Giants Self-Destruct as Bears Come Back to Win
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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The Chicago Bears stole the New York Giants’ early-season formula for success – again and again.
The Bears forced five turnovers, including three consecutive plays in a 20-point explosion late in the first half, in beating the Giants 28-21 yesterday.
Rookie Craig Krenzel threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to ignite the rally and Anthony Thomas scored on runs 4 and 41 yards as Chicago (3-5) won its second straight game and handed the Giants (5-3) their second straight embarrassing home loss.
What made the defeat more frustrating was NFC East leader Philadelphia (7-1) lost earlier in the day. The Giants also have to worry about a pectoral injury to All-Pro defensive end Michael Strahan, who left in the third quarter.
Big Blue, which came into the game with an NFC-best plus-12 takeaway differential, self-destructed after taking an early 14-0 lead on touchdown runs of 1 and 3 yards by Tiki Barber. Another 13-yard TD run by Barber seemed to give New York a 21-0 lead later in the quarter, but the play was called back by a holding penalty against Amani Toomer.
The Bears shut down Kurt Warner and company after that, getting a fumble recovery and interception from Nathan Vasher, and a fumble recovery and a couple of big hits by safety Mike Green. New York didn’t get on the board again until Warner threw a 1-yard TD pass to Jeremy Shockey with 1:56 left.
The Giants got a final chance when Jack Brewer recovered the onside kick at their 40, but the offensive line allowed its sixth and seventh sacks against Warner (18-of-36 for 195 yards with two interceptions and two lost fumbles), and the Bears ran out the clock.
The Giants literally handed the lead away, allowing the Bears to score 20 points in the final 5:13 of the opening half. The last 17 points came after New York turned over the ball on three straight plays: a fumble by Ike Hilliard and two interceptions.
With a first-and-20 at the Chicago 37, Krenzel needed only two plays to get Chicago on the board. He hit David Terrell for 28 yards and found Bernard Berrian for 35-yard score down the right sideline.
After Green forced and recovered a fumble by Hilliard at the Giants 29, the Bears needed only two plays and two penalties to tie it at 14-all. Thomas walked into the end zone on a 4-yard sweep with 2:35 left in the first half.
On the Giants’ first play from scrimmage, Vasher intercepted a pass off Toomer’s hands and returned it 41 yards to set up Paul Edinger’s go-ahead 22-yard field goal. A questionable holding penalty against Kevin Green on the ensuing kickoff nullified a great return by Willie Ponder inside the Bears’ 15.
New York started instead from its 30 and Jerry Azumah added to the Bears’ takeaway total, intercepting an ill-advised pass by Warner to Shockey at the Giants’ 46. A 33-yard pass to Bobby Wade set up a 21-yard field goal on the final play of the half.
The Giants had a chance to take the lead early in the third quarter when linebacker Nick Greisen recovered a lateral at the Chicago 18. But Alex Brown sacked Warner and forced a fumble on second down and Ian Scott caught the ball in midair for the turnover. Thomas’ long TD run in the fourth quarter and Krenzel’s 2-point run gave the Bears a 28-14 lead.