A botched kickoff return led to the Chicago Bears' first safety of the season as they took advantage of multiple miscues by the New York Giants while building a 29-3 lead in the third quarter.
After a Bears field goal late in the second quarter, Giants return man Pharoh Cooper allowed the ensuing kickoff to land behind him but in front of the goal line, thinking it would bounce into the end zone. He eventually picked up the ball at the Giants' 2 but was tackled at the 5-yard line. Two plays later, running back Devontae Booker was brought down in the end zone as the Bears led 22-3 at the half.
Safety dance. 🙏#NYGvsCHI | #DaBears pic.twitter.com/uoRYeVguF8
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) January 2, 2022
It was complete domination for the Bears in the first half as the Giants finished with minus-16 passing yards -- including the sacks. It's the first time they've had negative passing yards in the first two quarters since 1996 at Philadelphia, where they had minus-15, according to ESPN Sports & Information research.
With Mike Glennon at quarterback, the Giants ran by design on 85% of their first-half plays (23 of 27), the third-highest by any team in the first half over the past 10 seasons. The only two that were higher were by road teams in bad weather in Buffalo -- the Patriots in Week 13 and the Colts in 2017, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
It wasn't the first time the Giants have struggled in the first half, as they've been outscored 76-0 in the final two minutes of the second quarter this season.
