Hoge: Slow Start By Former Team Doesn't 'Bother' Bennett
By Adam Hoge-
HALAS HALL (CBS) Martellus Bennett will face his former team Thursday for the first time when the Bears host the Giants, but he made it clear Wednesday -- in his own unique way -- that any warm feelings he has for his former teammates will go out the window once the ball is kicked off.
"I root for them when we're not playing against them, but I hope all of them have bad games this week," Bennett said.
The Giants have fallen on hard times this year, ranking 20th or worse in every major offensive and defensive category except for passing offense (10th with 280.2 yards per game. Offensively, they're 30th in points per game (16.4), 20th in total offense (337.0 yards per game) and dead last in rushing offense (56.8 yards per game). Defensively, the Giants are dead last in points allowed (36.4), 26th in total defense (395.2), 27th in rushing defense (126.0) and 22nd in passing defense (269.2). To make matters worse, they're also dead last with a turnover ratio of minus-13.
Don't look for sympathy from Bennett though.
"It doesn't bother my heart," Bennett said when asked about the Giants' 0-5 start. "I farm my land, I don't farm other people's land. So I don't really worry about what they have growing in their gardens. I just make sure my sunflowers are blooming."
The tight end is, however, taking the Giants seriously as an opponent.
"It's just like a sleeping giant," Bennett said. "You never know. Sometimes you get to step over him and you don't wake him up. Sometimes you step over him and he grabs your leg. So we don't want him to grab our legs."
Bennett said he still talks to a number of his former teammates on the Giants, but he's not sure they miss his talents on the football field, they just miss him.
"They miss having me around, but more so just for having me around," he said. "It doesn't have anything to do with football."
A few of the Giants told Bennett they want him to come out on the field early Thursday night "so at least they have a chance to laugh before the game."
Of course, that's where Bennett hopes the laugher stops.
Adam Hoge covers the Bears for CBSChicago.com and is a frequent contributor to 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter at @AdamHoge.
