NFL

Giants have little time to dwell on issues

CHICAGO — Tom Coughlin has been known to sleep at the office, sometimes on Monday nights, more often on Tuesday nights. Why bother going home for a few hours when it is more efficient to stay put?

“It’s not a great place to sleep,’’ Coughlin acknowledged, smiling. “The accommodations and the help is not good. Not to make light of it.’’

It has been an especially tough grind this week, coming to grips with yet another loss, then no time at all to wind down before preparation began anew for another game four days later. This always is exhausting, but can be exhilarating when winning. It is excruciating when all anyone has to show for the effort is more losing.

“We are very busy, and I suppose it is a good thing,’’ Coughlin said.

Maybe so. The same ol’ same ol’ isn’t working. Play on Sunday, lose on Sunday, play the next Sunday, lose on Sunday. It’s been a five-week descent into places this franchise rarely has been, and never with this current regime. As much as they have lived through this, the Giants still cannot fully comprehend they are 0-5, and their season has faded away before the autumn leaves have all fallen.

This week, the deadly routine changes. The Giants face the Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday night. At this point the opponent might not matter, as the Giants can look in the mirror to reveal their greatest enemy. The Bears, 3-2 after winning their first three games for first-year head coach Marc Trestman, are coming off losses to the Lions and Saints. They figure to be ready to rumble.

The Giants are beaten, mentally and physically, and injury-depleted is no way to head into a road game four days after getting overtaken by the Eagles. There’s been little time for reflection, not much time for preparation. Given what has transpired thus far, a break from the norm might help.

“Sometimes it’s good to have a short week and just stay focused and quickly get your focus on Chicago and start game planning and get excited about how we’re going to run our offense and how we’re going to make some plays,’’ said Eli Manning, who hasn’t given anyone much to be excited about this season.

“Absolutely. I think it’s almost a good thing to have this short week,’’ Victor Cruz said, “so we don’t dwell on the past game.’’

A look inside the game:

BEST BATTLE

Bears WR Brandon Marshall vs. Giants CB Prince Amukamara

With Corey Webster missing a fourth consecutive game, the Giants aren’t going to be able to provide much help on Marshall, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound target who can impose his will on a defender with his sheer size advantage. Amukamara has been one of the few consistent Giants players, and he is going to have his hands full preventing Marshall from cutting inside or jumping over him.

THE STRIPPERS

As always, the Bears are near the top when it comes to causing turnovers. Their 14 takeaways (six interceptions, eight forced fumbles) are third-best in the league. Safety Major Wright and cornerback Tim Jennings already have interception returns for touchdowns, and savvy Charles Tillman (two interceptions) always is looking to pry the ball out, but might not play because of a knee issue. This could prove toxic, as no team gives up the ball as frequently as the Giants, with their ghastly 20 turnovers.

“I don’t know if it’s something that’s taught or the players talk about it, but they do a great job of stripping the ball [from] receivers, [from] quarterbacks, [from] anybody,’’ said Manning, who has an NFL-high 14 turnovers on his 2013 résumé. “The first guy comes in and wraps them up and the other guys are going for the ball. Coach [Tom] Coughlin has made us very aware of that and you have to be conscious of it.’’

RUN TO GORY

It is not as if the Giants are losing Barry Sanders with the absence of David Wilson (neck) for this game and most likely several more. After all, Wilson is averaging just 3.3 yards per carry, but at least his speed gives him an outside shot at breaking something. The running game was lousy with Wilson.

“We haven’t put up a 100-yard rusher anyways,’’ offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride said. “It’s not like it has been a part of our game plan.’’

Now Brandon Jacobs, out of football five weeks ago, and Da’Rel Scott, waived last week then re-signed, get to carry the load, which has the Giants hoping rather than expecting.

MIDDLE MAN

As the losses mount, pleas for the Giants to make drastic changes grow louder, but the reality is there’s not much they can do as far as personnel moves. One they’ve put in motion is the trade with the Panthers for Jon Beason, who will get extensive playing time less than a week after he arrived. Beason got on the field for seven special teams snaps against the Eagles, but the Giants will see what he has got and he might even start. The guy was once an explosive, productive player and maybe in spurts he can provide a spark if his knee holds up.

“Before my injury, I never left the field,’’ Beason said. “I’m used to being right out there.’’

END GAME

Even if the Giants manage to keep the game close, watch out in the final 15 minutes. They have been out-scored 61-21 in the fourth quarter, turning tight games into blowouts. On the flip side, the Bears are at their best the later in the game it gets. They own a 51-15 scoring edge in the fourth quarter.

THIRD DOWNER

Want to know another reason why Manning keeps throwing the ball to the wrong team? He too often is put in no-win situations. Of the 61 third downs he has tried to convert, 35 were third-and-11 or longer — pure passing situations, giving the opposing defense a huge advantage. No wonder Manning is forcing things and the Giants are last in the NFL with a 26.2 conversion percentage (16 successes in 61 attempts).

PAUL’S PICK

At some point, maybe one of these opponents watches the tape and scans the stats and completely overlooks the Giants. It could be the only way out of this malaise. Hard to envision the Giants finding a ton of points, and they never hold anyone down for very long. Anyone see the glass as half-full?

BEARS 27, GIANTS 10