New York Giants vs. Chicago Bears Matchup Preview (1/2/22): Betting Odds, Depth Charts, Live Stream (Watch Online)

New York Giants vs. Chicago Bears Matchup Preview (1/2/22)

In week 17, the New York Giants (4-11) will face the Chicago Bears (5-10) at Soldier Field.  Chicago holds a 30-21-2 series lead between two of the oldest franchises in the NFL.  The Giants are coming off a 34-10 road loss to the Eagles.   New York has lost at least 10 games in five straight seasons; seven out of the last eight.  In week 16, the Bears won on the road and beat the Seahawks 25-24 in snowy Seattle.  Chicago has scored at least 20 points in eight games this season.  Per NFL.com, the Giants are the only team to score 10 points or fewer in the first half of each game this season.  The Bears have scored 10 or less points in three games this season.  

New York Giants vs. Chicago Bears Betting Odds

The Bears are a 6-point home favorite over the Giants in week 17.  New York is 6-9 against the spread this season; 1-7 on the road.  The Giants are 0-4 against the spread in their last four games overall.  The Bears are 1-5 against the spread in their last six games overall.  New York is averaging 11.5 points in their last four games.  Chicago has scored 86 total points in their last four games.

My Prediction:  This is game between two teams looking ahead to 2022.  Note, the Giants own the Bears first round pick this season, due to the Justin Fields trade.  I’m going with the Bears to win at home, but not cover and the teams will be under 38 total points.

TV Schedule

Date: 1/2/22
Time: 1:00 PM ET
Location: Soldier Field
TV Coverage: CBS

New York Giants vs. Chicago Bears Live Stream

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New York Giants Analysis

In 2021, the Giants are averaging 303.5 total yards of offense per game, 31^st in the league and averaging 16.5 points per game, also ranked 31^st in the NFL.

In week 17, Jake Fromm started his first game in his NFL career, and he played like a player starting his first game.  Fromm went 5-17 for 25 yards and an interception before being replaced by Mike Glennon.  Glennon, who started the previous three games has thrown for 766 yards, four touchdowns and eight interceptions this season, finished the game against the Eagles going 17-27 for 93 yards with a touchdown and an interception.  Since drafting Daniel Jones in 2019, the Giants are 2-8 in games started by other quarterbacks.  Jones has been ruled out for the rest of the season by the Giants organization due to a neck injury.  On the season, the sixth pick in the 2019 draft threw for 2,428 yards, 10 touchdowns, completed 64.3% of his passes and had 10 turnovers (seven interceptions and three fumbles lost).  Jones has had an up and down career, showing flashes of being a franchise quarterback, but other times looking like a bust.  New York’s quarterback situation will be a hot topic through the NFL offseason.  

Evan Engram has a ton of talent but hasn’t seemed to put it all together since being drafted by New York in 2017.  On the season, he leads the Giants with 44 receptions and is third on the team in receiving yards with 392.  Since 2020 he has four receiving touchdowns, in his first three seasons he had 12 touchdown grabs.

The Giants’ rushing attack is averaging 95.5 yards per game, which is 27^th in the league.  Devontae Booker leads New York in rushing in 2021 with 533 yards and two touchdowns.  Saquon Barkley is second on the team in rushing with 461 yards on 130 carries and three touchdowns: averaging 3.5 yards per carry.  He also has 244 receiving yards in 2021.  Returning this season after suffering a torn ACL in week 2 of the 2020 season, he looks like a shell of himself.  In his first two seasons in the NFL, he gained 3,469 yards from scrimmage (leading the league in 2018) with 23 total touchdowns looking like a player well on his way to becoming a superstar.   I hope Barkley can regain his form and show everyone why he was the second pick in the 2018 draft.  

New York is allowing 24.3 points per game and 363.9 yards of total offense to their opponents this season which is 23^rd in the NFL.

New York Giants Depth Chart

QB: Daniel Jones
RB1: Saquon Barkley
RB2: Devontae Booker
WR1: Kadarius Toney
WR2: Darius Slayton
WR3: Sterling Shepard
TE1: Evan Engram

Chicago Bears Analysis

This season the Bears are 28^th in the league in total offense averaging 308 yards per game.  They’re scoring 17.7 points per game, which ranks them 28^th in the NFL.  

Nick Foles, making his first appearance of the season started in place of Justin Fields (injured) against the Seahawks.  In the victory, the Super Bowl LII MVP was 24-35 for 250 yards, one touchdown and a 98.5 passer rating.  The Bears have thrown for at least 200 yards in seven straight games.  Fields who was injured against Minnesota, has thrown for 1,810 yards, completed 58.9% of his passes, rushed for 420 yards and has accounted for nine touchdowns this season (seven passing and two rushing).  If he’s healthy it’s expected, he’ll start against the Giants.  Fields needs to be on the field and continue his growth as an NFL quarterback.  The 11^th pick in the 2021 draft has shown potential and I do think he does have a bright future.  

Darnell Mooney is Chicago’s leading receiver with 62 catches (targeted 111 times on the year) for 860 yards and three touchdowns: averaging 57.3 receiving yards per game.  In the win over Seattle, he had five catches for 57 yards.  He has at least 100 yards receiving in three games this season.  Per NFL.com, Darnell Mooney with 123 catches joined Alshon Jeffery as the only wide receivers in Chicago’s history with at least 100 receptions in their first two seasons.

Jimmy Graham who once was one of the premiere tight ends in the NFL while with New Orleans and Seattle, caught a touchdown in the victory over the Seahawks.  The touchdown catch was the 85^th of his career, fourth most among tight ends in NFL history.  He’s averaging 12.6 receiving yards per game and is always a dangerous target in the red zone. 

The Bears ground game is averaging 122.7 yards per game, ranking them eighth in the NFL.  David Montgomery leads the team in rushing with 713 yards and five touchdowns: averaging 64.8 yards per game.  In the win at Seattle, he rushed for 45 yards and a touchdown.  

Chicago is allowing 24.9 points per game and 326.5 yards of total offense to their opponents this season which is ninth in the league.

The Bears defense has 42 sacks on the season, tied for fourth in the NFL.  Robert Quinn has 17 sacks in 2021; tying the legendary Richard Dent (17.0 in 1985) for the second-most sacks among Bears players in a season since at least 1982.  He also has 17 tackles for loss and 19 quarterback hits on the season.  

Chicago Bears Depth Chart

QB: Justin Fields
RB1: David Montgomery
RB2: Khalil Herbert
WR1: Darnell Mooney
WR2: Allen Robinson
WR3: Jakeem Grant Sr.
TE1: Cole Kmet
TE2: Jimmy Graham

New York Giants vs. Chicago Bears Daily Fantasy Picks

Graham Gano has made 12 field goals of at least 50 yards since joining the Giants in 2020.  Per NFL.com, no other Giants kicker since at least 1960 has more than nine such field goals.

Tight end Cole Kmet had four catches for 49 yards vs. the Seahawks: averaging 12.3 yards a reception.  In 2021, he’s been targeted 83 times, catching 53 of those passes for 539 yards.