With five losses in six games and their postseason hopes all but extinguished, the Bears (4-6) will try to start salvaging something when they host the struggling Giants (2-8) on Sunday.
Chicago has fallen out of contention after winning the NFC North at 12-4. They were banking on quarterback Mitchell Trubisky to make another jump coming off a Pro Bowl selection and an offense that showed some creativity to click in a major way in coach Matt Nagy's second year.
Neither has happened. And last week's 17-7 loss to the Rams in Los Angeles was particularly bad.
Not only did an offense that ranks among the league's worst stall again, Trubisky sat out the final drive because of a right hip pointer. And the Bears wasted another solid effort by a defense that still is one of the NFL's best, even if it's banged up and more vulnerable.
The Giants dropped six in a row prior to their bye last week and are on the verge of clinching their third straight losing season. They're 7-19 in two years under Pat Shurmur, and the coach and general manager Dave Gettleman could be on shaky ground.
Only three teams have allowed fewer points than the Bears (174). But when it comes to scoring, the Bears are near the bottom of the NFL. Chicago ranks 28th in total points (169) and points per game (16.9) and 27th in touchdowns (19).
