Bears get KO’d by Giants

The Chicago Bears’ three-game winning streak came to an abrupt halt on Sunday night. The Bears (3-1) were manhandled by the New York Giants in a 17-3 defeat, leaving the Chicago faithful with a lot of concern and doubt about the remainder of the season.

The big story of the game was the brutal beating that Jay Cutler took from the Giants (2-2). New York’s pass rush overwhelmed Chicago’s offensive line, sacking the Bears’ signal caller nine times in the first half. Cutler was unable to return for the second half due to a concussion. The Giants finished the game with 10 total sacks, and also managed to knockout second-string quarterback Todd Collins, leaving the Bears to put in Caleb Hanie to finish the game. Once again, the Bears’ running game was ineffective, only racking up 59 yards on the ground. The blame for the 10 sacks given up can be put on multiple parties. At times, Cutler held the ball too long, and there were other times where the offensive linemen and tight ends missed assignments. In addition to the sacks, another big killer for Chicago was not converting on one single third down in 13 tries.

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The defense did everything that they could to keep the game close. The Bears’ quick offensive series eventually took its toll on Brian Urlacher and company, allowing Giants running backs Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs to combine for 191 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

Up next for the Bears will be a visit to Carolina to face the 0-4 Panthers. Having a struggling team such as the Panthers to face after a disheartening loss could be just what Chicago needs to start another winning streak.

By Clyde Speller
ProFootball-fans.com Chicago Bears Correspondent