Bears linebacker: We’re coming after Manning
If the high-flying Giants wanted or needed anything ext ra to motivate them going into a game against the lousy Bears, they should thank Pernell McPhee for the contribution.
The veteran line backer came out swinging Wednesday, issuing a warning that the Bears are on a search-and-destroy mission, promising to punish Eli Manning and devastate the Giants’ offensive line Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
“We gonna tear their ass up,” McPhee told reporters in Lake Forest, Ill. “I don’t care what everybody else did. We gonna sack him. He can throw the ball as many times as he wants—we gonna sack him. I’m gonna make sure of that.”
Consider the Giants forewarned.
“To me, that’ s wasted emotional energy ,’’ said offensive line man Marshall New house, who filled in at left guard in the victory over the Bengals, after Brett Jones went down with a strained calf. New- house will start against the 2-7 Bears. “There’ s one thing to want to play with your teammates, that kind of jawing and stuff. Some people enjoy doing it. Me, personally, I’m not really into it. There’s better uses of my time and energy.
“What fires me up is trying to play football at a higher level and winning football games. If we don’t give up any sacks and still lose, I’ll be pissed off. At the end of the day, it’s irrelevant to me.’’
This is the first time in Ben McAdoo’s head-coaching tenure that the Giants, winners of four straight, head into a game as a heavy favorite. One of McAdoo’s jobs this week is to make sure there is no letdown.
“You can’t exhale, can’t get complacent,’’ McAdoo said. “It’s my job to make sure that doesn’t happen.’’
That job just got easier. McPhee spent the first six weeks of the season on the physically unable to perform list and has two sacks in the past two games. Outside linebackers Wil- lie Young (6.5) and rookie Leonard Floyd (5) lead the Bears, who are eighth in the league in sacks. Manning has been sacked just 12 times.
Kick er Robbie Gould spent the first 11 years of his career with the Bears. Before he was asked, he already knew about t he trash talk from his former teammate.
“I see Pernell McPhee already is excited to play against Eli Manning ,’’ Gould said. “Got to love Pernell, I love him. One of my favorite teammates of all time.’’
Those tasked to block him and beat on the Bears’ defense no doubt will feel the same way as Gould.
“Players are gonna talk, that’s nothing new,’’ rookie receiver Sterling Shepard said. “Talking doesn’t mean anything, it’s what you do in between the lines. You can say what you want to, but you got to come with it on game day on Sunday.
“It ’s not gonna get us hyped even more just because of what he said, or any less. Last week was a solid week for the O-line. I think we got some of the run game going and they were protecting Eli. They’re gonna do what they’ve been doing, they’re not gonna switch anything up.’’