| Giants
(2-2) vs San Francisco (1-3)
The San Francisco
49ers lost their third straight game Sunday, 17-3 against the visiting Green Bay
Packers. The Packers left with a 4-0 record and the 49er fans wondered when their
offense left town.
The Giants made it two in a row with their 24-10 win over
the Buffalo Bills. The Bills were coming off a 41-14 win over the Dolphins, but
couldn't get anything going against the Giants, with the exception of penalties.
Giants - Bills Wrap-Up
San Francisco 49ers
Jim Harbaugh coached the San Francisco 49ers from 2011–2014 and they were memorable
years. Harbaugh started off by getting them to the playoffs for the first time
since the 2002 NFL season and ran into the Giants in the NFC Championship Game.
His team lost by three points or they would have been the team to face the Patriots
in the Super Bowl that the Giants won. In his second year as a head coach he did
get his team into the Super Bowl, but lost to the Baltimore Ravens by three points.
The following year was more playoffs until they lost to the Seahawks in the NFC
Championship Game by six points in Seattle. Not a bad run for a first time NFL
head coach to have a 36-11 record and 5 playoff wins in three years.
Last
year the 49ers finished at 8-8, winning all four games played against the NFC
East teams, but losing 4 of 6 in their own division. The current ownership in
general doesn't seem to hang onto head coaches long term and said the team mutually
decided to part ways, and the goal was to win with class. Harbaugh
said mutual meant, "I was told I wouldn't be the coach any more." Currently
Harbaugh is coaching the Michigan Wolverines and they have a 4-1 record after
winning only 5 games last year.
The current head coach, Jim Tomsula, was promoted
up the ranks for the second time in San Francisco. Tomsula was the interim coach
for the final game of the 2010 season when Mike Singletary was fired. Tomsula
got off to a great start with a 20-3 win over the Minnesota Vikings, but his team
has taken a beating ever since, losing in their last three games by scores of
43-18, 47-7 and 17-3. San
Francisco 49ers Offense
Colin
Kaepernick quarterbacked a passing game that was ranked 30th in the NFL in 2013
and they ended up in that exact same spot last year. By contrast, the ground game
has been near the top the past few years and finished in the third ranked spot
last season. Some of that is because of Kaepernick's ability to run with the ball
and he adds on average over 500 yards on a season to their totals. He's actually
on target for about 800 yards this season.
Running back Frank Gore went to
the Indiana Colts in free agency and aside from his outstanding numbers his leadership
is also gone. Supposedly Gore was told he would have to take a back seat to Carlos
Hyde, who had a terrific first game (165 yards), but has disappeared ever since.
Kaepernick has had more running yards since with less carries, and
twice has led the 49ers in rushing.
Getting
back to the passing game, though Kaepernick is completing 62 percent of his passes,
he has thrown for only two touchdowns. Kaepernick
has 5 interceptions on the season - all in the last two games, and the team is
averaging a total of 12 points a game. In the last two they scored only 7 at Arizona
and then just 3 at home against Green Bay.
Torrey Smith, their big ticket
receiver brought in to be their deep threat, has only 9 catches. His one 75 yard
touchdown boosted his average per catch to 20.6, but that came in a fourth quarter
43-18 loss at Pittsburgh when the Steelers defense started their 'so-what coverage'
a little too soon. Anquan Boldin is averaging just 8.3 yards per catch and also
has just one touchdown, also in that fourth quarter.
Last week Quinton Patton
caught a pass from Kaepernick and took it for a 40-yard gain on their only scoring
drive of the game and that resulted in a field goal for their only score. Pro
Bowl tight end Vernon Davis did not play last week because of a knee injury and
could have provided some spark to the offense, but he has been ruled out for this
game. Garrett Celek will have to step up. San
Francisco 49ers Defense
Eric
Mangini, who once was the head coach for the Jets, was promoted this year from
his position as tight ends coach to defensive coordinator. His group did an amazing
job in week one, disappeared for two games, but came back strong last week against
Green Bay. They gave up an opening drive touchdown and then held Aaron Rodgers
and his team scoreless for the rest of the half. After the break, once again they
gave up a touchdown on the Packers opening drive and later in the third quarter
a field goal, but no points were scored against them in the fourth. Green Bay,
who had been averaging 32 points a game, was held to 17, their lowest scoring
to date, but the 49ers lost when their team came up with just 3.
They were
able to put some pressure on Rodgers and sacked him three times. Ahmad Brooks
got one of those sacks, but is listed as doubtful because of a recent death in
the family. The unit has not been as strong as in past years against the run and
rank 20th in run defense. They do have their All-Pro linebacker NaVorro Bowman
back after missing all of last season. He leads the team with 28 tackles and the
Giants will have to try to work past him to get the running game going. The group
has had some problems in the secondary and currently rank 21st against the pass. Giants
offense
The offense has sputtered, but
they have been able to move the ball and put points up on the board. Eli Manning
has had good protection and has been sacked only four times. The offensive line
is doing it's job well and Manning is doing his part, getting the ball out fast.
Last week the Bills showed that a defense could take Odell Beckham Jr. out of
the game and handle Rueben Randle. Manning tried to hit Beckham 12 times and he
came down with just 5 catches for 38 yards. Randle caught 3 out of 6 for 31 yards
and had one touchdown.
The Giants showed they had other weapons and kept the
chains moving. Larry Donnell caught 5 out of 7, Dwayne Harris caught 5 out of
6 and one touchdown and Rashad Jennings shocked the Bills with his catch and long
51 yard run for a touchdown. The Giants have been using their mix of running backs,
but Jennings and Andre Williams are averaging 3.2 and 3.3 yards a carry. Shane
Vereen is at 3.9, but is out there more for his receiving skills. The Giants have
an opportunity to improve in that area against the 49ers. Giants
defense
The Packers were able to keep
Kaepernick in check except for two big plays (87 yards) that accounted for more
than half of his total passing yards for the entire game. His other 11 completions
totaled 73 yards, so he finished with 160. Meanwhile the Giants are giving up
316.3 passing yards on average per game and every quarterback has had at least
274 so far this year. Kaepernick has passed that number only 5 times in his entire
career, including playoffs, but he is capable, and he did so in the losing effort
to Pittsburgh just a few games ago, hitting Anquan Boldin and Torrey
Smith for touchdowns
Covering tight ends
is a problem for the Giants. Last week they let Charles Clay hit them for 111
yards on 9 catches, the week before it was Jordan Reed with 6 catches for 96 yards.
Both times they were the leading receivers on their teams. Against the Falcons
Jacob Tamme was beaten out by his teammate Julio Jones, but had 4 catches for
77 yards. In Dallas the Cowboys used a combination of Jason Witten and Lance Dunbar
to target that secondary area and move the chains for 130 yards on 16 catches.
The
Giants catch a break with Vernon Davis not
playing, but expect a lot more throws to tight end Garrett Celek and maybe Carlos
Hyde if he can't get his running game going. Taking
advantage of the 49ers offensive line, which has Joe Staley as the only returning
starter in the same position at left tackle, Green Bay got good pressure and sacked
Kaepernick six times last week. That's an area the Giants need to work on, but
Devon Kennard, George Selvie and Robert Ayers have been ruled out for this game. Overall
The
49ers goal was to win with class, but they haven't had many opportunities to show
their winning class the way things have played out. They've lost three in a row,
and that's hard on a traveling team, but it's too early in the season for players
to throw in the towel, especially in a prime time game.
The Giants have a
chance to continue on a roll considering their opponent this week seems to have
lost its way after winning decisively in the first game of the season. The Giants
are on an upswing, but will have to be careful against the 49ers if Colin Kaepernick
gets confident with his passing game and re-energizes his team.
NFC East Games
Sunday
at 1:00pm Redskins (2-2) at Atlanta (4-0).
Sunday at 1:00pm Saints(1-3) at
Eagles (1-3).
Sunday at 4:25pm Patriots(3-0) at Cowboys (2-2).
Sunday at
8:30pm San Francisco (1-3) at Giants (2-2).
The Giants and the Eagles are the
NFC East teams favored to win in these games.
Check out.
The Team
Giants Store, and see some of the really unique items we put together.
There are some items you certainly haven't seen elsewhere, and each sale helps
out our site.
Giants DVDs
and Posters. 
TeamGiants on Twitter.
Notes.
Giants
Eli Manning is 5-2 all-time against the 49ers as a starter.Giants
26 appearances on Sunday Night Football rank second among NFL teams. Cowboys lead
with 33. Giants will add to the Ring
of Honor: Jack Lummus, John Johnson, Chris Snee and Osi Umenyiora. San
Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick
has led the 49ers in rushing in two of their four games. San
Francisco is the only team in the league without a score in the first quarter
this season. San Francisco has since
been outscored 107-28 during their three-game losing streak. San
Francisco has given up 45 points per game on the road. San
Francisco has scored just 48 points this season, the lowest in the league.
Next Games
Oct 19 - Giants at Eagles.
Giants Tickets
- Buy
or Sell
Oct 25- Cowboys at Giants.
Giants Tickets
- Buy
or Sell
 |
Go Giants! #1 Fan Charm Bracelet
13 magnificently
crafted charms, plated with 24K gold and sterling silver. Genuine Swarovski® crystals
Officially
licensed by the NFL. Gift box.
Go
Giants! #1 Fan Charm Bracelet |
 |
|
