One doesn’t have to go back very far in the annals to find the last memorable game between the New York Giants and the Chicago Bears. It was just last Dec. 2, when the Giants edged the Monsters of the Midway, 30-27, in overtime at MetLife Stadium.
The Giants, who led the playoff-bound Bears, 27-17, with 1:49 remaining, allowed Chicago to score 10 points in the final 1:13 to tie the score at 27, forcing overtime.
No one in the building had much confidence the Giants would come away with the victory after blowing a two-score lead, but they did. The Giants received the ball first and drove 49 yards on eight plays to take a 30-27 lead on a 44-yard field goal by Aldrick Rosas.
The Bears then took possession, but the Giants defense made a stand. They forced quarterback Chase Daniel to fumble three times (the Bears recovered them all) and thwarted them on a 4th-and-8 from their own 40 to end the game.
But there were a ton of highlights. This Giants team, which won for the third time in four games, had some life. They were fun to watch, unlike this year’s dreary bunch.
Linebacker Alec Ogletree returned an interception for a touchdown. Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. threw for a 49-yard touchdown to Russell Shepard and then caught a touchdown pass himself several minutes later.
Giants rookie running back Saquon Barkley rushed for 124 yards on the day, but his signature play of the afternoon was when he hurdled fellow Penn State product Adrian Amos in the open field for a first down.
This week’s contest is probably not going to have the pizzaz of last year’s, but the groundwork is there. Daniel could see action again under center with Mitchell Trubisky (hip) hurting, and Barkley is slowly coming around from the high ankle sprain that has limited him most of the season.
