3 takeaways from Bears' narrow win over Giants originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Three immediate thoughts on the Bears’ way-too-close win over the Giants:
1. This team found some swag – but only in the first half.
Mitch Trubisky directing traffic on a broken play toward the end of the second quarter was an awesome moment. He looked calm, composed and confident when he pointed Darnell Mooney’s direction and fired a strike to him for a touchdown.
How did that confidence build? Third down conversion after third down conversion. The Bears converted six of nine third down tries in the first half – and it should’ve been seven of nine had Anthony Miller not dropped a well-thrown ball by Trubisky in the end zone.
If Week 1 was about building an offensive identity on first down, Week 2 was about a ton of success on third down. Both are good signs for the Bears’ offense going forward, even if the Lions and Giants already look like two of the worst teams in the NFL.
And the Bears’ defense found its stride, too, starting with Robert Quinn strip-sacking Daniel Jones on his first snap in a Bears uniform. Deon Bush – who played quite a bit in three-safety looks, with Danny Trevathan coming off the field – picked off Jones, too, while Kyle Fuller, Jaylon Johnson, Akiem Hicks, Brent Urban and Roquan Smith all were noticeable throughout the first 30 minutes.
2. The foot has to stay on the gas.
The Bears had a 17-0 lead going into halftime and forced a three-and-out to begin the third quarter. But a combination of conservative and sloppy play let the Giants back into the game – Trubisky was picked off, leading to three points; then the Bears’ defense allowed a 95-yard touchdown drive that ended with a fourth-and-goal-from-the-one rushing touchdown.
Trubisky’s second interception – when Giants cornerback James Bradberry ripped the ball out of Allen Robinson’s hands in a one-on-one matchup – eventually led to a Giants field goal, cutting the Bears’ lead to just four midway through the fourth quarter. And the Giants had the ball on the 10-yard line as the game ended with a chance to win it.
The Giants, by the way, are not a good team. Are we sure the Bears are a good team?
Sure, the Bears won, but this felt a little too much like 2019’s win over Washington on Monday Night Football. The Bears had that game in hand going into halftime; instead of finishing off Washington with a strong third quarter, they let them back into the game, even in a 16-point win.
This was a lot closer, and perhaps a lot more concerning. The Giants were without running back Saquon Barkley and wide receiver Sterling Shepard for the entirety of their comeback; the Bears got David Montgomery back from a second quarter neck injury.
It was not impressive by the offense or defense in the second half, and it almost cost the Bears a win.
3. Okay, but it was all worth it, because…
We got to see Bobby Massie catch a four-yard pass to convert a fourth down.
Bobby Massie? What?!
The right tackle caught a deflected fourth-and-two pass and had the wherewithal to use his 6-foot-6, 312 pound body to fall forward, ensuring a first down that allowed the Bears’ game-sealing drive to stay alive. Had Massie not caught it – which is an absurd sentence to type – the Bears would’ve given the Giants the ball on their own 36, down four, with about four minutes left to win the game.
Instead, the Giants took over after Cairo Santos missed a 50-yard field goal needing to drive 60 yards to win with just over two minutes left. Time did run out on the Giants, and maybe it wouldn't have if not for Massie's hilarious, critical catch.
Massie became the 18th player in NFL history to catch a pass while weighing at least 312 pounds, per Pro Football Reference.
