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Good morning, New York Giants fans! Let’s get right to your morning headlines.
Who will play QB for Bears on Sunday?
Starting quarterback Mitchell Trubisky (shoulder) was listed as “limited” in practice Wednesday for the Chicago Bears, the Giants opponent on Sunday. Trubisky missed the Bears Week 12 game against the Detroit Lions. Beras coach Matt Nagy told Chicago media that Trubisky “could end up being a game-time thing.”
Trubisky (51 carries, 363 yards, 7.1 yards per carry, 3 touchdowns) rushing with the ball has been a big part of Chicago’s offense. If he plays, the Bears don’t want to take that part of the game away from him.
“If he ends up playing, we’ll be cautious with how we do that but if he’s going to be out there playing, then we want to be able to let him play like you normally would,” Nagy told New York media. “We don’t want to restrict him too much, but we try to do that even when he’s not hurt before the injury. It’s the same thing, you want to make sure you protect him as much as you can.”
If Trubisky doesn’t play, Chase Daniel would make a second straight start for Chicago.
Barkley: Workload is “perfectly fine”
There is a week-to-week obsession among media members covering the Giants, and in the fan base, regarding the number of touches Saquon Barkley gets each week. With 171 rushing attempts and 71 receptions he has 242 touches on the season, an average of 22 per game. He said Wednesday he is “perfectly fine” with that and with “whatever it takes.”
Barkley only getting five touches (four rushes, one reception) in the second half Sunday vs. the Philadelphia Eagles has remained a topic of discussion. Barkley tried on Wednesday to diffuse it.
“I know you guys keep bringing up the questions because how many times I touch the ball in the second half, but if we finished the game and we win that game, I don’t think that’s going to be this topic or the story,” Barkley said. “I know what people are thinking, but like I said, I’ll continue to believe in the coaches, continue to believe in the offense and this system and continue to come in working and take it one day at a time.”
Manning
Eli Manning threw a bad interception on Sunday vs. the Eagles, but on the season has thrown only seven interceptions and has a career-low 1.7 percent interception rate. His career interception rate in 3.0 percent and he has never finished a season below 2.1 percent (2008).
The automatic thought is that Manning’s interceptions are down because his check downs are up. There may be some truth to that, but the Giants (7.1) are 13th in the league in yards per pass attempt, right in the middle of the league.
Here’s Manning on his low interception rate:
“I think just being in good positions, trying to make good decisions. Sometimes with interceptions – every one has it’s own story. It could be a bad decision. It could be a missed throw. It could be tipped balls and guys in the wrong spot. Everyone has it’s own story and reason. Just try to eliminate the ones that I can control, and make good decisions,” he said.
“Sometimes, it’s just kind of the situations you’re in. Sometimes when you’re down a few scores, sometimes that’s when they come up – when you’re trying to force things. You’re trying to make stuff happen. When there’s not much there. Each one, again, kind of has it’s own reason, it’s own story.”
Manning will be challenged to protect the ball this week. The Bears have a league-leading 20 interceptions.
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