The New York Giants must be relieved to be facing a conference foe again - even if the opponent is the only undefeated team remaining in the NFC.
Coming off back-to-back beatings at the hands of AFC teams, the Giants (2-1) will host the Chicago Bears (3-0) on Sunday night at the New Meadowlands Stadium.
The Bears come into the game as one of just three unbeaten teams in the NFL, a development few could see coming in the wake of a 7-9 season in 2009.
In addition, their spotless record has not been built against cream puffs. After rallying for a 19-14 win over the Detroit Lions in the season opener, Chicago went into Dallas and came away with a 27-20 victory over the Cowboys.
That was followed by last week's prime-time matchup with Green Bay, in which the Bears erased a 10-0 lead and toppled the Packers, 20-17, as Devin Hester returned one punt for a touchdown and set up another.
The catalyst for the turnaround has been quarterback Jay Cutler, who has regained his mojo after a dreadful season in 2009, when he led the NFL with 26 interceptions.
Cutler has thrown for 870 yards through the first three games in new offensive coordinator Mike Martz's system. He has completed 66 percent of his passes and compiled a lofty 109.7 passer rating. More importantly, Cutler has tossed six touchdown passes against just two interceptions.
Making Cutler's performance all the more impressive is the fact that he is putting up such numbers with an offense that is bereft of a running game. Chicago is the fourth-worst rushing team in the NFL, averaging just 72.0 yards on the ground per game.
That number has been offset by a defense that has yielded a league-low 39.7 rushing yards per game and is sure to be tested by the Giants’ Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs.
With a pass rush that has accumulating just two sacks, Chicago is vulnerable through the air, surrendering 279 yards per game.
New York, which had gone unbeaten in September in each of the past two seasons, opened the season with a 31-18 victory over the Carolina Panthers before things took an abrupt downturn.
A visit to Indianapolis in Week 2 turned into a disaster, as Peyton Manning and the Colts laid a 38-14 hurting on younger brother Eli and the Giants.
Things got worse last week in a puzzling 29-10 home loss to Tennessee. The Giants unraveled in the second half and watched the Titans put up 19 unanswered points.
Eli Manning threw for 386 yards but made one of several blunders by New York, attempting to throw a left-handed pass that was intercepted in the end zone.
The Giants also committed five personal fouls, including a pair that led to the benching of offensive tackle Kareem McKenzie.
The last time New York got off to a worse start was in 2007, when the Giants stumbled out of the gate 0-2 and allowed 80 points in the two defeats.
Of course, that season ended up on a high note - with a victory over the previously unbeaten New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.