New York Giants vs Chicago Bears Preview: A Chance To Rebound

This is the Giants chance to rebound, and prove they are a fiery, disciplined team, playing the undefeated Bears. Though they don’t have the advantage like they did last week, playing a better team, they are fired up and always play better as the underdogs. I hate to say it so early in the season, but it is a must win, because if the Giants start 1-3 (4-11 in last 15 games) they will face too many distractions to rebound.

Critical Matchups

Dodge vs Knox

The Giants have had special teams troubles every week so far this season but they are yet to play a dominant special team return artist, and this week they do facing Johnny Knox. Knowing Matt Dodge, the Giants do not have hope directionally punting it away from Knox, so the best they can hope for is to contain him. If they are able to limit him to 20 return yards a punt, and no touchdowns, they’ll have a great advantage.

Diehl/Mckenzie vs Peppers

Peppers is the most dominant ends in football, and has proved himself worthy of the 90 million he has received from the Bears. He helps the Bears tremendously, commanding the double team, while still getting sacks, QB pressures, and TFLs. The Bears like to move him around matching him up against different tackles to exploit their weaknesses using his abnormal strength and quickness.

Just like the special teams match up, the Giants can only hope to limit Peppers by double-teaming him, using two-TE sets. If the Giants can find some way of limiting Peppers, which would go along way to open their offense, but if Peppers run wild like Freeney and Mathis did 2 weeks ago, look for Eli to be standing on the sideline come the fourth quarter.

Bears O vs Giants D

So far this year, both the Bears running game and the Giants rush D have struggled so this match-up comes down to, who does worse? Instead of running the ball, the Bears have been incorporating the short passing game to Forte and Olsen, like any Martz offense would do.

The Giants struggle against pass catching running backs and tight ends since their line backing core has limited speed and agility, so look for Martz to find ways to isolate Forte and Olsen, their two best weapons. To stop Olsen and Forte, the Giants will need to match them up against safties or corners and try and be physical with them at the line to mess up the timing.

But in the vertical game, the Giants hold all the cards, they play a weak offensive line without their LT, so they should have no trouble pressuring Cutler, giving him no time to throw. Not to mention they have one of the best defensive backfields so they should have no trouble in man-to-man coverage, and have the luxury of two ball hawking safeties, to either support the corners, or shut down Olsen and Forte.

But what the Giants must watch for is Knox and Hesters deep speed, to contain the two, they must be physical at the line, and cover them just enough until they get the pass rush going, that’s when they’ll control the game.

Giants O vs Bears D

This week, the Giants will likely struggle running the ball, with a weak offensive line, playing against the number one overall rush defense (34 yds game) led by Briggs, Urlacher, and Peppers. So the equivalent of the Giants run will be screens and the short passing game (Forte style) to find ways to get Bradshaw into the open field and expose the bears cover two.

But where the Giants do match-up well this week is the passing game, where they may have the best core group of WR’s in the NFC. By possessing three talented receivers, Nicks, Manningham and Smith, create constant matchup problem for the defense, and this week Chicago will have great trouble covering the receivers.

The Giants need to exploit this matchup because if called right, could win the game for them, with receivers that will vastly out play their beat D-back counterparts.

Keys for the Giants

Limit the loss on special teams

Bill Belicheck once said you win games by controlling two out of three facets: offense, defense, and special teams. Though its extremely unlikely the Giants will win the special team battle, there is hope they can limit their loss on the facet, if they can hold Hester, and Knox to just enough yards and big plays to not lose the game, that would be a victory in their book.

Control the line of scrimmage

The Giants need to give time to Eli to throw the ball, and need to pressure Cutler to exploit his turnover problems, so what do they need to do? They need to control the line of scrimmage like they did in '07 and '08, and go back to their glory days.

Don’t make the Colts mistake

By the Colts mistake, I mean stacking up against the pass on defense playing in constant nickel coverage, and letting the Colts run the ball down their throats over and over again. The bears aren’t near the Colts level of passing so should play a balanced defense because if not, Martz will gladly run the ball.

Keys for the Bears

Run the Ball

This week they play the 28th ranked defense against the run, and the dangerous air attack of the Giants, so what do they need to do? POUND THE BALL, by doing that they get easy yards, and keep the ball out of Eli’s hands.

Convert on third down

So far this year the Bears have been excellent in converting on third downs, and will need to continue so playing the high scoring Giants.

Limit the Giants aerial attack

The Bears should have no trouble stopping the run, especially against a terrible O-line, but where they have a little trouble is in the passing game. This is the Giants strength and the Panthers must limit it, or they could end up getting into a shoot out.

Prediction

I see the Bears, edging out in a brutal, close, physical, shootout 27-20, again the Giants lose the game on special teams and mistakes.