballpark. They average five runs at home and just over three on the road. Its puzzling, Yost said, but theres not anything you can point to other than were just not producing.TRAINERS ROOMThe Mariners Felix Hernandez will return July 20 against the White Sox. He is slated for a rehab start with Class-A Everett on Sunday. When asked what directions he would give Hernandez upon his return, manager Scott Servais replied: Go pitch. Have fun. Hernandez went on the DL on June 1 with a right calf strain.UP NEXTRoyals RHP Edinson Volquez tries to continue his dominance of Seattle when the teams continue their four-game set Saturday. Volquez is 4-0 with a 2.38 ERA in six career starts against the Mariners. Hell face Mariners LHP Wade Miley, who is 0-2 since his return from a left shoulder injury. Miley is 4-1 with a 2.91 ERA against the Royals, throwing a shutout against them on April 30. ' ' '