Starting off the 2020 season against the Pittsburgh Steelers was tumultuous for the New York Giants, but the Chicago Bears represent a lesser opponent. While they do have a respectable defense, their offense has been inconsistent the past few seasons with Mitchell Trubisky at quarterback.
Head coach Joe Judge stated that the improvement from week one to week two is oftentimes significant, and the Giants will be looking to elevate their game.
Three keys for a New York Giants victory against Chicago:
1.) Contain Khalil Mack
If there’s one thing the Giants desperately need to do again Chicago, it is stop Khalil Mack from getting to Daniel Jones. One of the best pass rushers in the NFL and over the last decade, Mack has the ability to wreak havoc in the pocket.
However, he had an injury designation on his knee all week, so he could be limited to some degree. Wherever he lines up, the Giants must provide help, especially if it’s over rookie left tackle Andrew Thomas. Last week against Pittsburgh, the offensive line faltered in most categories. They only gave Saquon Barkley enough running room to total six yards and put Daniel Jones under pressure 26 times, which led the NFL.
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2.) Run blocking must improve
One major factor the Giants must improve upon is their run blocking. It seemed as if they had schematic issues, failing to block Steelers defenders and miscommunications.
Center Nick Gates did a poor job of communicating with his fellow lineman, which caused issues at the line of scrimmage. Right tackle Cam Fleming was beaten consistently on running plays, and they simply weren’t on the same page for a majority of the game. There were several instances where right guard Kevin Zeitler simply couldn’t get over to the left side on a swing play to stop Bud Dupree.
It seemed as if the Giants were not prepared for the Steelers’ speed on defense and ability to close in on the backfield quickly. They have one of the better defensive fronts in the NFL, so the Giants should be heading into an easier week two match up with essential experience under their belt. Nonetheless, if they wish to overcome the Chicago Bears, getting Saquon Barkley going and burning time off the clock is essential.
3.) Put pressure on Mitchell Trubsiky
The Bears elected to go with Trubisky this season over Nick Foles. In week one, the Bears lead an awesome come-back that secured them a victory over the Detroit Lions. Trubisky picked up his game and tossed multiple second-half touchdowns.
The secondary must be capable on Sunday, as the Bears have multiple wide receivers who can do damage in the open field. We can predict that James Bradberry will shadow Allen Robinson wherever he goes. Bradberry had a fantastic week one performance, forcing a fumble and containing his side completely (5 solo tackles, 2 passes defended). Shadowing Robinson is a necessity if the Giants wish to walk away without being thrashed in the secondary.
However, the easy way to disrupt Mitch is to put him on the ground. The Giants ranked 8th in pass-rush win rate against the Steelers, which was a major improvement from their 2019 results.