49ers Set Out For Revenge, Fifth Win As They Take On The Giants: Preview and Prediction
By Baily Deeter
49ers fans, including me, cringe when they hear anything about the New York Giants, Kyle Williams and the NFC Championship Game.
But luckily, the 49ers can make their fans feel better today, as long as they beat the hated G-Men.
Eli Manning and the Giants are taking their talent to San Francisco for the third time in less than a year, as they prepare to battle the class of the NFC West. Alex Smith and his league-leading QBR try to propel the 49ers to a win and exact revenge.
Last year, Kyle Williams muffed two punts that cost the 49ers a shot at winning the Super Bowl and sent the Giants to the Super Bowl, which they eventually won. However, San Francisco’s superb defense, elite quarterback, great running back, great coach and great team all want revenge, and they will do everything they can to send the fans home happy.
Manning and the 3-2 Giants, coming off of a win over the Browns, want to avoid that. They are currently tied with the Eagles for first place in the NFC East, and the Eagles are facing the 1-3 Lions at home. So, this is a big game for the Giants, who are trying to continue their winning streak.
San Francisco has momentum, though. They beat the Bills 45-3 and the Jets 34-0 in their last two games, stifling both teams on defense while breaking out the big guns on offense. New York doesn’t have a great defense, so Smith will have a great chance to exact revenge today.
The 49ers got to Mark Sanchez and Ryan Fitzpatrick, and they will have to hurry Manning. They did that in the NFC Championship Game, and they will win if they can repeat that performance. Manning set a franchise record for passing yards in the first five games of the season, meaning that he shreds defenses and hits his receivers downfield.
For the Giants, the pass rush will be key, too. Smith’s reads are a lot better, but in Week 3, the Vikings got to him, and Smith had his worst game of the season. Jason Pierre-Paul headlines a fantastic pass rush which will create nightmares for the offensive line of the red and gold, and if they get to him, hot routes will be key.
San Francisco has momentum, and they are determined to win. They have NFC West showdowns in their next two games, but there really isn’t anything to look ahead to with this game being as important as it is. Expect Smith to gobble up New York’s defense with long drives, the pass rush to be effective, and San Francisco to exact revenge with a 31-17 win.
Then, they can focus on beating their NFC West counterparts.