After a couple of weeks on the road, the Chicago Bears return home for a matchup that pits two of the oldest franchises in the NFL against one another. The Bears (5-3) welcome the New York Giants (2-7) to Soldier Field for a classic NFC showdown.

Chicago is riding high after a thrilling 47-42 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals that culminated in a big touchdown from quarterback Caleb Williams to tight end Colston Loveland. The Bears are firmly in the playoff picture midway through the 2025 season and hope to build on last week’s win to establish a new winning streak.

New York, meanwhile, appeared to be turning a corner a few weeks ago behind rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart and running back Cam Skattebo. But after a massive blown lead to the Denver Broncos and a season-ending injury to Skattebo, the Giants are trending in the wrong direction under Brian Daboll.

The Giants shouldn’t be taken lightly, though, and history suggests this could be a memorable game. We saw Devin Hester fake out the entire stadium in New Jersey with a missed kick return, while Robert Quinn set the single-season Bears sack record against the Giants nearly four years ago. For the next iteration of this historic matchup, here are our bold predictions for Bears vs. Giants:

1. D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai combine for 225 rushing yards

The stars are aligning for this game to be a historic rushing performance for the Bears. Rookie Kyle Monangai is coming off a career day with 176 rushing yards, while D’Andre Swift looks to be fully healed from the groin injury that has limited him in recent weeks. Combine that with the fact that New York is allowing the second-most yards on the ground with 150, and the stage is set for a memorable outing.

Bears head coach Ben Johnson knows what works well, and chances are he will have a similar game plan from last week. This time, he won’t need to rely primarily on Monangai. Both players will slice through the Giants’ defense like a hot knife through butter, totaling at least 225 rushing yards.

2. Rome Odunze snags multiple touchdown grabs

The Bears’ pass catchers were extremely busy last Sunday, with players like DJ Moore and Olamide Zaccheaus scoring touchdowns for the offense. Meanwhile, Rome Odunze couldn’t buy a reception, going without a catch for the first time in his career on three targets. Instead, Odunze’s contributions came in the run-blocking game, as he manhandled defenders to clear lanes for Monangai and Brittain Brown.

Those types of plays are what Johnson looks for in receivers with his “no block, no rock” attitude. Odunze was all block, no rock, but that’s going to change. The squeaky wheel gets the oil, and plenty of attention was brought onto Odunze this week with some of his father’s comments about the receiver’s usage. Williams and Odunze have worked to establish a promising connection, and that chemistry will reignite this weekend. Odunze will be heavily featured in scoring opportunities, catching multiple touchdowns against a beatable Giants secondary.

3. Joe Tryon-Shoyinka gets a sack

There’s something to be said for the first-game bump for edge rushers. At least when it comes to the Bears. Dominique Robinson was sensational against Trent Williams and the San Francisco 49ers to start his pro career in 2022, while Darrell Taylor notched multiple sacks and forced a fumble to open last season. Even Dayo Odeyingbo shined in Week 1 this year, and Austin Booker came back with a vengeance last weekend.

Bears edge rushers seem to perform well to start their Bears tenure, and now it’s Joe Tyron-Shoyinka’s turn. The veteran defensive end was acquired from the Cleveland Browns during the trade deadline to help shore up Chicago’s pass rushing woes. Tryon-Shoyinka will make a great first impression in front of the Soldier Field faithful with his first sack of the year against Jaxson Dart. We’ll just have to see how the rest of the season goes for him.

4. Special teams makes a game-changing play

No phase looked worse last Sunday than the Bears’ special teams unit, who allowed the opening kick to be returned for a touchdown, had a blocked field goal and would have had another miss if not for a Bengals penalty, and failed to recover an onside kick. It was a disaster all the way around, and special teams coordinator Richard Hightower owned up to it earlier this week for not having his group prepared enough.

This week will be a different story. With weather conditions expected to be messy, the Giants could struggle to kick the ball and properly field returns. Younghoe Koo, this week’s kicker with Graham Gano sidelined, has missed multiple kicks at Soldier Field in a game before. The special teams unit will redeem themselves with a game-changing play. It could be a blocked field goal, a forced fumble, or perhaps a blocked punt. With the return of special teams standout Amen Ogbongbemiga, the Bears should be better prepared on Sunday.

5. Bears score a safety

It’s been far too long since the Bears scored a safety in a game. It’s been so long, in fact, that the last time came against the Giants nearly four years ago. It was their last trip to Soldier Field, and it was one Giants fans would like to forget. I think history repeats itself with the different looks defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is bound to show Dart, and because Tory Taylor has become a legitimate weapon for how he’s pinning opponents deep in their own territory.

At some point, the Giants will be backed up to their end zone, and Allen will find the right opportunity to confuse Dart and the offense. The pressure will overwhelm the rookie, and Chicago will get its first safety in years in front of a raucous crowd.