New York Giants vs. Chicago Bears: Full Report Card Grades for New York

As the NFL season begins to tick down, the contenders are beginning to separate themselves from the pretenders. 

One one hand, we have the New York Giants. Coming into Week 11 at 6-3, they look like a legitimate contender in every sense of the word. But at the same time, their opponents—the Chicago Bears—have pretenders written all over them, as struggles have persisted throughout 2016. 

As the Sunday afternoon matchup neared, many pegged the G-Men as eventual winners. Instead, the Bears treated this like a prototypical trap game—and throughout the first have, it was obvious the Giants weren't up for the challenge against the banged up and beat-down squad from the Windy City. 

Fortunately, however, Big Blue was able to regroup at halftime. Despite a back-and-forth affair, the Giants were able to walk away with yet another close victory, this time by the score of 22-16. 

For the offense, a balanced and stable attack paced the team throughout the afternoon. Eli Manning was as efficient as he's been all season and worked the ball all over the field. And finally, the run game was able to complement the aerial assault, as the two-headed monster of Rashad Jennings and Paul Perkins found success on the ground. 

While the defense has been a model of consistency up to this point, that wasn't the case on Sunday. With playmaker Alshon Jeffrey and two starting offensive linemen out, it appeared as though the unit took it easy in the first half. But after Jay Cutler proved he had his "A" game, the defense buckled down and dominated in the second half. 

Now at 7-3, the Giants are firmly in second place in the NFC East, own the first Wild Card slot and are still keeping pace with the 9-1 Dallas Cowboys. There are still things to be worked out on both sides of the football, but the fact the Ben McAdoo-led team can win multiple close games proves this group has what it takes to succeed. 

But before the organization travels to Ohio to take on the Cleveland Browns, let's break down how everyone did against the Bears. 

Quarterback

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While the Giants have seven wins in 10 games, they have been far from perfect. One of the biggest reasons behind that has been the inconsistent play of Eli Manning. 

Sure, his offensive line hasn't helped and his receivers have a hard time hauling in passes. But the veteran quarterback, too, has had his problems. Not only has he had issues with errant throws, but he's also made some questionable decisions at the line of scrimmage. 

Fortunately, however, he was the good Eli against the Bears. 

The signal-caller passed the ball 36 times on Sunday and converted 21 of them, good for 227 passing yards and two touchdowns. In what has become a common theme, Manning hit seven different targets as he kept the Bears secondary on its toes. 

The entire offense was clicking today, which certainly helped Manning's efforts. 

Nonetheless, he still had a strong afternoon—and if he continues to play like this, the NFC could be in some trouble. 

Grade: A-

Running Backs

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Coming into Week 10's matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Giants touted the 32nd-ranked rushing attack in the NFL. Yes, that's dead last.

But the duo of Rashad Jennings and Paul Perkins was able to find its groove against the Bengals as its late-game efforts secured the victory on Monday. The hope was that the momentum would carry into Sunday's game against the Bears.

And both Jennings and Perkins did just that.

While the Giants were lacking as a whole in the first half, it was Jennings who played like a man possessed. He finished the afternoon with arguably his best game of the season as he rushed for 85 yards on 21 carries while adding a score to his resume. But his success wasn't limited to handoffs, as the veteran also caught five passes for 44 yards.

Sure, Perkins didn't get as many touches as Jennings. He did, however, still impress in limited duty. The 2016 fifth-round selection had four rushes for 16 yards; while that may not sound impressive, Perkins' elusiveness and downhill nature were on full display, and he appears to be in line for more carries in the coming weeks.

Even with a non-existent running game, the Giants were able to win games. If Jennings, Perkins and company can continue their play, it will add a significant impact to the offense.

Grade: B+

Wide Receivers and Tight Ends

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Because the Giants' passing attack has been their main source of points, the team's pass-catchers have been obvious bright spots in 2016. While the group of wide receivers and tight ends had a quieter afternoon that usual on Sunday, they still made plays when it mattered most. 

After putting together a string of huge games, Odell Beckham Jr. was in double and triple coverage nearly all day long. The superstar receiver did tie for the team lead with five catches but had just 46 yards to show for it. 

After missing last week's game with a sprained ankle, veteran Victor Cruz returned to action. He may have caught just one pass, but it was on a big play; as Eli Manning was getting chased by opposing defenders, Cruz broke out deep which allowed a 46-yard connection. While Cruz hasn't replicated his prowess from years ago, his clutch gene is still in full effect. Roger Lewis—Cruz's replacement last week—caught just one ball (eight yards), but had to exit the game due to a concussion. 

The top threat for the Giants on Sunday, Sterling Shepard had one of his best games in his brief career. The second-round pick had 50 yards on five catches and hauled in Manning's second touchdown of the game. And for the second week in a row, Shepard, too, flashed his clutch gene, as he caught a fourth-down pass. 

With Larry Donnell inactive, there's no doubt it's now the Will Tye show. The second-year tight end rewarded his coaches with a strong blocking game and a touchdown to boot. Rookie Jerell Adams failed to gain a reception, but he did aid in the run game. 

Because the rushing attack was strong, the Giants didn't need much from their pass-catchers. Even so, they still had a strong afternoon. 

Grade: B

Offensive Line

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For the offensive line, it looked like the weakest link was going to struggle even more. Not only was top talent Justin Pugh out, but so was his backup, Brett Jones. In addition, Jones' backup—Adam Gettis—was questionable. The line was thin, as veteran Will Beatty had to be activated while Shane McDermott was signed from the practice squad.

Facing adversity, however, was no problem for the O-Line in Week 11.

Ereck Flowers was hit with the only holding penalty of the afternoon, but it could've been prevented if Eli Manning got the ball out earlier. His counterpart Bobby Hart also had a sound game, as the pressure from the edges were sustained.

Weston Richburg and John Jerry continued to perform well in the middle, while Marshall Newhouse—a veteran tackle with limited interior experience—stepped in at left guard and excelled.

Although Bears defensive lineman Pernell McPhee vowed to get to Manning, the offensive line kept their quarterback clean once again. For the second straight week, they also helped their running backs gain 100 yards on the ground.

There is still some work to be done. But there's no denying that this unit has been playing well.

Grade: B

Defensive Line

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While the offensive line has been the biggest weakness, their counterparts on the defensive side of the football has been the Giants' biggest strength. 

Sure, they struggled early. Despite being one of the best units against the run, Jordan Howard and the Bears' offensive line had their way with Olivier Vernon, Damon Harrison, Johnathan Hankins, and Jason Pierre-Paul. The front four allowed 72 yards and were well on their way to giving up 100 rushing yards for the first time this season. 

Fortunately, however, the foursome buckled down in the second half—and the momentum of the game changed because of it. 

Pierre-Paul and Vernon abused the opposing tackles and were, once again, forces to be reckoned with. Pierre-Paul recorded a season-high 2.5 sacks and deflected yet another pass. Vernon not only notched a sack himself but had his ninth tackle for loss in 2016, a number which leads his team. 

While Pierre-Paul and Vernon stole the spotlight, it was Harrison and Hankins who got the dirty work done. Both defensive tackles recorded five solo tackles apiece while providing consistent pressure up the middle. 

Remember when Howard had 72 yards in the first half? In the second half, he had just five yards on as many carries. That, and their ability to get to the quarterback proves this unit boasts game-changers. 

Grade: A-

Linebackers

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Despite having decent talent, the group of linebackers has exceeded expectations in 2016. It was, however, only a matter of time before this position had a subpar game.

That happened to come against the Bears.

Kelvin Sheppard tied for the team lead with six solo tackles, but due to his struggles against the pass, he had to come out for a number of plays. His replacement, Keenan Robinson, has been an athletic presence thus far. Unfortunately, however, he struggled on Sunday as he allowed a big gain to opposing tight end Zach Miller while having just three combined tackles.

On the outside, both Jonathan Casillas and Devon Kennard had their fair share of issues as well. The duo had a hard time bringing people down, as Casillas and Kennard noticeably missed a number of tackles.

Sure, the unit didn't have the best of performances on Sunday. So long as they can put this behind them, there's no reason why the linebackers won't make an impact next week.

Grade: C+

Defensive Backs

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The Giants didn't have to go against top threat Alshon Jeffrey, but the secondary did face Jay Cutler, who had one of his best games of the season this afternoon. While the quarterback succeeded in the first half, the group of cornerbacks and safeties turned it on in the second half and completely shut down the passing attack. 

For the cornerbacks, it was Eli Apple (seven tackles) and Janoris Jenkins (three tackles) who got the call on the outside. The first-round pick allowed a long gain in the fourth quarter but was otherwise stout against the pass and the run. Jenkins, meanwhile, had one pass defended and had little issues on defense. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Trevin Wade, and Coty Sensabaugh all spent time in the slot and did an adequate job. 

In what has become somewhat of a theme, Andrew Adams and Nat Berhe split time at safety. The undrafted free agent from UConn had one of his more subtle games since becoming a starter, while Berhe made his presence felt at the line of scrimmage. 

And then there's Landon Collins—or as some are calling him, the NFC's Defensive Player of the Year. 

The second-year safety was an absolute force against the Bears, as his six solo tackles tied Kelvin Sheppard for the team lead. Not only did he break up a key pass on third down, but he iced the game with an interception in his fourth consecutive game. 

With Jenkins and Collins playing at an elite level, it isn't hard for their teammates to follow suit. That's a huge reason why this unit has succeeded thus far. 

Grade: B+

Special Teams

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When looking all across special teams, bright spots were few and far between.

Brad Wing pinned the Bears inside the 20 on two occasions, as he punted six times on the afternoon.

Dwayne Harris had a decent return to start the second half, but his decision making continues to plague the Giants' field position. On the opposite end of that, the kick and punt coverage teams continue to do a poor job at containing returners from gaining big yards.

New signee Robbie Gould was named game captain as he went up against the team he spent 11 seasons with. Unfortunately, he didn't stick it to the Bears as he missed two of three extra points.

Grade: C-