Why The Giants-Niners Game Won't be a Walk...
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by Ssj3alucard
As seen on 3rdstringsafety.blogspot.com
The truth is that the Giants aren't that much better of a team than San Francisco. It's injuries and ineffectiveness by several key players that have left the Niners crippled.
That's why when former Giants defensive coordinator Mike Nolan walks into his old stomping grounds on Sunday, it won't be as easy as the experts expect it to be. The Giants will win, but it won't be 41-14.
On offense, Trent Dilfer was singlehandedly killing his team over these last couple of weeks. Dilfer appears to have finally jumped the shark and be done. He has been sitting in the pocket for hours at a time, taking sacks and not getting the ball into the hands of the teams playmakers. It's not like he's had much time to throw the ball anyway because his offensive line has been terrible. Larry Allen also appears to finally be done, and Jonas Jennings is proving each sunday that he was UBER overpaid. The running game has been practically non-existant as Frank Gore has dissapointed fantasy owners everywhere.
Alex Smith will play on sunday, which takes away the 12+ sack potential of the Giants for the game. Smith is a moving target, and can actually make something happen with his legs. The other important return from injury is Vernon Davis, the beast of a tight end that the Niners can't keep healthy. (Sound Familar, Giant Fans?) Anyway, Davis is a threat because of the blitz packages that Big Blue uses. If Davis can get behind the blitzing linebackers, and Smith can get him the ball, he's a threat to go the distance every single time.
On defense, the 49ers are still formidable. However, their best pass rusher is no longer available. Manny Lawson is lost for the season, and on this blog, I've lamented several times about the importance of that. Manning will have a bunch of time to throw and if he does, it won't matter how overpaid Nate Clements is. Plax will have a big day, and I think that this could be the week we see the two touchdown performance from Shockey. Jeremy can easily get behind ANYONE the Niners put on him, especially if it's Michael Lewis (which it shouldn't be if Nolan is smart, which he is.) whom J.Shock routinely destoryed when he was with Philly.
Brandon Jacobs will play, which provides an interesting matchup inside. You'll all read my love affair with Patrick Willis. I think that Giants need to find him on every single play and make eitheir Chris Snee, or Rich Seubert drive block him to the ground. I don't think anyone else on this defense is going to want to drag 1 BIG RB down too often.
Ultimately, I think this game will eb close, because I think that the Niners are where the G-Men were two years ago. They are injury ravaged, slighlty undisciplined but talented, and if they only put it together, they could be Dangerous. It might take a couple of years, but I have tremendous respect for Mike Nolan, and believe that he will get them to the mountaintop.
Giants 28 - 49ers 24
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