Week 6: Giants at Bears

At least they didn’t get blown out. Is that a good enough consolation prize for a now 0-6 football team? Personally, I’d prefer the consolation prizes from Family Double Dare, but then again, I’ve always wanted a personal Karaoke machine.

Obviously I'd rather go to Space Camp, but this will do.

When I think about the previous losses that the Giants have endured, losing by six points to a good Bears team in Chicago isn’t that bad. In fact, if the Giants had actually won a couple of games this season, this game would just be one of those “heartbreaker” games that didn’t go their way.

1st Quarter:
The Giants win the coin toss and elect to receive the ball. Good start. Then Eli Manning, who is trying to beat Brett Favre’s career interception total in one season, throws a pick on a pass intended for Rueben “Wrong Page” Randle. So much for that good start.

"Hey, Eli! Come over and I'll show you the ropes. First off, do you have a camera phone?"

The Bears’ offense, led by the pouty-faced Jay Culter, takes the field at the Giants’ twelve yard line. However, the Giants’ defense held strong and the Bears ended up getting denied on a fourth and two rush attempt.
So with the momentum shifting back to the Giants’ favor, the offense took the field. It’s their time to capitalize on that defense stop. Eli doesn’t disappoint as he throws a touchdown, to Bears’ defensive back Tim Jennings.
Despite that pick six, the Giants came back out swinging. They put together a ten play, eighty yard drive, capped off with a rushing touchdown by the rejuvenated Brandon Jacobs.
After that long scoring drive, the Bears started to manufacture a long scoring drive of their own. The quarter ends halfway through their drive.
Score: Giants 7-Bears 7

2nd Quarter:
At the beginning of the quarter the Bears finish off their drive with a ten yard pass to Brandon Marshall.
The Giants recovered nicely, and scored on the following drive on a thirty-seven yard pass from Manning to good ol’ Wrong Page.
In response the Giants’ touchdown, the Bears drive down the field again and finish it off with a touchdown pass from Cutler to, you guess it, Brandon Marshall. This game has turned into a real shootout.
Well, that is until the Giants go three and out on the following possession.
Chicago responds with a field goal.
Halftime: Giants 14-Chicago 24

3rd Quarter:
With Chicago already up by ten points, they start off with the ball in the second half. It could've been devastating if the Bears got a touchdown on that drive. Luckily, the Giants held them to a fifty-two yard field goal.
So after an effective first half of the Giants’ running game, Gilbride and company decided it was in the Giants best interest to start their second half with three straight passes. Needless to say that drive stalled and ended in a punt.
The Bears end up punting the ball away on the following drive.
On their next possession, the Giants pulled their heads out of their asses and start to run the ball with Jacobs again. And surprise, surprise, the drive ended in a one yard touchdown run by Jacobs.
Score: Giants 21-Bears 27

4th Quarter:

At least this isn't the new Eli face.

Alright, it was gut-check time for Big Blue. They’ve been awful in the fourth quarter. Like Kristen Stewart’s personality awful. It was time to see if the Giants could turn it around.
The Bears started off with the ball but after a long drive the ended up punting.
The Giants responded with a punt as well.
The game was on the Giants defense again. Could they prevent the Bears from scoring again? It turns out that they could as the defense forced another punt.
Now the Giants were only down by six with over five minutes left. Unlike the past seasons, very much like the game against Dallas, Eli doesn't seem to have that late-game magic. He threw a high ball to tight end Brandon Myers, which slipped past his hands and into the hands of  Chicago’s Tim Jennings.
The Bears run out the clock and that ends the game.
Final Score: Giants 21-Bears 27

The Giants going winless after the first six games is very demoralizing. But I did notice some things that we could be optimistic about. They didn’t go for the home run ball with every new set of downs. The Giants stuck with their running game. Eli only got sacked once. The defense was very good at stopping the run. They only gave up two touchdowns to a good Bears offense. The defense also shut the Bears down in the fourth quarter.

But despite all of these silver linings, there are negatives. Eli still cost his team the game. That pick-six really could have been the difference maker for this contest. Jay Cutler had nothing to worry about in the pocket. With the Giants’ lack of pressure, Cutler was as calm as a Hindu Cow.

So what have I learned?

Rated E for "Erased from People's Memory".

Maybe David Wilson isn’t the best fit for an aging offensive line. They are currently built for a downhill runner, not a chicken with his head cut off kind of runner. 

The addition of former Madden cover-boy, and the still Madden cursed, Peyton Hillis shows you the type of running back that the Giants can work best with. Also, the return of a, hopefully, a fully healthy Andre Brown in a few weeks could be a big boost for Big Blue.

After the Bears game, the Giants are showing signs that they can improve this year. I’m not predicting a massive playoff run, I’m just saying if they continue to play smart and Eli doesn’t give away the ball, but they can piece together a few wins.