The New York Giants come to Soldier Field on a short week, 0-5, with a quarterback who has thrown 150% interceptions than touchdowns. He's been sacked fifteen times. There are twelve people listed as questionable on their injury report. They are averaging 16.4 points per game AS A TEAM,
Why, then, is it still concerning that they could come to Soldier Field and do some damage to the Bears?
Oh, that's right, the virtually non-existent play of the Chicago front four.
Julius Peppers has had two games where he hasn't recorded a stat. While that doesn't mean he hasn't been doing anything, it hurts to have that much invested in someone who isn't tangibly producing. Depending on whom you ask, Shea McClellin hasn't done anything, despite having similar numbers to the other defensive linemen with less overall snaps. For the short term, they're moving the defensive end to three technique because of the Melton and Collins injuries.
This week, though, this week could be different.
The Giants offensive line, together with some recently terrible decision making by Eli Manning, has led to what is happening to the Giants.
More from Big Blue View: Is Eli to blame for the Giants winless streak?
Let's take a look at a few things. First, the Panthers have been using the pass rush to try to mask that their secondary could use some work. The Panthers put SIX sacks on Manning. Here's a look at one:
Nothing particularly exciting about this sack necessarily. Manning in the shotgun, drops back an extra 4 yards, and watches the pocket collapse around him. Will Beatty gets back late to take on Greg Hardy of the Panthers, and Hardy uses Beatty's sideline movement to snake past and get to Eli, who just sort of stands in the pocket and watches the line crumble.
That's the point, though, if you get to them, they'll keep making those mistakes.
We've created a little bit of a spray chart, if you will, of the Giants sacks so far. Along the top, you'll see whether the left, middle, or right side of the Giants o-line is responsible, and down the left side you'll see what kind of defensive front was in on the play.
As seen above--their whole line is currently susceptible, though if you're going to send a couple linebackers, you might as well send them over that right side. It's a total team effort for the Giants right now, and they're all failing at some level. Blitz identification, blitz pickup, hand and footwork technique, holding on to the ball. And they aren't doing well.
With no offense meant to the Giants or their fans, if the Bears find a way to lose this one, they are exactly the fraud that some thought they were after a 3-0 start. I mean, we're talking about a team that successfully gave up a sack on a 3-man rush in prevent, based on bad play from the linemen and worse play from the quarterback:
Now, let's give you some background on this play. Down 15 with 4:15 left to play, the Giants already in a pretty big hole. Their main hope is a quick score and an onsides kick. On 1st down, just before, Eli takes an intentional grounding call., which puts them in 2nd & 24. They go incomplete on the next play, so it's 3rd and 24.
The Eagles, not wanting to be the team that accidentally let the Giants convert on 3rd down, drops into deep zones, and rushes three. Pugh absolutely isn't prepared to handle Vinny Curry, and he almost gets past Pugh completely, forcing Eli up and into the waiting arms of Bennie Logan.
There are five men blocking three men in the absolute crunch time of a game, and these are the performances they turn in, and the decisions they make. If the Bears can't get it going, well, maybe they aren't very good after all.
BONUS:
This is a legitimate football play that happened in the first quarter of the Eagles game:
Seriously. Chicago Bears, go win this game.