Chicago Bears: 3 things we learned about the Giants in Week 1

No. 3: Giants’ defense may not be able to match Trubisky, Montgomery

We’ve discussed it time-and-time again and even saw it in action in the second half of the Bears-Lions game this past Sunday. Superior talent and experience will be important in this NFL.

But confidence and momentum are arguably the prevailing attributes to have. The Bears looked like a different team once they started to string together scores and stops in succession in Week 1, and that trend could rock upwards this week.

Thinking about what we saw in Week 1, Ben Roethlisberger was brilliant once he worked off the rust on Monday Night Football. It wasn’t just that he had more yards than Saquon Barkley, but he executed a sound gameplan as a passer, too. He strayed mostly towards intermediate routes, and finished an efficient 21-of-32, for 229 yards and three touchdowns.

In the process, he provided some tape on what Trubisky could exploit this week. Roethlisberger had a ton of success in … you guessed it — man coverage.

Somewhere, in the city of Chicago, Allen Robinson and Anthony Miller are setting the table, getting forks ready, salivating in the process.

Perhaps more than anything, though, it serves as inspiration for what David Montgomery could do next week. In watching Benny Snell maraud the Giants’ run defense, one couldn’t help but draw similarities. Snell’s game isn’t typified through speed.

Rather, he produced last night through patience, cuts, and elusiveness. He kept his legs churning, found lanes, and finished with 19 carries and 113 yards.

It’s difficult to not get the slightest bit excited, given Montgomery and Snell’s almost identical size, and manner of play. Montgomery had two 100-yard games a season ago.

Per Kevin Fishbain on the Hoge and Jahns Podcast, Montgomery had 42 yards after contact. They’ve also opened up success for him in the “12 personnel,” — two tight end sets — where he had five carries for 34 of his yards.

It will be largely dependent on game script, but the Giants don’t have trustworthy, proven interior or edge defenders to this point, nor are their linebackers excellent. Though it deserves to be stated, Blake Martinez had a solid outing in Week 1 in his Giants debut, all things considered.

Assuming the Bears stick to their commitment to finding the run, it feels safe in assuming Montgomery pieces together one of his better career games. And Trubisky, who had a bit of a bounceback during last season’s game against the Giants is set up for success this Sunday.

A chance at the first 2-0 start since 2013 is up for grabs. It’s just a matter of running the route and snagging it.