A pair of NFC teams are set to meet up in the Meadowlands for an NFL preseason Week 2 matchup. The 1-0 New York Giants will host the 0-1 Chicago Bears in a game that doesn’t really matter in the long run. New York has a team full of players trying to prove themselves, while the Bears have a veteran squad that is hungry to win a Super Bowl.
Chicago suffered a 23-13 defeat at the hands of the Carolina Panthers in its preseason opener. The Bears didn’t play any projected starter more than a series, and the same should be expected in this game. New York looked sharp in beating the Jets by a score of 31-22. The Giants had a miserable 2018 campaign and are trying to turn things around this season. The New York Giants are 2.5-point favorites over the Chicago Bears in this game.
Kicking Competition Heating Up in Chicago
The biggest question mark for the Chicago Bears is in the kicking department, and things are starting to heat up. Both Elliott Fry and Eddy Piniero are expecting to get some attempts in this game in hopes of winning the starting job. Fry made a 43-yard field goal attempt in Week 1, and Piniero missed one of his two field-goal tries. The Bears are hopeful that one of these two players will win the job this preseason.
The Bears led the league in nearly every defensive category a season ago, including points allowed and takeaways. Head coach Matt Nagy is hoping that his offense will catch up to the defense this season, and he has the playbook to do it. Quarterbacks Chase Daniel and Tyler Bray combined for just 170 passing yards in Week 1, getting sacked five times. The Bears need to be much better on offense in this game.
Jones Will Continue to Play More For Giants
The Giants selected quarterback Daniel Jones with the sixth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, and they will give him plenty of opportunities to play in the preseason. Jones went 5-5 for 67 yards and a touchdown in Week 1 of the preseason, and he is expected to play more in this game. Star running back Saquon Barkley will see plenty of touches in the regular season, but he won’t be suiting up for the Giants in this game.
New York gave up close to 26 points per game a season ago, and that is another area that has to change in 2019. The Giants held the Jets to less than 300 yards of total offense in their Week 1 victory, but they will be tested even more in this game. New York is hoping to be more aggressive on defense this season, and they did force a pair of interceptions against the Jets.
Giants Beat Up on Chicago’s Reserves
The Chicago Bears return almost their entire 22-man starting lineup from a season ago, and almost all of those players will be sitting out of this game. The Bears know what to expect from their team, and they are just trying to be healthy when the real season begins. New York has some players who are trying to make the team, and that will give them a big edge in this one. Bet the New York Giants -2.5 over the Chicago Bears on Friday night.
