EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Any 49ers-Giants matchup ought to ooze pleasure.
Possibly that’s as a result of every franchise has 4 wins of their playoff matchups, two of which the Giants pulled out at Candlestick Park en path to Tremendous Bowl wins within the 1990 and 2011 seasons.
Possibly it’s a West Coast vs. East Coast factor.
Regardless, it is going to be a world away from Houston’s dreary den by which the 49ers sleepwalked their solution to a 26-15 defeat final Sunday and fell to 5-3.
This would be the 49ers’ first go to to MetLife Stadium because the COVID-conflicted 2020 season, after they beat the Jets and the Giants there in Weeks 2 and three however sustained a slew of accidents on a turf discipline that’s since been changed however stays suspect.
Tight finish George Kittle missed that recreation and mentioned of this go to: “It’s the last stadium I haven’t played in, so I’m super excited for it. Besides that, I’m just excited to play football with the boys.”
Listed below are 5 methods the 49ers can upend the host Giants (2-6):
1. EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER
The 49ers definitely can relate to the emotional blow of dropping key gamers to harm, having bid farwell to defensive finish Nick Bosa in Week 3 and linebacker Fred Warner in Week 5. Plus, quarterback Mac Jones will make his fifth straight begin this recreation — and seventh in 9 video games — as Brock Purdy copes with a toe harm.
The Giants may have a malaise about them as they forge forward with out rookie operating again Cam Skattebo, who sustained a Warner-esque ankle dislocation final Sunday. Skattebo and quarterback Jaxson Dart had been the toast of New York the previous month.
The Giants’ offense already suffered an enormous blow a month earlier when large receiver Malik Nabers, final yr’s first-round decide, sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament tear.
Of their previous two highway video games, the 49ers misplaced regardless of their opponents lacking key large receivers, to allow them to’t afford that once more. They need to bow as much as face large receivers Wan’Dale Robinson and Darius Slayton and tight finish Theo Johnson. And the 49ers’ run protection have to be prepared for the slashing model of Tyrone Tracy, who produced 1,123 scrimmage yards final season.
2. RUN OVER THEM
Coach Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers are historically at their greatest when operating the ball. The Giants are permitting an NFL-high 5.7 yards per carry. Feels like a really perfect matchup the 49ers can exploit and revive their speeding assault.
Look, the Giants have a fierce row of cross rushers (not run defenders), and the 49ers can’t afford to allow them to tee off on third-and-long passes. Transferring the ball with McCaffrey on early downs will set the desk for achievement.
“You look at their front, the way they fly to the ball, they’ve got a lot of potential each play to wreak havoc,” McCaffrey mentioned. “It will be our job to do what we’ve got to do, make sure we’re straining every play and get it rolling.”
The Eagles did that final Sunday. Saquon Barkley burst for a 65-yard landing run on the sport’s second snap, then completed with 150 yards whereas backup Tank Bigsby additionally cracked 100 yards.
Now can be a good time for McCaffrey’s first 20-yard run of the season. Restricted to eight carries in opposition to the ball-hogging Texans, he wants to duplicate his 129-yard, two-touchdown outing from the earlier week in opposition to Atlanta. Two years in the past, he had over 100 scrimmage yards and a speeding landing within the 49ers’ home-opening win over the Giants.
3. GET TO DART
Final November, the Giants reduce 2019 first-rounder Daniel Jones, and whereas he’s now main the Indianapolis Colts to a 7-1 begin, 2025 first-rounder Dart is off to a highlight-reel begin to his profession. “New York hit on this one big time,” 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh mentioned. “He’s dynamic, decisive, accurate and a joy to watch just studying his tape over the last, what, five starts now?”
Dart is the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Month, having gone 2-3 since Russell Wilson’s benching. He’s finishing 59.9% of his throws for 984 yards with eight touchdowns and three interceptions. His off-schedule capability and aggressive mobility (474 yards, 4 touchdowns) in an up-tempo rollercoaster may immediate the 49ers to spy him with a linebacker or security.
With simply 4 sacks the previous 5 video games and none amid final Sunday’s attrition in Houston, the 49ers scrambled this week to boost their entrance. They introduced in Keion White (Patriots commerce) and Clelin Ferrell (free agent; 2023 starter). In addition they may welcome Yetur Gross-Matos again from a three-game hiatus as he seeks his first sack and simply his second QB hit.
Saleh’s blitzes backfired final week, however anticipate his all-gas, no-brake mentality on full show as he returns to MetLife Stadium, the place he went 10-17 because the Jets coach from 2021 to Week 6 2024.
4. BLOCK BETTER
Per week after Will Anderson Jr. and the Texans’ cross rush mutilated the 49ers’ recreation plan, the Giants’ get their flip with a entrance that includes NFL sack chief Brian Burns and homegrown first-rounds picks Abdul Carter (2025), Kayvon Thibodeaux (2022), and Dexter Lawrence, a seventh-year defensive sort out and three-time Professional Bowler whose effort and manufacturing bought critiqued this previous week by Giants legend Carl Banks.
Whereas Burns has 10 sacks, some have come due to stress from elsewhere on the road, so don’t dismiss the low sack totals of Thibodeaux (2 ½ sacks, 9 quarterback hits) and Carter (half-sack, eight hits). The 49ers’ offensive line may have a brand new look, if rookie left guard Connor Colby sits in favor of a veteran similar to Spencer Burford or Ben Bartch. Matt Hennessy once more will begin at heart for the injured Jake Brendel.
Accidents will maintain out the Giants’ high cornerbacks – Paulson Adebo, Cor’Dale Flott and Artwork Inexperienced – and that can tempt the 49ers and Jones to problem backups, irrespective of the rating or state of affairs. Search for fast passes somewhat than sitting-duck quarterbacking. Purdy is questionable, so there’s an opportunity he comes rather than Jones, who’s battling knee accidents.
5. DON’T LOSE DUE TO LOGISTICS
One other 10 a.m. PT kickoff on artificial turf? Splendid.
The 49ers should take care of these away-game components for a second straight week they usually should not let that negatively affect their mindset. “If you think it’s going to affect you, jump in a cold shower and wake up, because it’s your job,” Kittle mentioned of the early begin.
Since 2017, the 49ers are 16-13 in video games that begin at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT), together with a Week 2 win at New Orleans and final Sunday’s sleeper in Houston. The 49ers maintained their routine of holding practices within the afternoon, after 1 p.m.
One other apparent storyline this week is MetLife Stadium’s so-called sticky turf. Sure, it’s been modified and presumably upgraded because the 49ers’ final go to, when Bosa and others bought harm in a Week 2 win over the Jets earlier than a Week 3 encore victory there over the Giants.
“I’ve never played there but I see what people say about it and don’t like playing on it. It’s a turf,” Kittle mentioned. “I’ll go experience it for myself and hopefully the whole team makes it off the field in extreme health and happiness.”
Jones’ last begin with the Patriots got here in opposition to the host Giants and he bought benched at halftime of that Nov. 26, 2023 loss. Jones, nonetheless, did go 3-0 on that discipline in opposition to the Jets. Stated Jones: “I played on it multiple times and didn’t have any issues, so I think it’s a cool stadium and they’ve got a good fan base.”
