GAMEDAY RELEASE: New York Giants vs. Chicago Bears

OVERVIEW

This Sunday, Oct. 3, the New York Giants (1-2) host the Chicago Bears (3-0) in New Meadowlands Stadium.

THE SERIES

The Giants and the Bears have played 55 regular season games since 1925 and the Bears lead the series, 27-18-2. The teams have also met eight times in the postseason and the Bears lead that series, 5-3.

The two teams have faced off in the NFL Championship game six times. The Giants won in 1935 (30-13) and 1956 (47-7) and the Bears emerged victorious in 1933 (23-21), 1941 (37-9), 1946 (24-14) and 1963 (14-10).

The Giants and the Bears last met on Dec. 2, 2007, when the Giants won, 21-16, in Soldier Field. The Giants trailed the Bears by nine points midway through the fourth quarter but managed to rally and score two touchdowns within a span of five and a half minutes. Amani Toomer's 50th career touchdown catch cut the Bears lead to two points and Reuben Droughns scored the game winning touchdown on a two yard run. Derrick Ward, who rushed for 154 yards, scored the Giants' first touchdown.

As a team, the Giants totaled 356 yards, had 24 first downs, and had a season-low two penalties. The Giants defense sacked Rex Grossman six times.

THE LAST MEETING

The Giants were their own worst enemies on Sunday and it cost them a victory.

The Giants outgained the Tennessee Titans by 200 yards (471-271) and never punted, but were shutout in the second half and went down to a 29-10 defeat, their first in the New Meadowlands Stadium.

Titans tailback Chris Johnson's one-yard touchdown run gave the Titans a 10-0 cushion with 8:43 remaining in the second quarter. Tennessee drove 57 yards after Lawrence Tynes was wide left on a 53-yard field goal attempt. Johnson rushed for 36 yards on nine carries on the drive, the longest a 12-yard run.

Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw rushed for 88 yards and scored the Giants' only touchdown on a 10-yard run with 36 seconds left in the second quarter. But his penalty for a chop block in the end zone gave the Titans a safety and the lead for good, 12-10, with 10:39 left in the third. His fumble on the Tennessee five-yard line with 3:31 left in the third stanza deflated the Giants when they already trailed by nine points.

And then there were the penalties. Tom Coughlin removed Kareem McKenzie from the game after his second personal foul. Safety Antrel Rolle was also taken out after he threw a punch late in the game.

Tennessee added three points on Rob Bironas' 22-yard field goal with 7:50 remaining in the fourth quarter and seven more on Johnson's eight-yard run with 4:02 left.

In the first half, Manning completed 17 of 20 passes for 188 yards - the three that weren't completed were interceptions that were tipped and another pass that Mario Manningham dropped. Titans QB Vince Young, meanwhile, threw only four first-half passes, completing three for 32 yards.

ON THE HORIZON

Next week the Giants travel to Houston to face the Texans. The Giants and the Texans have played each other just twice and the regular season series is tied, 1-1.

The Giants face all four AFC South teams this season and have lost to both Indianapolis (31- 18) and Tennessee (29-10). They play the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 2, 2010.

BEARS CONNECTIONS

Bears general manager Jerry Angelo was a regional scout for the Giants from 1982-1986. Punter Brad Maynard was a third round selection (95th overall pick) of the Giants in the 1997 draft and punted in every game for Big Blue from 1997-2000.

TELEVISION

This week's game is the first of four national TV broadcasts for the Giants. The contest can be seen on NBC affiliates across the country (Channel 4, WNBC in New York). Al Michaels will
handle the play-by-play while Cris Collinsworth will provide color commentary. Andrea Kremer will be reporting from the sidelines.

GIANTS RADIO NETWORK

WFAN 660 AM will carry this week's radio broadcast. Anita Marks and Paul Dottino will handle the pre-game, beginning at 6:30 p.m., and the post-game show. Bob Papa will deliver the play-by-play, joined by color commentator Carl Banks. Howard Cross will be the sideline reporter.

Fans in the Northeast and Mississippi can listen to the call on the following stations:
New York: WPYX (106.5 FM) Albany; WAAL (99.1 FM) Binghampton; WIRY (1340 AM) Plattsburgh; WAUB (1590 AM) Auburn; WGVA (1240 AM) Geneva; WFLR (1570 AM) Dundee; WCGR (1550 AM) Canandigua; WLTB (1310 AM) Utica; WRNY (1350 AM) Rome; WIXT (1230 AM) Little Falls; WENY (1230 AM) Elmira; WENI (1450 AM) Corning; WGMM (98.7 FM) Corning; WTLA 1200 AM, North Syracuse; WSGO (1440 AM) Oswego; W249BC (97.7FM) Mattydale; W261AC  (100.1FM) Oswego
Connecticut: WPOP (100.1 FM) Hartford 
Pennsylvania: WEEX (1230 AM) Easton; WTKZ (1320 AM) Easton
Mississippi: WLEZ (100.1FM) Jackson