Niners Rout Giants with Win in the Big Apple

Week 9 - Traveling out east to take on the (2-6) New York Giants, the (5-3) San Francisco 49ers would attempt to get back on track in the win column following a loss last week to the Texans and with a pair of division games on the horizon. But in order to make that happen, Kyle Shanahan's team would have to be much better on defense than they were a week ago after failing to log a single sack against the quarterback and were unable to force a punt until the midway point of the fourth quarter. As for the offense, a mediocre Giants run defense would open the door for a big day by the Niners rushing attack as both Christian McCaffrey and Brian Robinson Jr. looked to bounce back in a big way after being virtually shut down in Houston a week earlier. 

Making his seventh start of the season in place of a recovering Brock Purdy (toe), 49ers quarterback Mac Jones would come out on fire by completing 14-of-14 pass attempts in the first half. After the Giants began the game with a touchdown on their opening-drive, Jones helped the Niners answer with a 5-yard touchdown pass to McCaffrey. Following a three-and-out punt on the Giants' next possession, Jones again led the 49ers to pay dirt, finding receiver Jauan Jennings in the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown. Jennings, the subject of possible trade rumors just days ahead of the November 4 trade deadline, hauled in his second touchdown reception of the season and his first since Week 2. It would also mark just the second touchdown reception by a 49ers wide receiver this season, compared to the seven TD's caught by tight-ends and the five by running backs. San Francisco would add an Eddy Pineiro field goal to make it 17-7 at the two-minute warning and had plans on adding more before an interesting series of events for both teams. 

After forcing the Giants to punt and using timeouts to preserve the clock, the 49ers would get the ball back with 49-seconds remaining in the first half. But on the first play of their ensuing possession, Mac Jones would be hit from behind, jarring the ball loose and leading to a fumble. Taking over possession in prime field position, New York was unable to move the ball and settled for a 45-yard field goal attempt by kicker Graham Gano who entered Sunday's game a perfect 8-for-8 on the season, before missing wide left to end the first half. Getting the ball back to open the second half, the 49ers would add another Pineiro field goal to give them 20 unanswered-points and a 20-7 lead. While the Giants would eventually stop the bleeding with a field goal to make it a 10-point deficit, the two teams would exchange touchdowns throughout the fourth quarter. Kickstarting the flurry of a combined four consecutive touchdown-scoring drives would be 49ers backup running back Brian Robinson Jr. who only had five carries on the afternoon but made them count, finishing with 53 yards total, including an 18-yard touchdown run that saw him steamroll a Giants defender on his way to reaching the end zone for his first touchdown as a member of the 49ers.  

Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart who was named Offensive Rookie of the Month for October, responded by carrying the ball into the end zone himself for a 6-yard score. The touchdown for Dart would be a special one as he joined former NFL QB Tim Tebow as the only other quarterback in NFL history to record at least one passing and one rushing touchdown in four straight games, and the first rookie to ever accomplish the feat. Also making history on Sunday would be Christian McCaffrey. With a receiving touchdown earlier in the game, CMC added a 3-yard rushing touchdown, marking his 16th career game with a rushing and receiving touchdown, the most all-time, passing Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk. Dart and the Giants would score one final touchdown in garbage time as receiver Gunner Olszewski came up with just his second career receiving touchdown and first reception since 2023, a 24-yard score to make it a 34-24 game. With the Giants unable to recover the onside-kick, the 49ers converted a game-sealing first down to close out the win, handing New York a third straight loss. 

Quarterback Mac Jones finished with another strong outing by throwing for 235 yards and 2 touchdowns to go along with a passer rating of 135.2. Meanwhile, Jaxson Dart threw for 191 yards and 2 touchdowns for a passer rating of 107.01, while also rushing for 56 yards and a touchdown to lead all Giants on the ground. McCaffrey again led the offense for San Francisco, rushing for 106 yards and a touchdown and adding another 67 yards and a score through the air. McCaffrey has now amassed over 500 rushing and 500 receiving yards for the season, becoming just the second player in the past 10 years to do that within the first nine games of a season, joining Saquon Barkley (2018). He also becomes just the second 49er to do it, joining Roger Craig in 1985. Unfortunately, the Niners were unable to avoid making it out of Sunday's game without an injury as rookie first-round pick Mykel Williams went down in the final minutes of regulation with a knee injury. Although he was able to walk to the sideline under his own power, he was later seen walking to the locker room in frustration as team officials fear he might've suffered a season-ending ACL injury. 

Week 10 Preview: Returning home to Levi's Stadium, the (6-3) 49ers will play host to the rival (6-2) Los Angeles Rams. Winners of three straight games since their upset loss at home to the Niners on Thursday Night Football, the Rams will face a very different 49ers team in the rematch as San Francisco will be without several key players that helped them pull off the upset in overtime, most notably linebacker and leader Fred Warner who helped make some key plays in that win. Having already matched their season total in wins from a season ago with their sixth win on Sunday, the Niners will look to add to that mark while eying a season sweep of the Rams much like they accomplished against San Francisco last year. But with Rams QB Matthew Stafford having appeared to turn back the clock so far this season with what could be an MVP season, the Rams will not be going down without a fight when these two teams meet in the rematch. With the 49ers yet to have their Bye week, they currently trail both the Rams and Seahawks in the division at 6-2 on the year. 

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49ers Speared by Texans Defense in Road Loss

Week 8 - Entering Sunday's meeting between the visiting (5-2) San Francisco 49ers and (2-4) Houston Texans, both teams were coming off completely different games than one another. For San Francisco, a 20-10 win at home against the Falcons in which the 49ers were in control virtually all game long and had their way on the ground. As for Houston, a 27-19 loss on the road in Seattle where they were held in check all night long on the ground and were just 2 of 13 on third down. Fast-forward to Sunday and you'd have a total reversal of roles as the Texans began 3-for-5 on third down to start before finishing 9-for-16 despite being without one of their best players in receiver Nico Collins who sat out with a concussion. After totaling a season-high 174 yards of rushing just a week earlier, the 49ers failed to tally 50 yards on the ground against Houston and didn't convert a single first down until the final minute of the first half. In what would be just the sixth matchup all-time between these two franchises, the rare head-to-head meeting would allow 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan to face off against his former defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans for the first time since Ryans was hired to coach the Texans back in 2023 after spending six seasons on Shanahan's 49ers staff. 

Opening the game on defense, the 49ers struggled to get off the field as Houston embarked on a 16-play drive that lasted 9-minutes and 39-seconds, their most plays and longest drive of the season. Although the Texans would be held to a field goal, it would be the first points allowed on an opening-drive by the San Francisco defense this season. Making matters worse, the Niners were held to a three and out punt on each of their first three possessions which did no favors for San Francisco's tiring defense. With a minute remaining in the first half, the 49ers found themselves trailing 16-0 before they received a spark from one of the most unlikeliest of sources. While special-teams usually costs the 49ers on a nearly weekly basis, on Sunday, it would help them ignite a rally to close out the first half. With backup running back Brian Robinson Jr. back to return kicks, his 46-yard kick return to midfield would breathe life into the Niners. After tacking on a 15-yard facemask penalty during the return, the 49ers would be in business. A few plays later they would strike pay dirt. With the NFL celebrating National Tight-Ends Day on Sunday, the founding father of the unofficial holiday would put his stamp on the game as George Kittle hauled in a circus catch in the end zone between two Houston defenders to put his team on the board. 

With Houston electing to pass the ball instead of running the clock in the final 17-seconds of the first half, Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud launched a ball down field into the hands of 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir who hauled in the first interception of the season for the San Francisco defense. The interception would end the first half and more importantly halted the Niners' drought of 14 consecutive games without an interception, the longest such drought in NFL history. Lenoir's interception would be a microcosm of how the rest of the half went for the 49er defense as the Texans had piled up 299 yards of total offense by halftime, more yards than they had in total in four of their first six games. Even then, San Francisco wouldn't be completely out of the game just yet. Receiving the second half kickoff, the Niners would have a chance to inch even closer on the scoreboard, but another three and out punt would put an end to any momentum San Francisco had captured. Adding insult to injury, Stroud and the Texans marched 94-yards down the field on their ensuing possession before a 30-yard touchdown reception from receiver Xavier Hutchinson. 

The Niners' second possession of the second half would go much better than their first as a 17-play, 76-yard drive that took over 7-minutes in gametime ended with another touchdown pass from quarterback Mac Jones to a 49ers tight-end, this time Jake Tonges the recipient. With a successful two-point conversion to receiver Demarcus Robinson, the 49ers climbed back into the game trailing by only eight. Unfortunately, the 49er defense would not force a single Texans punt until the final five minutes of the fourth quarter. And with Houston adding a field goal to open the fourth, things would become a bit more difficult as the 49ers attempted to stage a late game comeback while now trailing by two-scores. With Jones marching his team down the field again, a deep shot into the end zone intended for Jauan Jennings would be intercepted, spoiling a last-ditch effort by San Francisco. 

After rushing for a season-high 129 yards a week earlier, 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey who was coming off NFC Ground Player of the Week honors for his performance against the Atlanta Falcons, was held to just 25 yards rushing on 8 attempts and ended the first half with a career-low 8 yards. Equally as disappointing was San Francisco's defensive-line which failed to record a single sack on Sunday. With defensive-end Bryce Huff ruled out for the game with a hamstring injury and expected to miss a few weeks, the Niners' laundry-list of injuries showed its ill-effects more than ever in the loss. Poor tackling and an inability to force punts proved to be costly for defensive coordinator Robert Saleh who did what he could with the skeleton crew of players he had at his disposal. The 26-15 final would be Houston's first win over the 49ers since Week 7 of the 2009 season and only their second win against San Francisco in six tries. Finishing with 193 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception on the day, 49ers QB Mac Jones was bested by his Houston counterpart C.J. Stroud who threw for a season-high 318 yards and 2 touchdowns, with his only blemish being the one interception just before halftime. A week after failing to record a single reception, 49ers tight-end George Kittle got back on track with 4 receptions for 43 yards and a touchdown, trailing Jauan Jennings (4 receptions, 45 yards) and Kendrick Bourne (3 receptions, 44 yards) in receiving. 

Week 9 Preview: While the (5-3) 49ers are clearly head and shoulders above the rest of the league in the injury department, the (2-6) New York Giants have also had a rough go within the last few weeks as they watched two of their best players and two of the game's brightest young talents going down for the season due to injury in receiver Malik Nabers (knee) and running back Cam Skattebo (ankle, leg). Coupled with a young talented rookie quarterback in Jaxson Dart, the Giants appeared to be headed in the right direction before being snakebitten by the injury bug. But that won't stop the 25th overall pick in last April's Draft from attempting to pull off the upset at home over the visiting Niners when the two teams meet in Week 9. With the rest of the NFC Western Division on a Bye in Week 8, the 49ers lost ground in the division by falling to 5-3 on the year, as the Rams and Seahawks remain tied at 5-2. San Francisco will try to get back on track and keep pace against their division foes with a win on Sunday against a Giants team that has allowed 33+ points in back-to-back games and 26+ games in 3 of their last four. New York's defense also gave up 100+ rushing yards to not one but two Eagles running backs a week ago. San Francisco's tandem of Christian McCaffrey and Brian Robinson Jr. will attempt to repeat that feat on Sunday. 

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Niners Stifle Giants in Thursday Night Win

Week 3 - Entering the (2-0) San Francisco 49ers' home-opener on Thursday Night Football against the (1-1) New York Giants and in front of the Faithful at Levi's Stadium for the first time this season, the all-time head-to-head series between the two franchises stood at an even 17-17 in regular season meetings and 4-4 during the playoffs. Looking to tilt the series in their favor with a win to stay atop the NFC, the 49ers would also seek their first 3-0 start since 2019 when they got off to an 8-0 start on their way to a Super Bowl. Looking to also keep his perfect regular season record of 7-0 in tact would be Niners quarterback Brock Purdy who would be playing without one of his top targets in wide-receiver Brandon Aiyuk. The Giants would be without a playmaker of their own in running back Saquon Barkley who leading up to game day appeared to be in line to make a miracle recovery from an ankle sprain in time for kickoff, before New York head coach Brian Daboll elected to sit his healing star. Despite the absence of Aiyuk who took home NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors in Week 1 and is nursing a shoulder injury, Brock Purdy would make due with another pair of playmakers in Deebo Samuel and George Kittle, on his way to throwing for a career-high in passing yards. Helping step in for Aiyuk would be a rookie who would make his first career reception a memorable one. 

After both teams exchanged field goals to open the game, followed by a punt from both sides, the 49ers, donning their throwback uniforms, found the end zone first when Purdy connected with rookie receiver Ronnie Bell who's first career reception came in the end zone for a touchdown. Making his NFL-debut, the rookie out of Michigan displayed great awareness by sticking the landing and keeping both feet in bounds for the go-ahead score. One possession later, the San Francisco offense would be right back at it again, striking pay dirt on a 4-yard run up the gut from running back Christian McCaffrey who found the end zone for a 12th consecutive game (including playoffs). Coming off their first comeback win of 20-points or more since 1949 a week ago against Arizona, the Giants would not go down without a fight and stuck around for much of the game after a field goal just before the half made it a 17-6 game in favor of San Francisco. Making things even closer, New York struck first in the second half when a former Niner found the end zone. Filling in for the injured Saquon Barkley at running back was Matt Breida who spent his first three NFL seasons in a 49ers uniform and led the team in rushing in 2018. Throwing it back to his days at Levi's Stadium, Breida scored on an 8-yard carry to bring his team within 5-points after a failed 2-point conversion attempt. Unfortunately for Big Blue, it would be their one and only trip to the end zone on the night. 

Adding another pair of Jake Moody field goals to take a 23-12 lead, the 49ers added the final nail in the coffin when Brock Purdy launched a 27-yard strike into the end zone to Deebo Samuel. Any hopes of a second consecutive comeback attempt by Giants quarterback Daniel Jones was thwarted when a tipped pass ended up in the hands of San Francisco's Talanoa Hufanga for an interception and the game's only turnover. Pulling out the 30-12 victory and helping the 49ers improve to 3-0 on the year, QB Brock Purdy logged a much cleaner outing on Thursday Night Football after missing on a number of deep balls with a chance to put the game out of reach just a week earlier in L.A.. Logging a career-high 310 passing yards and 2 touchdowns through the air, Purdy found favorites in Deebo Samuel who caught 6 balls for 129 yards receiving and a touchdown, and tight-end George Kittle who hauled in a game-high 7 receptions for 90 yards. Meanwhile, the 49er defense held Giants quarterback Daniel Jones to only 137 yards thru the air and kept the New York offense as a whole to just 150 yards in total, compared to San Francisco's 441 yards of total offense. 

Week 4 Preview: The (3-0) San Francisco 49ers will continue their three-game homestand in Week 4 when they welcome in the division rival (1-2) Arizona Cardinals who despite their record, have been scrappy thus far having lost two games by a combined 7-points and are coming off one of the bigger upsets of the season thru the first three weeks over the Dallas Cowboys. What the Niners can ill-afford to do with their next opponent is overlook them as what might've been the case for the Cowboys who came into Arizona hot before being embarrassed in front of a pro-Dallas crowd despite being on the road. Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan knows better than to underestimate a division foe who they'll see twice this season, but Cardinals QB Joshua Dobbs who was acquired via trade just a month earlier, has the team playing inspiring football under first-year head coach Jonathan Gannon. Many believed that Arizona would be in full-blown tank mode in favor of Heisman-winning quarterback and consensus first overall pick Caleb Williams out of USC, however, these pesky Cardinals look very much alive so far and look like they could be last season's Detroit Lions in the sense that they surprised everyone by coming out of nowhere and quickly put the league on notice. 

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49ers Complete Sweep of New York with Big Win vs Giants

Week 3 - Next man up. That was the motto on Sunday when the 49ers continued their two-week long pilgrimage in East Rutherford, New Jersey, following the numerous injuries the team sustained thru the first two weeks of the season. After recording their first win of the season a week ago at MetLife Stadium against the Jets, Kyle Shanahan's 49ers team was right back at it in the same stadium in Week 3 against the Giants. Something many of Shanahan's players were concerned about after the team suffered multiple key injuries on both sides of the ball due to what many blamed on the newly-installed artificial turf. But after league officials deemed the field safe in the days leading up to the game, the Niners expressed their frustration out on the scoreboard with a good ole shellacking of their opponent. 

Playing on Sunday without starters at a laundry list of positions including: quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight-end, line-backer, cornerback and three defensive-linemen all due to injury, San Francisco was able to showcase their depth as the team received contributions from players all across the board, some for the first time this season. Case in point: rookie wide-out Brandon Aiyuk. Playing in only the second game of his career, the 2020 first-round pick out of Arizona State put a stamp on Sunday's game by hauling in a game-high five receptions for 70-yards. He would also add another 30-yards on the ground to go along with a rushing touchdown, the first of his career. Aiyuk was one of the many 49er players who helped make things easier for backup QB Nick Mullens who made his first start since 2018, getting the nod in place of the injured Jimmy Garoppolo. Mullens who was a hot commodity in the offseason as multiple teams inquired about his services in a possible trade, displayed exactly why coach Shanahan and GM John Lynch made the right decision in keeping him around in case of an emergency. Facing a subpar Giants team that is without their best player in running back Saquon Barkley and under a first-year head coach, the 49ers were still able to have their way despite their decimated roster as Mullens led the charge and took advantage of the opportunity by putting up solid numbers. 

After taking a 3-0 lead on their opening possession, the 49er defense was able to turn a Daniel Jones fumble into another Robbie Gould field goal before New York got on the board with a field goal of their own. Gould failed to give his team a six-point lead when his third field goal attempt was missed wide right, which opened the door for the Giants to tie the game at 6-all following another Graham Gano field goal. But the game wouldn't be close for long as the 49ers finally found the end zone thanks to Jerrick McKinnon's third touchdown in as many weeks for the first time in his career. An interception with just over a minute remaining in the first half by Fred Warner, would allow the 49ers to increase their lead to 16-6 heading into the locker room at halftime. Opening the second half with another Giants field goal, the 49er defense would put their foot down by pitching a shutout the rest of the way. Social distancing themselves from the Giants on the scoreboard, Aiyuk's touchdown on San Francisco's first possession of the second half made it a 23-9 ballgame. With tight-end Jordan Reed missing the entire second half after sustaining ankle and knee injuries in the early going, Mullens distributed the ball to ten different receivers, including fourth-string running back Jeff Wilson Jr. who followed up a turnover on downs forced by the 49er defense, with a 19-yard receiving touchdown to blow the game open, 29-9. 

Wilson Jr. would add to his busy day one possession later by tallying a rushing touchdown to his daily output as San Francisco increased their lead to 36-9. The final nail in the coffin would come in the form of a forced fumble on receiver Darius Slayton as the 49er defense added to their turnover total and held the Giants offense to their first game without a touchdown since Week 15 of the 2018 season. Coach Shanahan's 49ers team dominated the game in all facets, but perhaps none greater than in the time of possession category as the San Francisco offense controlled the tempo by nearly doubling New York's time of possession: 36:44 to 20:16. In fact, the Giant's 7:34 time of possession in the first half was their lowest in a half since 2000. Contributing to that major mismatch was the fact that the 49ers offense did not punt in the entire game for the first time since Week 16 of the 1993 season. By throwing for 343 yards, 1 touchdown and no interceptions in the dominant win, Nick Mullens tied a franchise record held by the great Joe Montana for tallying at least 220 yards passing in each of his nine career starts. Quite an impressive resume as Mullens entered the game having averaged 285 yards passing per game, a feat that puts him in elite company as only Patrick Mahomes, Andrew Luck and Cam Newton have averaged more through their first eight NFL starts. 

Week 4 Preview - Returning to the Bay Area from the east coast, the 49ers will attempt to log their first home win of the season when they host the Philadelphia Eagles (0-2-1) in front of an empty Levi's Stadium on Sunday Night Football. Coming off a 23-23 tie at home against the Cincinnati Bengals, the combination of quarterback Carson Wentz and head coach Doug Pederson will attempt to right the ship and shake off the funk as they seek their first win of the season in a lowly NFC Eastern Division. However, coach Shanahan has other plans as his team is expected to receive reinforcements on offense with the return of tight-end George Kittle, running back Raheem Mostert and receiver Deebo Samuel. A welcoming sight for whoever is at the quarterback position come Sunday, whether that's Nick Mullens or Jimmy Garoppolo. Keeping pace in the NFC West, the 49ers were able to follow up their Week 1 loss with consecutive wins to improve to 2-1 on the year, while also receiving some help in the division as both the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams suffered their first losses of the season to also fall to 2-1. Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks sit atop the division as one of only three unbeaten teams in the NFC thru the first three weeks of the season. 

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Nick at Night, 9ers roll Raiders in Battle of the Bay

Week 9 - Returning home to host the Oakland Raiders (1-6) with bragging rights on the line in what's likely to be the last installment of the Battle of the Bay before the silver and black pack their bags and relocate to Las Vegas in 2020, Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers (1-7) liked their chances of pulling out the rare win and ending their six-game losing-skid on Thursday night. But a game-time decision at the quarterback position would force coach Shanahan to start his third-string quarterback who had never stepped onto an NFL field outside of the preseason. With C.J. Beathard nursing an injured wrist, waiting in the wings would be Nick Mullens who would get the starting nod to make his NFL debut about an hour before kickoff. With little known about Mullens and very few giving him a chance coming into the game, the undrafted QB in his second-year out of Southern Mississippi would be the talk of the town by games end.

Following an opening-drive field goal by the Raiders, Mullens would answer back with a perfect drive on San Francisco's first possession by going 3-for-3 thru the air and capping things off with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Pierre Garcon who had returned to action after missing last week's game with a knee injury. In his second year with the team, the touchdown reception would be Garcon's first in a Niners uniform after being dangled on the trading block before the NFL trade deadline just two days earlier. But things wouldn't end there for Mullens who's spectacular night would just be getting started as he orchestrated yet another impressive drive on San Francisco's second possession. Facing third & goal from the 4-yard line, Mullens remained calm before throwing a strike to Kendrick Bourne in the end zone. The 49ers nearly struck for a third touchdown just before the half, but a drop by rookie receiver Richie James Jr. who hauled in a 53-yard reception just three-plays earlier, forced them to settle for a field goal. By halftime, Mullens had already hit eight different receivers in the passing game and the Niners had jumped out to a 17-3 lead.

Having made a bad habit out of blowing second half leads in games this season against the Chargers, Packers and Cardinals, Mullens and company would refuse to take their foot off the gas pedal in this one as they showed no mercy on each of their first two possessions of the third quarter. George Kittle who's been one of if not the best tight-end in the league this year, flexed his muscles yet again by hauling in four catches for 108-yards on Thursday, none bigger than the one-handed grab he snagged and took 71-yards before being brought down. Mullens would reward him for his efforts just two-plays later with an easy touchdown. The Niners' scoring barrage would get its biggest touchdown of the night one-drive later as running back Raheem Mostert used a down-field block from 2018 first-round pick Mike McGlinchey to his advantage for a 52-yard touchdown, putting a dagger in the heart of a Raiders run defense that ranks last in the league and was coming off a BYE. Mostert would lead all rushers with 86-yards on just 7 carries, but would unfortunately suffer a gruesome arm injury that would end his season. All the Raiders would have to show for in the second half was a missed field goal attempt that would clink off the right upright as the Niners stormed away with a 34-3 victory.

With the win, San Francisco snaps its six-game losing-streak and improves to 2-7 on the year. Meanwhile, the team across the bay who in their first season (again) under head coach Jon Gruden, falls to 1-7 on the season, their third worst start in franchise history thru their first 8 games. Raiders quarterback David Carr who was sacked a total of seven times on Thursday, was held to only 171-yards passing on 16-of-21 attempts. As for Nick Mullens, the Southern Mississippi kid who wears his No. 4 jersey in honor of fellow Southern Miss. alum Brett Favre and who's school records he broke for both career passing yards and career passing touchdowns, the new kid on the block threw for 262-yards and three touchdowns on 16-of-22 pass attempts. Mullens would one-up his idol once more by logging a 151.9 passer rating in his first career start compared to the 144.6 rating put up in Favre's debut. Mullens' passer rating would be the highest in an NFL debut since 1990 with a minimum of 20 pass attempts and would earn him a phone call from the man himself as Favre called and congratulated Mullens following the game for his performance and first career victory.

Week 10 Preview - Playing host to the lowly New York Giants (1-7) on Monday Night Football before heading into their Week 11 BYE, the 49ers could very well be riding a two-game winning-streak when we see them again in Week 12. The lone team the Niners were able to beat a season ago with somebody not named Garoppolo under center, San Francisco will likely make it back-to-back victories against the G-Men. However, the Giants will be coming off a BYE and are likely to unleash rookie sensation Saquon Barkley who will have fresh legs and will look to make the Niners' win-streak a short-lived one. And again we might not know until kickoff who coach Shanahan elects to go with at the QB position as he refused to commit to Mullens even after he became the first Niners QB to throw for 250+ yards with at least 3 TD's and no interceptions since Colin Kaepernick did it in Week 6 of 2014. Not to mention Beathard's only career victory came against these Giants a year ago. While I'd like to think Mullens earned the right to start for a second consecutive game, I expect the Niners to pull off their second straight win regardless of who's at the helm come Monday.


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49ers Taste Victory in Emotional Win over Giants

Week 10 - For the first time in 2017, the San Francisco 49ers are in the win column. Though it would take them much longer than they had hoped, the Niners were able to claim their first victory of the season and first win under the John Lynch-Kyle Shanahan regime against a struggling (1-7) New York Giants team. In an emotional game that featured two teams with the fewest amount of wins this late in a season since 1984, the 49ers would ride a season-high in rushing yards (186) on their way to a 31-21 victory. Despite liking their chances of getting win No. 1 of the season entering Sunday's game, San Francisco would still be 3-point underdogs against a team that had been embarrassed at home by a score of 51-17 one week earlier.

With both teams scoring field goals on their opening possessions, the game would quickly jump out to a 3-3 score as the 49ers benefited from a penalty on New York's special-teams which gave San Francisco the ball at their 40-yard line after the opening kickoff failed to reach the end zone and rolled out of bounds. A 28-yard rush by running back Carlos Hyde on the first play from scrimmage and an extra 15-yards tacked on thanks to an unnecessary roughness penalty called on New York would set the table for kicker Robbie Gould before being answered by Giants rookie kicker Aldrick Rosas. San Francisco's second possession appeared to be heading in the same direction before being halted on a failed 4th and 1 attempt at New York's 36-yard line. After another Giants field goal, both teams would exchange fumbles as another promising 49er drive went up in flames as fullback Kyle Juszczyk fumbled the ball away for the second consecutive week. But the San Francisco defense would respond just three plays later with a forced fumble of their own as second-year defensive-end Ronald Blair's first of two sacks on Giants QB Eli Manning jarred the ball loose, forcing the turnover.

The biggest story of the day for the 49ers, however, would be that of receiver Marquise Goodwin who had received the unfortunate news that he and his wife had lost their unborn child due to pregnancy complications just hours before kickoff. Courageous enough to still hit the field and play on Sunday, albeit with a heavy heart, Goodwin would show up in a big way for his team as he hauled in his first touchdown reception as a 49er on an 83-yard bomb from rookie QB C.J. Beathard. Though it would be his only reception of the game, it would mark the longest pass reception by a 49er since 2005 as Goodwin used his speed coupled with a stiff-arm to break free of the defender as he struck pay dirt before being overcome with emotion as he dropped to his knees and blew a kiss to the sky. Making his 208th consecutive start, Eli Manning would be quick to respond to his 49er counterpart as he connected in the end zone with tight-end Evan Engram. Entering Sunday, San Francisco had led in games for a league-low 29 minutes and 37 seconds before leading in much of this one as Beathard would help the 49ers jump back ahead on their ensuing possession with a lead that they wouldn't relinquish for the remainder of the afternoon as he found tight-end Garrett Celek for a 47-yard touchdown to give SF a 17-13 lead heading into the half. It would also mark the first time the 49ers would lead heading into halftime this year.

New York would open the second half by marching into field goal range before things went sour after Rosas missed a field goal from 34-yards out. But another 49er turnover would once again put an end to an otherwise nice possession as Beathard was picked off by Olivier Vernon who disrupted a screen pass intended for Matt Breida before tipping it to himself for the interception. It would be the only blemish on the day for Beathard who finally received some protection from his offensive-line as the rookie QB was sack-free all afternoon long, this after taking an absolute beating against the Cardinals a week ago. And on the first play of the fourth quarter, Beathard would rebound from his earlier mishap with an 11-yard touchdown run to make it a 24-13 ballgame for San Francisco's first double-digit lead of the season. That lead would increase one possession later as Breida logged the first rushing touchdown of his career with a 33-yard score to give the Niners a 31-13 advantage. With scoring being a non-factor for the offense on Sunday, San Francisco's punting unit wouldn't be called upon until the 5:46 mark in the 4th quarter.

With the game all but decided, the Giants would get a garbage time touchdown from Manning to receiver Roger Lewis as well as a successful 2-point conversion with just over a minute remaining. But New York's onside-kick attempt would be recovered by the Niners who were able to get into victory formation and milk the clock for the 31-21 win. The victory at home would be San Francisco's first win at Levi's Stadium since their Week 1 shellacking of the Rams over a year ago on Monday Night Football and one that would result in a Gatorade bath inside the 49ers locker room for head coach Kyle Shanahan who was congratulated by his players. Game balls would be given out following the celebration as GM John Lynch personally handed a ball to Goodwin for his courageous efforts and heroics in spite of the family tragedy.

After a career-high in pass attempts (51) in his last outing, quarterback C.J. Beathard (19 for 25) would out-duel Eli Manning (28 for 37) 288 to 273 in the yards department as both QB's threw for a pair of touchdowns and finished with one turnover each. Giants receiver Sterling Shepard would finish with a game-high 142 yards receiving and 11 receptions and Carlos Hyde would lead all backs on the ground, falling two yards shy of the century mark with 98 yards rushing on 17 carries. On the defensive side, 49ers rookie linebacker Reuben Foster tallied double-digit tackles for the second consecutive week with 10 (6 solo, 4 assisted) to lead all tacklers. As for the Giants who dropped to 1-8 on the season for the first time since 1980, New York has now gone 13 games without scoring at least 24-points, the longest active streak in the NFL. The loss also adds some warmth to head coach Ben McAdoo's hot seat as his status to return next season remains up in the air following the Giants' dreadful 1-8 start.

Week 12 Preview - With the 49ers heading into the BYE on a winning note, Kyle Shanahan will look to get his guys mentally and physically ready for their next opponent as the Niners play host to division rival Seattle in Week 12. Since San Francisco's 3-point loss to Seattle in Week 2, the (6-3) Seahawks are looking much better than the team that barely escaped Century Link Field with a win in the first meeting between these two bitter rivals. But after suffering a loss at home just two weeks ago to the Washington Redskins, the Seahawks are still very beatable if the Niners can stick around at home much like they did in their first meeting while applying pressure to QB Russell Wilson. Carlos Hyde will look to add another busy day against the Seahawks defense as his 124-yard performance on the ground in Week 2 remains the only 100-yard performance for the 49er running back this season. Hosting the reigning NFC Champion Atlanta Falcons this week, Seattle currently trails the (7-2) L.A. Rams by a game in the NFC Western Division standings.


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Tempers Flare in 49ers Loss to Cards

Week 9 - Returning home to Levi's Stadium for the first leg of a three game homestand, the 49ers would renew rivalries with division foe (3-4) Arizona. Looking to both take advantage of the absence of Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer who's been placed on injured reserve with a broken arm and avenge a 3-point overtime loss suffered the last time these two teams met in Week 4, the San Francisco defense would have their hands full with running back Adrian Peterson who the 49ers have had a good history against in the 4 games they've faced him. But seeing Peterson for the first time in a Cardinals uniform, however, the former league MVP who tallied 27 carries in four games with the Saints before being traded to Arizona, would record a career-high 37 carries for 159 yards on Sunday. And while the San Francisco defense was able to keep Peterson out of the end zone once again, leaving him searching for his first career touchdown versus the Niners, they weren't able to make that claim against the Cardinals' passing attack.

Facing their third opponent coming off a BYE in four weeks, it would be a frustrating day all around for San Francisco as the offense generated only a single touchdown for the third consecutive game. Meanwhile, the defense would fail to log a single sack for the fourth time this season as Cardinals backup QB Drew Stanton threw for 201 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the afternoon while completing half of his passes (15 for 30) and under minimum pressure from San Francisco's defense. Stanton and the Arizona offense would come out of the gates firing as the former Michigan State product connected on a 52-yard pass to receiver John Brown on the first play from scrimmage. Though it would be the only reception on the day for Brown, it would appear to be enough to at least set up a field goal try for the 42 year old Phil Dawson who had spent the last four seasons as a reliable kicker with the 49ers before signing with Arizona in the offseason. But having struggled mightily thus far in a Cardinals uniform despite now playing his home games indoors, Dawson who missed six field goals combined over the last two seasons with San Francisco, would miss his sixth field goal already this season as the game remained scoreless.

Like they've done so often this season, self-inflicted miscues would harm the 49ers and benefit the opposition once again. A fumbled carry near midfield by fullback Kyle Juszczyk on San Francisco's first possession of the game would help setup the Arizona offense who would strike first just three plays later on a touchdown pass to receiver Jaron Brown. Stanton would later connect with tight-end Jermaine Gresham for a second Arizona touchdown and nearly threw for a third before being picked off in the end zone by linebacker Eric Reid who had made the transition from the safety position just a week ago. Trailing 14-3 entering the second half, San Francisco's one and only trip to the end zone on Sunday would come on a 14-play drive that rookie quarterback C.J. Beathard capitalized with a 1-yard rushing touchdown to make it a 14-10 ballgame. Inspired by Stanton's 52-yard pass on the first play of the game, Beathard would show off his own arm strength with a 55-yard bomb to Marquise Goodwin as the speedy receiver used his Olympic speed to blow by both Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu for the big gain. But the highlights and lowlights for San Francisco would be few and far between as Beathard received little support from his offensive-line and was constantly under pressure all afternoon long.

After failing to pick up a first down on 4th and 3 near midfield, the 49ers would get another chance after forcing a fumble on Adrian Peterson the very next play. But the 9-yard line would be as far as the offense would get as Beathard threw an absolute clunker off his own man's helmet as the pass intended for Garrett Celek failed to make it over the head of his 6' 8" guard Trent Brown, allowing Arizona's Karlos Dansby to come up with the easy interception, sealing the 20-10 win. With his family in attendance watching from the stands, the boneheaded turnover would be the cherry on top of a miserable day for Beathard who received a beating under center to the tune of 5 sacks and 16 quarterback hits. Perhaps none harder than the lick he took from former 49er Antoine Bethea who was flagged for unnecessary roughness on a hit he made while Beathard was sliding. The hit would lead to a scuffle that resulted in three players being ejected including Niners running back Carlos Hyde, but not before he hauled in 9 receptions for 84-yards, both career-highs. The shellacking endured by Beathard who threw for 294 yards in the loss, would draw the attention of Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians who described the rookie QB as, "tough as nails."

Following their first 0-8 start in franchise history a week ago, the 49ers have now dropped to 0-9 on the season as Arizona completed their third straight season sweep of their division rivals. The game wouldn't be the only thing the 49ers would lose as strong-safety Jaquiski Tartt was injured during the 2nd quarter and lost for the season after suffering a fractured arm, the same injury free-safety Jimmie Ward would suffer a week ago. San Francisco has had terrible luck in the injury department this year season and now has an NFL-leading 16 players on Injured Reserve. However, there would be some good news on Sunday as rookie linebacker Reuben Foster who has had his fair share of injuries this season not only completed the first full game of his career, but racked up a game-high 14 tackles in doing so, 13 solo and 1 assisted.

Week 10 Preview - Before heading into their Week 11 BYE, San Francisco will play host to Eli Manning and the struggling (1-7) New York Giants. Coming off a 51-17 shellacking at home to the L.A. Rams, the Giants have been one of the biggest disappointments of 2017 and their struggles are something nobody saw coming as New York entered the season expected to cause fits for the Cowboys and at least pose a threat in the NFC East. Instead, the Giants have gotten off to a sluggish start that has not only begged the question of whether or not head coach Ben McAdoo isn't the man for the job, but also if it's time to move on from longtime quarterback Eli Manning. Sure they're without their star receiver in Odell Beckham Jr. who was lost for the season after fracturing his ankle, but the 2017 Giants have been a far cry from their 2016 self after making it to the playoffs as a Wild Card team via a 11-5 record just a season ago. Averaging just 16.1 points per game (29th in the league) compared to San Francisco's 15.9 (30th), the Giants trail the 49ers in all three of the following categories: total yards per game, passing yards per game, and rushing yards per game. At this point, their meeting with the Giants this week appears to be their best chance at recording a win this season. And what better way for head coach Kyle Shanahan to head into the BYE week with than after a win.


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49ers Collapse late in Loss to Giants

Week 5 - Entering Sunday's meeting between the San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants who hosted on Sunday Night Football, the match-up featured two teams going in complete opposite directions as the Niners have fallen into last place in the division with three straight losses, meanwhile the Giants have won their last two after opening the season 0-2. With a combined 10-points scored over the last two games for the visiting 49ers, scoring wouldn't be a problem for coach Jim Tomsula's team in this one, but rather their inability to sack the quarterback and keep the opposing team from scoring. While it was the defense that kept San Francisco in the game just a week ago versus Green Bay, on Sunday night it would be their demise as the defense cost them the game.

Much of the chatter over the past few weeks regarding the 49ers was about their quarterback Colin Kaepernick and whether or not it was time to pull the plug on the QB that led them to a Super Bowl just three seasons ago. But with a solid performance on Sunday, Kaepernick was able to silence the naysayers for the time being. With a first half filled with field goals, the Giants went into the locker room holding a 13-6 lead, an advantage that would've been more had it not been for a Tremaine Brock interception in the end zone that kept New York from adding to their lead just before the half. San Francisco would finally score their first touchdown in eight quarters to start the second half as Anquan Boldin capped off an 88-yard drive with a touchdown reception from 3-yards out, tying the game and igniting a back and forth scoring frenzy between the two teams. Giants star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. helped New York answer as Eli Manning escaped a sack by dumping a pass off to his favorite target who sprinted through the middle and along the sideline for a 17-yard score. It would be the last of Beckham Jr.'s receptions on the night as he spent nearly the entire fourth quarter on the sideline with an ailing hamstring.

Then came a pair of impressive fourth quarter scoring-drives by the San Francisco offense which marched 80-yards on back to back possessions. The first of which ending in a touchdown pass to tight-end Garrett Celek who filling in for the injured Vernon Davis, shook off a defender with a nice juke move to separate himself for the wide-open pass. Seeking their first lead of the game with under five minutes in regulation, Kaepernick connected thru the air on back to back passes to Boldin and Torrey Smith for gains of 25 and 26 yards before running back Carlos Hyde added the finishing touch with a 2-yard touchdown run as the 49ers pulled ahead. Unfortunately, the 1 minute and 45 seconds San Francisco left on the clock would prove to be too much time as Eli Manning came through in the clutch once again, pulling off yet another game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter. The 2-time Super Bowl MVP capped off a career-best 41 completions on the night with his last pass being a game-winner between two 49er defenders as Manning hooked up with tight-end Larry Donnell in the back of the endzone with 26 seconds remaining to escape the Giants from the jaws of defeat and rob the Niners of their first road victory of the season. With the 30-27 win, Eli Manning threw for 441 yards and a trio of TD passes all while becoming the winningest QB in Giants franchise history by notching career win No. 102. Kaepernick logged two touchdown passes of his own while passing for 262 yards, 107 of which going to Anquan Boldin. RB Carlos Hyde added 93 yards on the ground and a touchdown in the loss.

Week 6 Preview - The 49ers return home to Levi's Stadium in hopes of claiming their first win since Week 1 when they face another 1-4 team desperate for a victory -- the Baltimore Ravens. The Week 6 meeting will mark the first game between the two teams since they met at Super Bowl XLVII three seasons ago, a 34-31 defeat for the Niners. Unless you know your history, it might be hard to believe that these two teams are three seasons removed from meeting in the Super Bowl considering their recent struggles. A number of faces have also changed for each team as receivers Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith now call San Francisco home after winning a championship ring in Baltimore. However, the duo will now be trying to defeat the team they once played for as the 49ers attempt to get off the schneide and back into the win column before a divisional match-up with rival Seattle. With tight-end Vernon Davis sitting out the last two games while nursing a knee injury, the Niners are expecting to have the Pro Bowler back on the field Sunday which serves as good news for an offense hoping to register another impressive performance, only this time with a victory.


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Niners lose third straight, Fall to Pack

Week 4 - Heading into Sunday's meeting against the visiting Green Bay Packers (3-0), we knew it wouldn't be an easy task, but neither could we have predicted an offensive struggle like the one that would unfold at Levi's Stadium. Since taking over the starting quarterback position in San Francisco, QB Colin Kaepernick has made a living off of torturing the team he grew up rooting for, having built an undefeated record of 3-0 and averaging 401 total yards per game versus Green Bay. In this one, however, Kap would be a shadow of his former self as a lack of protection coupled with a number of bad passes would eventually bring out the boo-birds before the game ended as frustration was felt throughout.

The Niner defense would have themselves a fine afternoon overall, but they would shoot themselves in the foot early on as a would be three and out turned into 7-points after an illegal contact call on linebacker Michael Wilhoite. Reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers was sacked on the play that would've led to a punt. Instead, the penalty would breathe life into the Green Bay offense as Rodgers and company marched down the field before striking paydirt on a bullet to tight-end Richard Rodgers. It would be Rodgers' 11th touchdown to start the season without a pick, the third-longest streak in NFL history as Green Bay increased their active-streak to 19 consecutive games with a first quarter touchdown. As for San Francisco's first drive on offense, the Niners would be robbed of not one but two missed penalties on nose tackle B.J. Raji, the first being a blown call on a facemasking and another on the very next play on an obvious off-sides call that the officials instead ruled a false start call on Kaepernick. Under constant pressure, Kaepernick would get little help on San Francisco's second drive as tight-end Vance McDonald failed to come up with a wide-open catch that would've led to a big gain and first down.

After finally putting a promising drive together, the Niner offense would go up in flames on a trip to the red zone before the half. A short tap from Kap to receiver Quinton Patton would result in a 40-yard gain, one of few big plays on the afternoon for the San Francisco offense. Staring down a chance to tie the game, Kaepernick would fall victim to back to back sacks, pushing the Niners back as they would have to settle for a Phil Dawson field goal. A solid first half performance by the Niner D would be capped off by a 9-yard sack from linebacker Ahmad Brooks with seconds to go in the second quarter. Hoping to put up some late points and add to their lead heading into the looker room at the half, Green Bay's Mason Crosby would shank a 44-yard field goal attempt wide-left, keeping it a 7-3 ballgame and leaving the Niners within striking distance. The Packers would manage to get those points and then some in the second half, as they cashed in on their first drive of the third quarter. Facing a third and long, a perfectly placed ball by Rodgers along the visiting sideline to receiver James Jones resulted in a 38-yard pickup, setting up a touchdown run from fullback John Kuhn three plays later. 

With running back Carlos Hyde virtually a non-factor with only 20 yards rushing on 8 attempts, Kaepernick was forced to play catch up thru the air, something he struggled mightily at as he was picked off on a deep pass attempt along the sideline to Anquan Boldin. Green Bay would fail to do anything with it, but by then, time was beginning to run out fast for San Francisco. With just under 5 minutes remaining, Kaepernick and co. was given one final chance to inch closer and make a game out of it. And after finding Torrey Smith down field for a 47-yard gain, things began looking good. But once again, the Niner offense would fizzle out in the red zone as a pair of incompletions and a sack resulted in a turnover on downs. On a day Kaepernick was sacked six times on the afternoon, the 49ers QB managed only 160 yards thru the air as the Niners fell for the third consecutive week, all losses coming by double-digits. With the Packers making their first ever trip to Levi's Stadium, a site they hope to revisit later this year as it'll host the Super Bowl, Rodgers threw for 224 yards and a score, beating his boyhood team for the first time in his last five tries. Green Bay made themselves feel right at home and were welcomed by the many cheese heads in attendance who watched their team come away with the 17-3 victory. LB Aaron Lynch was one of the few bright spots for the 49ers, totaling 4 tackles, including 2 sacks in the loss.

Week 5 Preview - The (1-3) Niners will look to get back into the win column in Week 5 as they take a trip across the country to face Eli Manning and the (2-2) New York Giants. Coming off an upset victory on the road over the Buffalo Bills, the Giants have won consecutive games after falling in their first two and are tied with the Dallas Cowboys for first in the NFC East. With the San Francisco secondary being torched already twice this season by shifty receivers in Pittsburgh's Antonio Brown and Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald, the Niner D will have to keep a close eye on second-year receiver Odell Beckham Jr. if they want to keep the New York offense at bey. With Giants QB Eli Manning playing some nice ball as of late, the Niner defense will have to apply the same kind of pressure they did on Sunday that took Rodgers out of his comfort zone. More importantly, they'll have to wake up on offense if they plan to hand Big Blue a loss as San Francisco has scored a measly 10-points combined in their past two games.

Trade News - Needing all the help they can get, the 49ers went out and acquired linebacker Gerald Hodges during the week from the Minnesota Vikings. In return, SF sent C Nick Easton and an undisclosed draft pick to Minnesota in return for the former fourth round pick (120th overall) in the 2013 NFL Draft out of Penn State. 


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49ers Stand Strong in New York, Hold off Giants

The San Francisco 49ers' performance versus the New York Giants on Sunday was by no means up to par with that of a playoff team, but it was the latest must-win game that ended positively for Jim Harbaugh's club. While the offense stunk it up, it was the defense that was forced to bail the team out of the jaws of defeat yet again. By looking at the stat sheet, one would assume that the 49ers ran away with the victory but had it not been for a late interception, they wouldn't have sneaked their way past the struggling Giants on the road.

Out of the gate Colin Kaepernick and the 49er offense put together what appeared to be a promising opening-drive, but running back Frank Gore would lose his first fumble of the season when his feet got tangled up with a teammates after the hand-off. Eli Manning and the Giants would take advantage of the early miscue by marching down the field and scoring their first opening-drive touchdown in 20 games. San Francisco would answer with a trio of first half field goals by Phil Dawson to take a 9-7 lead into the half. The story heading into the game defensively was all about the return of Aldon Smith who after serving a nine-game suspension, made his season-debut. But it would be the rookie linebacker Chris Borland who would steal the show for San Francisco's defense which forced Eli Manning to throw five interceptions, tying a career-high.

With the takeaway battle in their favor: 5 to 1 and a stranglehold in the time of possession department with nearly 35 minutes compared to New York's 25 minutes, the 49er offense was only able to muster 16-points across the board. San Francisco's lone big play on offense would come in the third quarter when Kaepernick connected up the middle on a slant route to Michael Crabtree who turned on the jets and broke away from a number of defenders before stiff-arming himself free and into the end zone for the 48-yard score. The Giants would answer with a field goal before recovering the ensuing onside-kick, but three interceptions and two turnover on downs the final quarter and a half would spell doom for any chance New York had at pulling off the comeback. The fifth and final interception by Manning would come on a crucial goal-line stand by the 49er defense.

With four chances to punch in the go-ahead touchdown from the 4-yard line, the San Francisco D held their ground and forced a tipped pass up into the air on fourth down as rookie Chris Borland who had recorded his first career interception in the second quarter, came down with his second pick of the ballgame to seal the victory, 16-10. With the victory, the 49ers won their second game in a row, both of which on the road to advance to 6-4 on the year. Meanwhile, the Giants fell to 3-7 while dropping their fifth straight as they free fall in the NFC Eastern Division. Colin Kaepernick logged a turnover-free performance by throwing for 193 yards and a touchdown on 15 of 29 pass attempts compared to Eli Manning's error-filled day in which he tossed 280 yards and a touchdown on 22 of 45 passes. Niners running back Frank Gore came just 5 yards shy of tallying his third 100 yard performance of the year but all in all had a productive game outside of the early fumble.

Week 12 Preview: Following their successful 2-game road trip, the 49ers get set to return home to Levi's Field where they'll host Robert Griffin III and the 3-7 Washington Redskins. After his stellar rookie season which saw him take home NFL Rookie of the Year honors, it's hard to believe it's been over a calender year since 'Skins QB RGIII was at the helm of a victory for Washington who is 1-8 in their last 9 games started by Griffin. And given his recent struggles coupled with three consecutive strong performances by the San Francisco defense, Week 12 might not be the best of match-ups for the former Heisman Trophy winner. But more importantly for the 49ers, the team needs a bounce back performance from the offense which was unable to take advantage of a mediocre Giants defense that ranks near the bottom in every major statistical category and other than an explosive first half in New Orleans two weeks ago, has looked rather flat since coming out of their BYE Week.


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Week 6: 49ers go M.I.A. in loss to Giants

After back-to-back blowout victories over the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills in which the 49ers outscored their opponents 79-3, the 49ers had the tables turned on them Sunday in a rematch of last season's NFC Championship. Expected to be a hard fought battle between NFC heavyweights, Sunday's 49ers-Giants game was anything but. Used to being on the giving end of shellackings, Jim Harbaugh's squad was on the receiving end as his team followed up a record-setting, 600+ yard performance against the Bills just a week ago with one of their weakest offensive outings yet, translating to the team's worst loss under the second-year head coach.

Equally as bad as San Francisco's offense which saw QB Alex Smith throw for 3-interceptions and the running back tandem of Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter combine for only 62-yards rushing, was the 49ers defense. Allowing a 100-yard rusher or a rushing touchdown has become a rarity for the 49ers defense, but on Sunday they'd allow both as Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw ran for 116 yards to go along with his rushing touchdown. The combination of New York's rushing attack and stellar defense which has been unseen prior to Sunday would be enough for the Giants who improved to 4-2 on the year despite needing little production from Eli Manning who played a turnover-free ballgame, throwing for 193 yards and a touchdown. Completing the trifecta was the 49ers poor play in the special teams department which allowed two kick returns of over 40 yards including a 66-yard run back which set up an easy Giants touchdown to begin the second half. 

An early missed field goal by the 49ers veteran kicker David Akers who's been nothing short of brilliant since putting on a 49ers uniform last season would be a sign of bad things to come. Missing wide right on a 43-yard attempt on the 49ers' opening possession, Akers would split the uprights from 42-yards out on his second try in the first quarter to give San Francisco an early 3-0 lead before later missing his second field goal on the day before halftime, a 52-yard attempt, swaying wide left. That would be the only scoring the 49ers would get as the offensive opportunities were cut short thanks to 3-interceptions, 2 of which to Giants safety Antrel Rolle as Alex Smith threw into traffic, something we haven't seen a lot from him since Harbaugh's arrival. Though we're used to seeing Eli Manning work his magic in the passing game by picking apart defenses, the 2-time Super Bowl MVP simply didn't have to as his running back Bradshaw bullied a usually stout defense in New York's 26-3 win. 

The smack talk which took place earlier in the week between Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride and 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh added hype and ended up being more entertaining than the game itself. Gilbride took shots at 49ers Pro-Bowl defensive-end Justin Smith, saying he "gets away with murder" holding linemen. Harbaugh fired back with some choice words of his own saying Gilbride's comments were "outrageous" and were made to "criticize and influence officiating." Unfortunately Harbaugh's response was better than the way his team played on Sunday.

Preview & Prediction: The 49ers will have little time to recuperate and lick their wounds as they have a Thursday night meeting versus the division-rival Seattle Seahawks in Week 7 with first place on the line. With both teams atop the NFC West standings at 4-2, the team with the number one ranked defense last season will be met by the team with the number one ranked defense so far this season. Last year it was the 49ers who quickly became known for having the most feared defense in the NFL. That label has since been handed down to their division foe as Seattle hopes to silent the naysayers with a win on the road. Coming off a comeback win over Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, rookie quarterback Russell Wilson will look to face off against the 49ers for the first time. However, I think running back Marshawn Lynch will be the one who the 49ers have close tabs on. Expect a low-scoring affair with the 49ers coming out on top in a close one, 20-17.


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Week 5: 49ers win another blowout, Bully Bills 45-3

After a dominant shutout victory on the road last week versus the New York Jets, the 49ers would duplicate their blowout performance on Sunday at home in a much cleaner fashion with a record-setting performance from the San Francisco offense. Hosting the Buffalo Bills, Alex Smith and company would string together arguably the best overall performance on offense in 49ers franchise history. Despite the 49ers' rich history, Sunday marked the first time ever that the team compiled over 600-yards of offense, finishing with a franchise-record 621 total yards, something that even all-time greats Joe Montana and Steve Young were unable to accomplish. San Francisco's offensive onslaught was also the most yards ever allowed by a Buffalo Bills team, surpassing the previous total of 598-yards which was also against the 49ers in 1992 and just so happened to be their largest amount prior to Sunday. 

Sunday's game was a game of firsts as 49ers QB Alex Smith threw for a career-high 237-yards in the first half before finishing with 303-yards on the day. Smith, Frank Gore, Kendall Hunter, Colin Kaepernick, Anthony Dixon, Bruce Miller and Kyle Williams all contributed in the run game to total 311 yards rushing, making this the first 49ers team ever with 300 yards passing and 300 yards rushing. While Frank Gore led the way with 106-yards on the ground, both Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis eclipsed the century mark through the air with over 100 yards receiving. Crabtree, Kyle Williams and Mario Manningham all caught touchdown passes from Smith, with Gore, Dixon and Kaepernick all scoring on runs, including Kaepernick's second touchdown run in as many weeks. 

The game wouldn't all be about offense, however, as the 49ers defense stepped up and did its part by forcing two turnovers including one fumble and one interception. Meanwhile, San Francisco's only blemish came on a Colin Kaepernick fumble during the first half. Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick who coming into the game led the league in touchdowns with 12, was unable to get anything going against the stingy 49ers D which held the Harvard alum to only 126 yards through the air and no touchdowns. Buffalo's run game which has also been among the league's best was also kept quiet as C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson combined for only 53-yards rushing. The rest of the game would be smooth sailing as Buffalo's lone field goal came in the second quarter which at the time tied the game at three. After striking first in the first quarter with a David Akers field goal, the 49ers never looked back, scoring 42-unanswered points before going on to win, 45-3 and improving to 4-1 on the year. 

Preview & Prediction: Week 6 will see the 49ers get set to face off against the defending Super Bowl Champion New York Giants in a rematch of last year's NFC title game. Tied for first place in the NFC East, the 3-2 Giants are coming off a 41-27 triumph at home against the Cleveland Browns. With Eli Manning under center for the G-Men and playing just as well as anybody, at first glance I'd expect this game to come down to the wire just like it did the last two times these teams met. But coach Harbaugh who is saying Alex Smith's sprained finger on his non throwing-arm is "very much a concern" can make this game a lot more interesting if he chooses to give backup QB Colin Kaepernick more snaps than usual. Regardless of what coach Harbaugh does at quarterback, I still like the 49ers at home coming off of back-to-back blowout wins and expect them to improve to 5-1 on the year with a 24-20 victory. 

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Super Bowl XLVI, A Clash of Familiar Foes.

With the Conference Championships officially in the books, the table is now set for Super Bowl 42 and will feature two cities and teams who are quite familiar with one another both on and off the main stage. Though the rivalry between Boston and New York sports has been well documented over the years mainly through the rich history of arguably sports' most heated rivalry --Yankees-Red Sox, in 2008, the New York Giants and New England Patriots added another chapter to the rivalry, this time in the form of football. With the Patriots only one win away from being enshrined into football immortality, attempting to become the first NFL team to win the Super Bowl with a perfect season since the '72 Miami Dolphins and the first team in NFL history to do so since the adoption of a 16-game regular season schedule in 1978, there was only one team standing in their way -- the New York Giants. Despite being 12-point underdogs, the Giants pulled off the biggest upset in Super Bowl history with the help of some late-game heroics by Eli Manning, defeating New England, 17-14.

And while the storylines differ from those in 2008, both teams are in many ways the same teams they were then with the lone exception of New England's defense which is no longer the formidable force they once were. After becoming only the third team to finish the regular season 9-7 and reach the Super Bowl, the Giants will try to distance themselves from the other two teams who've achieved that feat ('79 Rams and '08 Cardinals both of whom lost) by becoming the first to win it. Giants quarterback Eli Manning who will match older brother Peyton Manning this Sunday with two Super Bowl appearances, will have a chance to surpass his brother in Lombardi Trophies with a win. Coincidentally, the game will be taking place in Lucas Oil Stadium, the same stadium Peyton's Indianapolis Colts call home and will be against Peyton's arch-rival Tom Brady.

Meanwhile, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady who's coming off one of his worst games in recent memory, will tie the great John Elway for the most Super Bowl appearances with five, and will have a chance to cement himself among two of the game's all-time greats -- Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to win four Super Bowl's. And though his team is once again favored to win the Super Bowl, this time by much less than in '08, one thing to consider is that the Patriots who enter Sunday's match-up winners of their last 10 games, have not faltered since their week 9 loss to these very Giants who stormed into Foxboro and escaped with a 24-20 victory. And while the Patriots have only gained steam without looking back since their November 8 loss to New York, the Giants have turned on the jets in their own way by keeping their playoff hopes alive with must-wins in the final two games of the regular season followed by a double-digit shellacking of the Atlanta Falcons and back-to-back wins on the road against the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers.

With more than half of their wins this season orchestrated by Eli Manning's record-setting 15 fourth-quarter touchdowns, one thing is certain and that is that no lead is insurmountable for Eli to overcome when he's clicking on all cylinders. At least not that we've seen this year anyway. With that said, I think we'll see more of the same with New England getting off to an early lead and Eli once again coming through during crunch time with an MVP-like performance to lead the Giants to their fourth Super Bowl win in franchise history with a 24-20 win. Game time is set for 6:30 eastern and can be seen on NBC (Ch. 3).