Bears vs. Giants: Quick Hits

The New York Giants' 17-3 victory over the Chicago Bears Sunday night wasn't artistic, and it sure wasn't an offensive showcase.

The Giants didn't need art. They didn't need much offense, either.

What they needed was a victory, and because of a dominant defense and timely offense, they got one -- moving to .500 after the first quarter of the season by pummeling the previously unbeaten Bears in a nationally televised game at New Meadowlands Stadium on Sunday night.

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Some thoughts on the game:

• In a game dominated by defense, it was Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw who stood out as much as any player offensively. Few good holes were there for the running backs with the way the defenses were playing, but Bradshaw ran effectively, especially in the second half. He finished with 129 yards on 23 carries and a touchdown.

• The Giants have committed at least three turnovers in each of the first four games of the season. That's the first time in Giants coach Tom Coughlin's coaching career that has happened.

• Who needs Mathias Kiwanuka anyway? Well, the Giants do, but he's reportedly out for two-to-three months with a neck issue. Still, New York fared well without their leading pass rusher Sunday. The Giants finished with 10 sacks, and their pass rush dominated the tempo of the game.

• Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora, questionable until shortly before kickoff with a knee injury, finished with three sacks.

• A lot of credit has to go to the Giants' offense. The Bears' defense played well throughout, but the Giants made plays under duress in the second half to pull away.

• The key drive of the game came midway through the third quarter. With neither team effective offensively in the first half, the Giants drove 80 yards in nine plays, with quarterback Eli Manning throwing effectively and Bradshaw running hard. Bradshaw finished the drive carrying defenders into the end zone on a three-yard run.

• Manning, after passing for 63 yards in the first half, came out in the second half more effective and played particularly well on New York's third-quarter touchdown drive. The key pass early was a 21-yard completion to Hakeem Nicks that moved the ball to the Giants' 34.

• The Bears could only managed six first downs and were 0-for-13 on third-down conversions.

• Bears quarterback Jay Cutler left the game at halftime with a concussion sustained shortly before halftime. He completed 8 of 11 passes for 42 yards before leaving the game.

• Before a fourth-quarter interception Sunday, Bears quarterback Todd Collins hadn't thrown an interception since 1997. Before Sunday, the 38-year-old, 16-year veteran had thrown just 97 passes in the last 12 seasons. Collins also was knocked from the game by the Giants' pass rush.

• How dominant was the Giants' defense? Midway through the third quarter, the Bears had minus-5 yards passing. Cutler had thrown for 42 yards in the first half, but because sacks count against passing yards on the official stats, the Bears were in negative numbers. The Giants had nine sacks at the end of the first Bears drive of the second half.

• The Giants played the game without veteran linebacker Keith Bulluck, but they got good news just before the game when Umenyiora played despite a knee injury.