Giants vs Bears: Week 10 Showdown in the Windy City

I begin another one of these monologues coming off a disheartening loss at home in Week 9 against the 49ers. That makes it three losses in a row since that fateful Thursday night a few weeks back, when the Giants handled the Eagles with ease, bringing their record to 2–4. After that game, it felt like there was some positive energy and a friskiness around this team. All hope was lost a week later, when the Giants collapsed down the stretch in Denver.

Now, Brian Daboll is trying to keep this team afloat. I don't believe he has lost the locker room just yet, but we're on the precipice of that happening if the losses continue.

Piling onto the abysmal first half of the season is the fact that Joe Schoen didn’t make any moves at the deadline. To be frank, it sucks as a fan to believe in the current state of the team when management can’t offload players who aren't making an impact, or bring in even an above-average contributor who could help the rest of the way and beyond. It’s like they only think in the short term. I know Jalen Waddle’s asking price was sky-high from Miami, but pairing a guy like that with Malik Nabers is exactly the kind of move the Giants need to set up their offense for the future. I digress, because I could go on and on about this management regime. But that’s not what this piece is intended to convey as right now, the focus is on the Chicago Bears.

The Giants visit the Bears for the first time in over three years. In their last match up at Soldier Field, they lost 29–3 to close out the 2021 season. The Bears are heating up at the right time, sitting at 5–3 and ranking ninth in the NFL in points scored and 11th in total yards. New head coach Ben Johnson has them clicking.

The Giants have their work cut out for them this week. Away we go into the offensive and defensive previews ahead of this matchup.

The Offense

Jaxson Dart scrambles against the 49ers in week 9

Jaxson Dart leads the NFL with 5 games of at least 1 pass touchdown and 1 rush touchdown this season, per NFL Pro. He is the only quarterback since 1970 to post that statline in 5 of his first 6 NFL starts. Last week, Dart passed for 191 yards and ran for 56. I'll take almost 250 scrimmage yards from my quarterback any day of the week if it leads to putting points on the board. He was also very efficient through the air, completing 24/33 passes for a 72% completion rate. Those numbers bode well for his development, but the Giants still couldn't pull out the win.

This week, the Giants should be getting Jermaine Eluemunor back after he missed last week’s game. His presence is valuable, and having him and Andrew Thomas anchoring both sides of the line is huge for the Giants’ offensive success. Unfortunately, center John Michael Schmitz Jr. will miss this contest, so expect Austin Schlottmann to start under center. Schlottmann did a solid job filling in for JMS a few weeks ago in Denver. As I mentioned last week, the continuity and relative health of this line has been a bright spot for the offense, especially in keeping their rookie quarterback upright. This week, the Bears bring a pass rush that is by no means remarkable. They have registered 17 sacks and 50 pressures this season to date. That pressure number is the fifth worst in the league, per Pro Football Reference. The opportunity is there for the offensive line to dominate the line of scrimmage.

The Bears will also trot out a banged-up secondary, still missing key pieces in Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon. There’s a huge opportunity for the Giants to move the ball against a vulnerable defense. Yes, I realize Joe Flacco has weapons in Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, but he still threw for 470 yards and put up 42 points on the Bears last week. A strong combination of clean offensive line play and Dart having time to go through his progressions should open up the field. Hopefully, that leads to more of those downfield connections that Dart has been eager to rekindle after his week 7 success against Denver.

There is an open door here to score points and the Giants can do so behind their dynamic rookie quarterback.

The Defense

Brian Burns celebrates in week 9 against the 49ers

Putrid again last week against the 49ers. The defense surrendered 34 points while allowing 159 rushing yards. The Giants’ run defense ranks second to last in the league, having given up 1,350 yards through nine games which is an average of 150 rushing yards allowed per game, per Pro Football Reference. How is that even remotely sustainable? This continues to be an issue not just week after week, but season after season. They’re simply horrible at stopping the run.

This week, the Giants face a Bears offense led by Caleb Williams and a handful of young playmakers. Their offense is dynamic and could very well be the straw that breaks the camel’s back for this defense. As mentioned earlier, the Bears rank highly in offensive efficiency. They feature veteran DeAndre Swift and emerging rookie Kyle Monangai in the backfield, alongside Williams. Their receiver and tight end depth is impressive, trotting out the likes of Rome Odunze, DJ Moore, Colston Loveland, Cole Kmet, Luther Burden III and even Olamide Zaccheus is contributing. They’re loaded, and Ben Johnson is letting them fire on all cylinders. That’s bad news for the Giants.

Outside of their abysmal run defense, the Giants also rank sixth-worst in passing yards allowed and third-worst in opponent first downs, per Pro Football Reference. They’re a sinking ship on all levels of defense, and the Bears should have no problem moving the ball. I know I sound like a pessimist, but this is the reality: this defense isn’t very good outside of the defensive line, and it shows on the stat sheet every week. I expect them to play with effort and pride — they’re professionals, after all — but there’s only so much one defense can do against an offense that’s beginning to click.

Closing

Giants vs. Bears is always a fun matchup, no matter where each team stands in its season-long journey. I was lucky enough to see them play at MetLife back in 2022, and it was a blast going back and forth with Bears fans. They’re just as passionate as Giants fans and Chicago lives for the success of their football team.

I’m excited to watch another week of Jaxson Dart football because he’s the guy for this team. He’s the early face of the franchise and should be the quarterback for years to come. He’s fun and makes this team worth watching week after week, even through the losses, and it’ll be great to see him and Caleb Williams go head-to-head. I expect points to be put on the board from each side and this probably won't be a defensive masterclass from either team.

Let's see where this one takes us and if there is a glimmer of hope left for the Giants this season. I'll be watching intently, most likely yelling at the TV, but it is all for the love of the game.

As always, go Giants.