Bears and Giants Game Day Glance
In this story:
New York Giants (4-11) at Chicago Bears (5-10)
Kickoff: Noon, Sunday, Soldier Field, Chicago.
TV: CBS (Spero Dedes, Jay Feely).
Streaming: CBS on fuboTV free subscription.
Radio: WBBM AM-780, FM-105.9 (Jeff Joniak, Tom Thayer, Mark Grote).
National Radio: Sirius/XM Channel 229.
Spanish Radio: TUDN AM-1200, FM-93.5 (Omar Ramos, Miguel Esparza).
The Series: The teams meet for the 62nd time with the Bears owning a 35-24-2 advantage, including two straight and both at Soldier Field, 17-13 in 2020 and 19-14 in 2019.
The Coaches: Giants coach Joe Judge is 10-21 in his second season, including 0-1 against the Bears. Bears coach Matt Nagy is 33-30 in his fourth season, including 2-1 against the Giants and 1-0 against Judge.
The Line: Bears by 6 1/2, over/under 36 1/2. Betting info on SI Sports Book.
BearDigest Record to Date: 13-2, 10-5 vs. the spread.
BearDigest Pick: Bears 21, Giants 13.
Last Week: The Giants were blown out in the second half by the Philadelphia Eagles, 34-10. The teams were tied at 3-3 at halftime. Saquon Barkley was held to 32 yards rushing on 15 carries and Mike Glennon went 17 of 27 for 93 yards with an interception and a touchdown before being replaced by Jake Fromm, who went 6 of 17 for 25 yards with an interception.
The Bears started Nick Foles at quarterback with Justin Fields and Andy Dalton injured and he led a 25-24 comeback victory, throwing to Jimmy Graham for a 15-yard touchdown on third-and-14 and then for the game-winning two-point conversion at the back of the end zone to Damiere Byrd. The Bears defense then stopped the Seahawks on downs at the Seattle 32.
Injuries: Giants WR Kadarius Toney (shoulder), WR John Ross (knee), and WR Collin Johnson (hamstring) are out, OL Billy Price is doubtful, DL Austin Johnson (foot), DB Adoree Jackson (quad) and TE Chris Myarick (hip) are questionable. DL Dexter Lawrence is on the COVID-19 list.
All Bears starters are back from the reserve/COVID-19 list. TE J.P. Holtz (personal) is doubtful, QB Justin Fields (ankle), CB Duke Shelley (heel), LT Jason Peters (ankle), NT Eddie Goldman (groin), DE Akiem Hicks are T
Matching Up: The Giants are 30th on offense, 21st in passing and 27th rushing. They are 23rd on defense, 18th against the pass and 26th against the run.
The Bears are 26th on offense, 32nd (last) in passing and eighth in rushing. They are ninth on defense, fourth against the pass and 25th against the run.
What to Watch: All eyes are on the two coaches, who both could be fired after the season. It's possible both teams could have different GMs next season, as well. ... New York's offensive woes continue since losing QB Daniel Jones to injury on Nov. 28. They have 46 points in four games since then. ... The Giants appear likely to play both of their healthy quarterbacks, Glennon and Fromm. Judge told the media this during the week. ... The Bears are starting their third different quarterback in three weeks as Dalton steps in for Fields. ... Edge rusher Robert Quinn is trying to set the Bears team record for sacks in a season and has 17. The record is 17 1/2 by Richard Dent in 1984. ... Wide receiver Darnell Mooney is 140 yards short of 1,000 yards for the season. ... Linebacker Roquan Smith needs six tackles to set a team record for tackles, based on figures from press box statisticians and not coaches. He has 148 and Brian Urlacher's 2002 record is 153. ... Hicks and Allen Robinson could be playing their final home game before Chicago fans as both are unrestricted free agents after the season. ... The Giants own the Bears' first-round pick for the next draft, which currently is the eighth pick. They also have the fifth pick, which is their own, so any Bears losses help their draft picks.
Of note: The Bears are playing for win No. 800 in franchise history. ... Kenny Golladay got $72 million from the Giants and has not scored a touchdown. ... The Giants have had 11 people score touchdowns and one more would set a team record. ... New York has given up no more than seven points in any first quarter this season, something they haven't done for 15 games since 2008. ... New York has had at least one interception in its last four games against the Bears. ... With two sacks to become the fourth player in NFL history 21 or younger to reach 10 sacks in a season. ... With two receptions, Mooney reaches 125 receptions, and it would be the most by any Bears player in their first two years. Currently, running back Tarik Cohen's 124 is the most. ... The Bears are 29th converting third downs into first downs (34.6%) but 15th preventing it (39%). ... The Bears are fourth against the pass yardage-wise, but have given up the fifth-most touchdown passes (28).
Next week: The Giants host the Washington Football Team and the Bears are at Minnesota to close the 2021 season.
Key Individual Matchups
Bears OLB Robert Quinn vs. Giants LT Andrew Thomas
Quinn's pursuit of the Bears sacks record doesn't need to come with an asterisk if he fails to get one sack in the 16th game. He missed a game this year so even if his 18th sack comes next week he will have broke the record in 16 games. His quickness and ability to contort his body using leverage have made for the sacks. Thomas has committed four penalties on the year and allowed only one sack. He has been ranked 22nd of 84 tackles graded by Pro Football Focus in just his second season and has been one of the few dependable linemen on a Giants line plagued all year by injuries.
Bears DE Akiem Hicks vs. Giants RG Will Hernandez
Hernandez had been an ascending player in his first three seasons but has committed a career-high eight penalties while allowing a career-high six sacks this season. PFF grades him 61st out of 80 guards. Hicks has been out due to COVID-19 for a week after returning for one game following an ankle injury suffered Nov. 8 against Pittsburgh. The issue for Hicks is whether he's had time to regain his strength after a bout with the illness. Expect the Bears to limit his reps in what could be his final home game at Soldier Field, as he is a free agent next year. It's been rare when the Bears have had both Hicks and nose tackle Eddie Goldman on the field at the same time because of injuries and COVID, but they will Sunday, so their run defense could be expected to improve.
Bears CB Jaylon Johnson vs. Giants WR Kenny Golladay
Saying Golladay owned the Bears in his time with the Lions would be an exaggeration. It was more like he signed a low-cost lease deal. He had plenty of big plays, making 24 receptions for 464 yards, a 19.3-yard average, with three TDs. How will he do against Johnson? He didn't play in either Lions game with the Bears last year and has never faced the former Utah player. Johnson has been learning the hard way, by being assigned to top defenders all over the field because of his man-to-man coverage skills. The tougher assignment has resulted in a 101.4 passer rating against when targeted and five TD passes allowed for Johnson, according to NFL stat partner Sportradar. However, Johnson is allowing only 59.4% completions when targeted. Speed and athleticism are on Golladay's side in this, but the quarterbacks targeting him are the problem. He has only made only 34 catches in 70 targets.
Bears WR Allen Robinson vs. Giants CB James Bradberry
Bradberry stole a pick away from Robinson last year. The Giants have been playing Bradberry this year up closer to receivers to take advantage of his physical advantages at 6-foot-1, 212, and he's almost Robinson's size, giving away about an inch and 8 pounds. But Robinson is coming off COVID-19 and a hamstring injury and he has struggled fitting in with the quarterback shuffle going on all year, now standing at the fifth QB change. Robinson is a free agent after this year and with changes likely with the coaching staff and possibly front office, it seems uncertain Robinson will be back. It could be his final Bears home game. He should fit in well with Andy Dalton, though, as his season high of six receptions came with Dalton passing back in the opener.
Bears RT Germain Ifedi vs. Giants OLB Azeez Ojulari
Ifedi's return from a knee injury has been fairly successful but facing Ojulari is no easy task because at 6-foot-2, 249 pounds, he is built for speed and speed rushers always give Ifedi problems, particularly if he doesn't stay square to the rusher. Ojulari has eight sacks to lead the Giants, and they will move him around the formation but he has been at his best coming off the defense's left side. He has 11 QB hits and a forced fumble besides the eight sacks. Ifedi has four penalties and two sacks allowed and made one very big fumble recovery on a sack of Nick Foles last week to keep alive the winning drive. He has been better as a pass blocker than run blocker, according to PFF.
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