3 ways the Chicago Bears can avoid embarrassment to the Giants

1. The Bears must win the battle on the ground

Last week, the Bears rushed for 281 yards against the Texans, the most they have totaled in over three decades. It was somewhat surprising, too, because they lost starting running back David Montgomery to a leg injury early on in that game.

So far, the Bears have the league’s number two overall rushing attack, believe it or not. With all of the negativity surrounding their offense, the Bears are actually an elite team in that category. Now, the passing game is another story, but let’s focus on the positive for a moment.

As a team, the Bears are averaging 5.4 yards per rushing attempt through three games. Montgomery may not play in this game, or if he does, he’ll probably be limited. So, looking at the likely scenario of Khalil Herbert getting the bulk of the carries, the Giants could be in for a rough afternoon. Herbert is averaging 7.3 yards per tote this year, while the Giants are giving up over 138 yards a game on the ground.

Now, on the other side, the Bear are also giving up a ton on the ground game — and Saquon Barkley looks like the Saquon of old. Chicago is tied for the second-worst run defense in football so far, giving up 157.0 yards per game.

The Bears absolutely have to dominate this category on Sunday, if they want to have a shot at winning.