Chicago @ New York preview
MetLife Stadium
Last Meeting ( Nov 20, 2016 ) Chicago 16, N.Y. Giants 22
The Chicago Bears won three division games in a span of 12 days and can take another step toward their first NFC North crown in eight years when they visit the New York Giants on Sunday. A 23-16 victory at Detroit on Thanksgiving was the Bears' fifth straight win overall, their longest streak since a six-game run in 2012.
They got by in Week 12 with backup Chase Daniel at quarterback and are playing a waiting game on starter Mitchell Trubisky, who was out with a shoulder injury and is considered day-to-day. "It's going to continue to be one of those day-to-day things with him," coach Matt Nagy told reporters Wednesday. "I don't know his exact pain tolerance or level right now. But I definitely think his arrow's up right now and we'll just have to kind of keep communicating with him on a day-to-day basis as to where he's at, how he feels." The Giants appear to be sticking with veteran Eli Manning under center after he threw for 297 yards and a touchdown in a 25-22 loss at Philadelphia on Sunday. Under fire much of the season as New York careens toward its fifth losing season in the last six, Manning has the best completion percentage of his career (69.1) and is on pace for 4,499 yards, which would represent the second-highest total of his career.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Bears -4. O/U: 44.5
ABOUT THE BEARS (8-3): Daniel completed 27-of-37 passes for 230 yards and two TDs against the Lions after taking limited reps in practice, a scenario the team would be able to avoid this week with the veteran out of Missouri working with the first team all week. "I think that it could definitely help him out," Nagy told reporters of Daniel having a full week of practice. "If that's the route we end up going, he's going to get more reps versus what he went through (last week). That was hard. That was all mental. You go into the game and now we're expecting guys to be throwing great accurate passes all over the field, and I don't know if that's necessarily realistic." Tarik Cohen tied for the team lead with seven catches and had one TD reception from Daniels, but he was also part of a rushing attack that gained a season-low 38 yards on 15 carries.
ABOUT THE GIANTS (3-8): New York's game plan has revolved around an effort to limit the damage done by Bears linebacker Kahlil Mack, who made his presence felt against the Giants last year while still a member of the Oakland Raiders, recording a sack, a forced fumble and a recovery. "He's as good as advertised," rookie running back Saquon Barkley told the media of Mack. "The only thing I can say is he's good as advertised. He's probably the best defensive player in the league. He's an active player, he's big, fast, strong. He's everything you want in an outside linebacker." Barkley has 294 total yards and five TDs over the last two weeks and enters the week ranked fourth in the NFL with 829 yards on the ground.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. had 85 receiving yards last week to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark for the fourth time in his five year career.
2. Trubisky was still not throwing in practice as of Thursday.
3. The Giants have won three of the last four meetings, including a pair at home.
PREDICTION: Bears 22, Giants 20