Filed under: Chicago Bears, Giants, NFC East, NFC North
In preparation for Sunday's game against the Giants, Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler was asked to evaluate a Giants defense which had allowed the NFL's third-most points during the first three weeks."They have a really good front four," said Cutler, who had led the Bears to a surprising 3-0 start while leading the league in passing. "It's going to be a good test for us. They're a good, physical team."
Prophetic words. Cutler left the game at halftime with a concussion and the Bears having minus-13 net passing yards, having endured an astounding nine sacks in just 20 drop backs as the Giants were on their way to a dominant 17-3 victory.
So much for the Giants being handicapped by Friday's sudden loss of Mathias Kiwanuka -- who had four sacks in their victory over winless Carolina and losses to Indianapolis and Tennessee -- to a bulging cervical disc.
Fellow defensive ends Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck sacked Cutler three times apiece and blitzing cornerback Aaron Ross completed the sackfest by dropping Bears backup Todd Collins in the fourth quarter on a rainy, windy, chilly night in New Meadowland Stadium that was perfect for defense.
That was appropriate since the long defensive-minded Giants finally established a Ring of Honor on Sunday, inducting 30 men including such defensive legends as Lawrence Taylor, Sam Huff, Bill Parcells, Harry Carson and Michael Strahan. All three of New York's Super Bowl triumphs (Nos. XXI, XXV and XLII) were built on defense.
Strahan and former linebacker Jessie Armstead visited the current players during the week.
"We need to have a Ring of Honor ceremony every week," Tuck said, jokingly. "Tonight just kind of steamrolled. Osi came in and got the party started early. After that, we shut down their run game. We were just able to go out there and let it loose. I'm hoping that tonight is kind of a wake up call for this defense and especially for the D-line."
The Bears, who had surrendered just eight sacks before facing New York, began the night without left tackle Chris Williams and lost right guard Lance Louis during a game in which they managed just six first downs and 110 yards. Chicago was 0-for-13 on third downs. The Panthers, Colts and Titans had converted 18 of 41 third downs against the Giants (43.9 percent) while averaging 18 first downs and 306 yards.
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