NFL
East Coast Meets West Coast
Week 10 sees the 1-7 New York Giants head west to battle with the 2-7 San Francisco 49ers. The Giants and 49ers have struggled this year, with both teams sitting at the bottom of the NFC.
This week will see young rookie quarterback Nick Mullens take on veteran Eli Manning. While Mullens is coming off his first NFL start and win, Manning and the New York Giants will be well rested after having Week 9 off with the bye.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers will look to continue the momentum from their win over the Oakland Raiders. Nick Mullens impressed on his debut game, performing better than most had hoped. With accurate throws and fast releases, he won over fans and reporters alike. However, with such a small sample size, it is unknown how he will back up this week against a stronger defense. Mullens will need to carry on his quick reads from last week and ensure there are no turnovers — which plagued the Niners while C.J. Beathard was under centre.
With the Giants’ defense ranked 23rd in rushing yards, Kyle Shanahan will likely continue his push with the run game. Led by Matt Breida, the Niners have been effective with their rushing, currently ranked 4th in the league. However, with Raheem Mostert out for the remainder of the season with a fractured arm, Shanahan will have to rely on Alfred Morris to backup Breida. Morris has been averaging just 3.5 yards per carry. Should Breida go down injured, the 49ers’ run game will suffer.
Defensively, the 49ers had their most impressive game against the Raiders. They drastically reduced the amount of missed tackles and the secondary performed well in both man and zone coverage. The New York Giants however have two offensive weapons in Odell Beckham Jr. and Saquon Barkley. Should Manning be able to get the ball to either player in the open, the Niners’ defense will need to be at the top of their game to limit the amount of yardage gained.
Injuries
George Kittle was limited in practice with a chest contusion along with Weston Richburg with a knee injury.
Pierre Garcon has a knee injury and did not participate in practice. While Reuben Foster sat out due to a hamstring injury along with Jaquiski Tartt who has an injured shoulder. Both players were also absent from Week 9 due to injury.
New York Giants
The Giants come fresh off the bye week as they travel to Santa Clara. Pat Shurmur has not had the season he would have hoped for stepping in as the new Giants head coach. Like the 49ers, they have struggled to find their feet this season, with poor performances and missed opportunities.
Manning has had an average past couple of seasons and no longer has the arm talent of previous years. The Giants used their 2018 first-round draft pick on Barkley who will likely be a future star, but many have criticized them for not taking a quarterback and planning for the future. While Manning has somewhat regressed, he still has a completion rate of 68.3% and the Giants rank 9th in passing yards.
The Giants’ offensive line will need to stand strong this week against an improving 49ers’ pass rush. They have found it difficult to provide protection to Manning who has been sacked thirty-one times. If the Giants are to improve on their 31st ranked rushing offense, it lies with the offensive line. While Barkley has shown some amazing skills at times, for him to unleash his full potential, the offensive line will need to provide him with the opportunities to do so.
Odell Beckham Jr. and Sterling Shepherd will test the 49ers’ rookie secondary, with both players on their way to having 1000+ receiving yard seasons. If Beckham can blow past the Niners defense, expect some big yards and plays from him. With only two touchdowns this season, he will be looking to add to that this week.
The Giants’ biggest struggle on defense will be defending against the rush, which is currently ranked at 23rd. They will need to shut down Breida to slow the 49ers’ offense and force Mullens to throw the ball more.
Injuries
Jawill Davis has been limited in practice this week while going through the concussion protocol. Alec Ogletree is continuing treatment for a hamstring injury and Chad Wheeler has an ankle injury. However, both players have fully participated in practice.
Monday Night Football kicks off at 8:15 pm ET.
Photo Credit: mgthompson via Flickr
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