Dhruv Koul shares his in-game reactions, thoughts and observations from the Giants-Bears game at Soldier Field. Follow him on Twitter @DhruvKoul to continue the conversation.
CHICAGO — After the Chicago Bears looked lost for three quarters in Week 1 before staging a furious comeback (and surviving a D’Andre Swift drop) to shock the Lions in Detroit, they open up their home portion of the schedule against the New York Giants today.
The Bears haven’t started a season 1-0 since they beat Cincinnati in 2013 in Marc Trestman’s debut game. Interestingly, they hadn’t opened a season against the Lions since Calvin Johnson’s catch became a drop in the final minute to seal a Bears win. So here we are, a decade later, with the Bears thanking their stars to be 1-0 after a Detroit drop. My pre-game thread on the Giants-Bears game:
Thread: A few thoughts on the upcoming Giants-Bears game…
1. If Mitch Trubisky wants to capitalize on momentum from his fourth quarter in Detroit, this is the secondary to do it against. Apart from James Bradberry, NYG's CBs have no chance against Miller and Mooney.
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) September 18, 2020
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The Giants, while not a “good” team, still have some sneaky talent that I expected to give the Bears trouble at Soldier Field, especially with some of their skill players on offense and their solid defensive front.
In the end, the Bears jumped out to a big lead, showed no interest in wanting to retain but, somehow stumbled upon a win in the end. Wild!
I shared my in-game reactions, thoughts and observations below. Follow me on Twitter @DhruvKoul to continue the conversation.
Thoughts and Observations
1. (PRE-GAME) The good news is Robert Quinn will make his debut today. A couple other observations on the inactives:
It didn’t take long for Darnell Mooney to supplant Ted Ginn.
I’d be really concerned, though, if I’m Riley Ridley.
Also, Trevis Gipson inactive means the Bears must think Robert Quinn can play the whole game. https://t.co/4vZnSH5nGM
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) September 20, 2020
2. What an incredible start for the Bears. They started on offense and led a methodical, beautiful drive down the field for a touchdown, while converting three third downs, a point of emphasis all week. A nice scramble drill by Mitch Trubisky and some excellent running after the catch from David Montgomery led to the TD.
Nice drive, Mitch! Extend A-Rob. Immediately.
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) September 20, 2020
On NYG’s first drive, Robert Quinn paid off immediately with a sack/strip, recovered by Khalil Mack. Unfortunately, the Bears could only muster a field goal after Anthony Miller dropped a third-down DIME from Trubisky. Still, Bears up 10-0. Very good start.
That was a beautiful throw. Miller has to catch that. Matt Nagy won’t be happy.
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) September 20, 2020
3. Saquon Barkley with an ugly injury… after getting tackled out of bounds by Eddie Jackson, he immediately ripped off his helmet and was carried across the field, putting no weight on that right leg. It looked bad…
Oooof, that doesn’t look good for Saquon. Get well soon.
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) September 20, 2020
As the drive resumed for NYG, Barkevious Mingo sacked Daniel Jones on second down and Deon Bush picked off Jones on third down (awful decision by Jones) to kill off a drive that was in field goal range. Great work by the defense, but I imagine the Giants are deathly concerned about Saquon at this point.
Deon Bush really making a case for more playing time! Takes away points with that INT!
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) September 20, 2020
On the Bears’ ensuing drive, David Montgomery himself got injured — he jumped over a lineman and landed on his head — it was an ugly one. He stayed down for a few minutes before walking off. He seems like he may return, as he came back to the bench after a trip to the locker room. Hope he is OK.
4. Trubisky led an excellent drive right before the halftime, driving the Bears 80 yards for the score. He looked confident, decisive, and relatively accurate. He hit Allen Robinson, Cole Kmet, and then Darnell Mooney for a critical third down conversion and a touchdown on a scramble drill. In fact:
That touchdown to Mooney was almost exactly what the final play in Detroit would’ve been to Marvin Jones.
Jaylon Johnson made the play last week.
Darnell Mooney this week. https://t.co/YaJLh4oedB
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) September 20, 2020
A 17-0 lead at halftime. Quite nice.
5. After the Bears forced a punt on the Giants’ first drive of the second half, Trubisky forced a pass to (who else?) Allen Robinson which was intercepted to set up NYG in very good field position.
His luck on forced throws was bound to run out.
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) September 20, 2020
Luckily, Darius Slayton dropped a third down conversion and New York had to settle for a field goal. A 17-3 lead is strong, but that was a free three points. Trubisky has to rebound here and kill some clock (and ideally get at least those three points back).
6. Anthony Miller is having a rough game. He dropped a third down pass from Trubisky that was an out route near the sideline and right on the money. Drive stalls in Giants’ territory, but that should’ve been a catch. Miller with two, very costly drops today.
7. The Bears have settled into a bad defensive pattern on this ensuing drive. New York started at their own five yard line, but some soft zone coverage and a questionable roughing call let the Giants drive down to the Bears’ 4-yard line at the end of the third quarter.
It is way too early to settle in a soft zone. I don’t like this from Chuck Pagano.
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) September 20, 2020
The Giants ended that drive in the fourth quarter with a touchdown on 4th and 1 to pull to 17-10. Not good. The Bears only have themselves to blame for this.
8. Trubisky gets picked off again. Initially, it looked like an underthrow (one that Robinson had his hands on), but James Bradberry took it away. We’ll see on the All-22 if that was a designed back-shoulder or not. But Robinson has to catch that.
Then Eddie Jackson’s pick-six is called back due to a DPI. Looks like a good call. Brutal turn of events…
Good call on the PI. That sucks.
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) September 20, 2020
Giants’ field goal trims the lead to 17-13. That was a 10-point swing, and the Bears have to be feeling the heat now… Not a good look at home against a Giants team that doesn’t have Saquon anymore or Sterling Shepard, who also left due to injury…
Bears absolutely need a drive here, and points. What do you have, Mitch?
9. That was… some drive. David Montgomery was unstoppable for a while, the Bears converted a 4th and 1 when Bobby Massie caught a deflection off Jimmy Graham, and then Cairo Santos missed a FG from 50 yards that would’ve put the Bears up seven again. Giants with good field position at the two-minute warning and a touchdown wins it.
10. I think I aged 15 years on that final drive.
11. I mean:
Bears did not deserve to win. Ugly.
But they are 2-0. Fucking hell!
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) September 20, 2020
But they won. They are 2-0. Fuck everything else.
12. That is a brutal win against a bad team at home. That after a crazy lucky win on the road. But they are 2-0 and should not apologize. They do have to improve significantly, though. The Bears travel to Atlanta next week and judging by what they did in Dallas today, and how roughly the Bears played today, I think the Bears could be in trouble.
Early Prediction: Falcons 30, Bears 17.
(Author’s Note — Poor Falcons.)
