Bears vs. Giants Odds
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After Mitch Trubisky's fourth-quarter comeback, the Chicago Bears now have high expectations in the NFC North. A good performance against the New York Giants on Sunday could turn the Bears into real NFC contenders.
The Giants offense looked anemic on Monday night, losing 26-16 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. New York's offensive line was not able to free up Saquon Barkley, as the star running back ran for just six yards on 15 carries. The Giants are in the middle of a rebuild, so expectations are not high this season at MetLife Stadium.
The Bears won this matchup 19-14 a year ago at Soldier Field, so they will be hoping for a similar performance in this latest meeting.
Chicago Bears
Offense
Trubisky took a big step backward in 2019, as his yards per attempt went from 7.6 to 6.3, causing his passer rating to decrease by more than 10 points.
He turned things around in the fourth quarter of the season opener against Detroit, throwing three touchdown passes on three consecutive drives. Trubisky will have to up that level of play, because he'll have backup quarterback Nick Foles breathing down his neck all season.
The other problem with Chicago's offense is the fact it lacks consistent weapons at the skill positions. Allen Robinson is a legit No. 1 wide receiver, but outside of him, Trubisky doesn't have many above-average targets.
Running back tandem David Montgomery and Tarik Cohen will look to improve the Bears' rushing attack that ranked 25th in rushing success and 31st rushing explosiveness last season (per Sharp Football Stats). They'll have to do it behind a regressing offensive line that went from the 10th in the NFL two seasons ago to the 25th in 2019 (per Pro Football Focus). Not to mention, long-time guard Kyle Long retired in the offseason, leaving a big gap on the right side of the line.
The Giants were 28th in defensive passing success last season, but were one of the best teams against the run. So, if the Bears are successful on Sunday, it will be dependent on Trubisky's level of play.
Defense
Chicago still has one of the best defensive lines in football, but the unit is a bit banged up. Khalil Mack, Akiem Hicks and Robert Quinn are all questionable as of writing, and if they all don't play, Barkley is going to have a big day.
The Bears are strong on the front, but their real issues lie in the secondary.
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Prince Amukamara have moved on, leaving two holes. Aging veteran Buster Skrine is still in Chicago, but he's a liability covering the slot. Skrine allowed more than a 100 passer rating last season and will have to cover two young talented receivers in Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard.
The Bears ranked 17th in defensive passing success last season, but will likely take a step back during this campaign.
New York Giants
Offense
Daniel Jones looked much like his 2019 self on Monday night. He's capable of a big play at any time, but turnovers have plagued him so far in his career. That was evident in the opener, where he threw two interceptions against the Steelers.
The Giants ranked 24th in passing success last season, and with issues in the Bears secondary, Jones will have to put up a clean performance if they're going to win the game.
Few running backs have the big-play ability of Barkley, who led the Giants to the sixth-best explosive rushing attack. However, he struggled with consistency: He wasn't very good at simply taking what is there in 2019, and with an offensive line that struggled in run blocking last year, he will need to develop some consistency.
The Giants offensive line wasn't as bad as everyone made it out to be last season. They were the 17th-best offensive line according to PFF, and will get better in 2020. New York used its No. 4 overall pick on right tackle Andrew Thomas out of Georgia, who will no doubt improve the offensive line, which should boost both Jones and Barkley's performances.
Defense
The Giants defensive line improved drastically last season, especially against the run. New York ranked third in defensive rushing success and it seems drafting Dexter Lawerence in the first round of last year's draft paid off. But New York wasn't very good against the run on Monday, allowing 5.9 yards per carry to Benny Snell.
Chicago's rushing attack has been suspect the past few years, so New York should be able to shut down Montgomery and Cohen.
The Giants' real issues on defense lie in their linebacking and secondary units. They ranked 28th in defensive passing success and 29th defensive passing explosiveness last season. Their linebacking group was one of the worst in the NFL and no significant upgrades were made at the position. In the secondary, they added James Bradberry from Carolina, but he won't make a significant difference.
Bears-Giants Pick
This game is going to come down to quarterback play. Both secondaries are weak, so it'll be up to whichever young quarterback steps up in the moment.
I have the Bears projected at -6.48, so there's a little bit of value on them at -5.5. However, I would wait for the status of some of the Bears who are questionable before betting this game.
PICK: Bears -5.5 if Khalil Mack, Akiem Hicks and Robert Quinn play
[Bet now at PointsBet and get $150 if the Bears score a point]
