Giants Country

Why the Giants Will Win, Why They Won't, and a Week 17 Prediction

The Giants take on the Chicago Bears in what will be their final road game of the 2021 season.

Patricia Traina

If you're looking for a reason to tune into this weekend's Giants-Bears game, the outcome will potentially shape the 2022 NFL draft order.

The Giants, as we all know, own the Bears' first-round pick, a pick they received for allowing Chicago to trade up in last year's draft to select quarterback Justin Fields.

As things stand, the Giants are scheduled to draft fifth and eighth in the first round, the eighth spot being Chicago's pick. 

By defeating the Bears, the Giants can help push that eighth overall pick up at least a notch, depending on what the other teams around them do. And wouldn't that be a good deal given all the needs this team has to address this off-season?

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New York Giants Reader Mailbag: New Year Edition :: Joshua A. Bickel/Columbus Dispatch via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Welcome to 2022! It might be a new year, but we still have a couple more weeks to go in the current season. So let's see what's on everyone's minds as we kick off the new year with a new mailbag.

Former Giants Head Coach Dan Reeves Dies at Age 77 / USA TODAY Sports

Dan Reeves, who was voted AP NFL Coach of the Year in his first season with the Giants, passed away after battling a long illness.

Giants wide receiver Kenny Golladay takes a moment to rest during Giants practice, in East Rutherford.
Kenny Golladay Hoping to Finish Frustrating Season on a Positive Note / Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Kenny Golladay's first season as a Giant hasn't gone according to plan, but with two games left, he's hoping to score his first touchdown with his new team.

Steady Andrew Thomas a Keeper on Giants O-Line / Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Giants offensive line has been a mess this year, but in Andrew Thomas, the team has a cornerstone piece they can build a foundation with.

New York Giants Week 17 Opponent First Look: Bears Defense / Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

The Bears defense, much like the Giants', has tried to carry an inept offense all season long. Let's find out who's who on the Chicago defense.

New York Giants Week 17 Opponent First Look: Bears Offense / Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports

The Giants face the Chicago Bears this weekend for the fourth season in a row and with the goal of getting a win to help improve the Bears' first round draft pick that belongs to the Giants.

Behind Enemy Lines: Insider Analysis on the Chicago Bears / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

SI/Fan Nation's Bear Digest Publisher Gene Chamberlain offers some additional insight about the Chicago Bears, who host the Giants in Week 17.

Giants O-line Coach Rob Sale Offers Candid Feedback About Isaiah Wilson / Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Giants offensive line coach Rob Sale hasn't been one to mince words this season when it comes to members of the Giants offensive line. And in just a few words, Sale painted an unflattering picture of Isaiah Wilson.

New York Giants wide receiver Kenny Golladay warms up on the field before the game at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021, in East Rutherford.
New York Giants Roster Rebuild Plan: Wide Receivers :: Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com via Imagn Content Services, LLC

The Giants had a strong group of receivers on paper, but they all shared one unfortunate thing in common that undermined their productivity.

Giants Make Roster Moves Ahead of Week 17 Game at Chicago / Sarah Stier-USA TODAY Sports

New York adds reinforcement at receiver and offensive lien ahead of their Week 17 game at Chicago.

Why the Giants Will Win?

The Giants might not be playing good football these days, but one thing you can't really say about them is that they haven't quit, even with things having turned dire.

And who knows? Maybe, just maybe, they'll come up against an opponent that, like them, is out of the playoffs and who hasn't been playing solid ball. Just maybe that will be enough for the Giants to find a way to squeak out an unexpected win and avoid extending their losing streak to five games, which would match last year's five-game losing streak that kicked off that season.

Why the Giants Will Lose

The Bears, like the Giants, might be out of the playoffs, but they still have a few milestones they'd no doubt like to accomplish before the season ends--milestones that are likely driving them.

The first is edge rusher Robert Quinn's pursuit of the Bears sacks record. Quinn 917 sacks) is chasing Richard Dent's sack record of 18 in a single season, that record accomplished in 16 games back in the day. If Quinn can break the record this week, he will have done it in fewer games than Dent (Quinn missed a game earlier this year).

Another Bears' goal is for receiver Darnell Mooney to inch closer to a 1,000-yard receiving season. Mooney is 140 yards short of that goal and probably won't get it against the Giants, as he's sure to draw quite a bit of attention by the defensive secondary. With Andy Dalton scheduled to be behind center for the Bears, Mooney has a better chance of successfully putting a nice dent in that remaining total.

Prediction

Both teams have broken offenses and decent defenses, but unlike the Giants, the Bears have at least had success moving the ball and scoring.

The Giants, who have scored at least 20 points in just one out of their last six games since coming out of the bye week (that coming in a losing effort to the Chargers), aren't likely to break that trend anytime soon, given the injuries at quarterback and receiver.

So play it safe and roll with the Bears in what should be a relatively low-scoring game.

Chicago 20, Giants 10

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

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