The Chicago Bears used a late interception by Roquan Smith and a 30-yard Cairo Santos subject purpose as time expired to beat the Houston Texans 23-20 final Sunday. Now they’re shifting on to a Week 4 highway conflict with the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium.
Both groups underwent full reboots in January, hiring new normal managers and head coaches. Both groups can even be combating to enhance to 3-1, with the winner prone to obtain widespread reward as one of many shock success tales of the season’s first month.
In the lead as much as Sunday’s sport, listed here are a handful of eye-catching information and figures.
2-1
The Bears document up to now this season. After three weeks, they’re certainly one of 13 NFL groups with a 2-1 mark. The Giants are additionally in that membership. Amazingly, solely two undefeated groups stay: the Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles. The Bears, for what it’s value, have began 2-1 seven instances over the previous 25 years. Their most typical document after three video games over that span is 1-2 (eight instances).
8-8
The Bears’ common document on the finish of a season once they’ve began 2-1 in seven campaigns since 1997. In three of these seasons, they’ve later superior to the postseason. They did so with a 13-3 mark in 2001, 12-4 in 2018, and at 8-8 in 2019.
317
Rushing yards by Giants operating again Saquon Barkley by way of three video games, tops within the NFC and second solely to Nick Chubb of the Cleveland Browns (351). Barkley is averaging 6.0 yards per carry and is the NFL chief in yards from scrimmage, turning 66 touches into 408 yards.
560
Rushing yards by the Bears by way of three video games, the very best within the NFC and second solely to the Browns (572). The Bears have been dominant within the operating sport with a 5.4 yards per rush common (fourth within the league). Khalil Herbert leads the Bears in dashing with 240 yards by way of three video games. Herbert’s 7.3 yards per carry common is second within the NFL amongst qualifying leaders, behind solely D’Andre Swift of the Detroit Lions (8.6 ypc).
297
Passing yards by Bears quarterback Justin Fields by way of three video games, 717 yards behind the league chief, Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills. Among qualifying leaders, Fields ranks thirty second within the NFL in passing yards after Week 3. Perhaps much more notably, he’s 68 yards behind the Thirty first-ranked passer (Jimmy Garoppolo of the San Francisco 49ers) and 217 yards behind the Thirtieth-ranked passer (Cooper Rush of the Dallas Cowboys). Garoppolo has made one begin this season; Rush has made two.
5
Quarterbacks who’ve thrown for no less than 297 yards in a number of video games this season, together with Allen who has performed it in all three begins. Also on the checklist: Jalen Hurts, Justin Herbert, Carson Wentz and Joe Flacco. Fields has solely 23 completions over his first three outings. Twenty-four quarterbacks have had no less than 23 completions in a sport this yr and eight have performed it in all three of their video games.
0.7
Completions per possession for the Bears by way of three video games. They had just one drive out of 12 in final Sunday’s win over the Texans by which Fields accomplished a number of passes. For the season, the Bears have accomplished no less than two passes on solely 4 of 32 possessions. For comparability, the Bills — the league’s passing leaders — common 3.1 completions per possession.
5
Consecutive seasons, together with this yr, by which the Bears and Giants have performed one another. The Bears have gained the final three conferences, together with final season’s 29-3 blowout at Soldier Field in Week 17. The Bears obtained a turnover on the sport’s opening play — a fumble pressured by Trevis Gipson and recovered by Bilal Nichols — and scored on the subsequent snap with David Montgomery contributing a 2-yard TD run. The Bears protection contributed 4 takeaways and a security within the win.
0
Touchdowns allowed after halftime by the Bears this season. The protection has proven spectacular stinginess late to this point. On 14 opponent possessions within the second half, the Bears have allowed solely 4 subject objectives, whereas forcing 4 punts, creating three takeaways and getting two turnovers on downs. (The Packers additionally killed the clock on the ultimate sequence of the Week 2 sport.)
0
Touchdowns scored earlier than halftime by the Giants of their first three video games. Their offense has had 15 complete possessions within the first halves of video games this month and wound up with solely three subject objectives whereas punting seven instances, turning the ball over as soon as, turning it over on downs one other time, lacking a subject purpose and having the half expire twice.
2
Seasons spent teaching collectively by new Bears coach Matt Eberflus and new Giants coach Brian Daboll. Eberflus was the linebackers coach below Eric Mangini with the Browns in 2009 and 2010 whereas Daboll was the staff’s offensive coordinator. Notably, Daboll was certainly one of 11 teaching candidates to interview for the Bears job in January. Giants GM Joe Schoen was certainly one of 14 candidates the Bears spoke to for his or her entrance workplace opening. Bears GM Ryan Poles, in the meantime, was additionally a candidate for the Giants GM job.
4
Road video games for the Bears in October, beginning with Sunday’s sport in New Jersey. The Bears will go to Minneapolis to face the Vikings in Week 5, then journey to Foxboro, Mass., to face the Patriots in Week 7 and can shut the month in Dallas towards the Cowboys. The staff’s solely sport at Soldier Field in October is a Thursday evening contest towards the Washington Commanders on Oct. 13. This will probably be solely the second time within the Super Bowl period the Bears have performed 4 highway video games in a calendar month. The final time it occurred was in 1981 once they confronted highway journeys to Tampa, Kansas City, Green Bay and Dallas in November. The 1994 Bears, in the meantime, performed 4 highway video games in a 26-day stretch from Nov. 6 by way of Dec. 1.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com