CHICAGO (WGN) — Hours after the first snowfall in Chicagoland, the Chicago Bears took to Soldier Field to begin preparation for their Sunday afternoon contest against the New York Giants. Here’s a look at the matchup to come.
What’s at stake
The Bears (5-3) have won five of six, including three of four since their bye, to jump into the playoff race in Johnson’s first season. The last thing they need is a letdown against the struggling New York Giants after winning one of the wildest games in recent memory last weekend at the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Bears trail NFC North leader Green Bay (5-2-1) by one game in the loss column and are tied with Detroit (5-3), which pounded Chicago in Week 2.
The Giants (2-7) have dropped three straight and are last in the NFC East. They’re coming off a 34-24 loss to San Francisco that was worse than the score indicated and put more heat on coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen.
Bears rushing attack vs Giants run defense
With flurries flying and temperatures hovering near freezing as kickoff approaches, conditions are perfect for an old-fashioned midwestern slugfest on the ground at Soldier Field, which would immensely benefit the Bears.
Chicago comes into Sunday afternoon with the NFL’s second-best run game, which has averaged 144.4 yards per game over the first nine weeks of the season.
Running back D’Andre Swift, who was listed as questionable on Friday’s team injury report, was green-lit to play this morning and will be a full go against New York. Swift has 60+ scrimmage yards in each of his seven games played this season, and is aiming for his third straight game at Soldier Field with 75+ scrimmage yards and fifth in a row with a touchdown. Swift has scored a touchdown in each of his two career games against the Giants.
Rookie Kyle Monangai is also coming off a monster showing last week against the Cincinnati Bengals. The former seventh-round draft pick notched 198 scrimmage yards (176 rush, 22 rec) last week, which featured the most yards rushing by a rookie Bears running back since Anthony Thomas had 188 yards on the ground against the Bengals in Week 6 of 2001.
New York is second-to-last in the NFL in yards rushing allowed per game (150.0), trailing only Cincinnati (166.4).
Something specific to pay attention to—According to NFL Next Gen Stats, the Bears’ offense used jumbo personnel (6+ offensive linemen) on a season-high 8 snaps in their Week 9 win over the Bengals, averaging 6.3 yards per play. The Giants’ defense has faced jumbo personnel on 17 snaps in 2025, allowing 6.5 yards per play, an NFL-high.
Ozzy Trapilo functioned as their sixth o-lineman on all 8 jumbo snaps in the game and has logged a team-high 13 snaps as a swing tackle this season. Chicago has used jumbo personnel on 20 total snaps this season, though 15 of them have occurred over the past two weeks.
Inactives
The Bears have six players listed as inactive for Sunday: Case Keenum, Jahdae Walker, Josh Blackwell, TJ Edwards, Stephen Carlson and Dominique Robinson.
The Giants will be without kicker Graham Gano, Jameis Winston (emergency 3rd QB), corner Paulson Adebo, outside linebacker Victor Dimukeje, defensive lineman Chauncey Gholston, center John Michael Schmitz Jr. and offensive lineman Evan Neal.
Betting Odds
Over/Under: 44.5
Spread: 4.5
Money Line: Bears (-230) vs. Giants (+195)
*Reporting from the Associated Press contributed to this article.
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