Preview: San Francisco at N.Y. Giants
When: 8:30 PM ET, Sunday, October 11, 2015
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
The New York Giants answered a pair of disheartening losses to open the season with two convincing victories to move into a three-way tie atop the NFC East. The Giants look to continue their good fortune and hand the struggling San Francisco 49ers their fourth consecutive loss on Sunday night when the teams meet at MetLife Stadium.
Eli Manning has tossed seven touchdown passes in his last three weeks, including three scoring strikes in a 24-10 victory over Buffalo last Sunday. While Manning has won five of his seven career contests with San Francisco, he was intercepted five times in the 49ers’ 16-10 victory on Nov. 16. Kaepernick threw a touchdown pass in that game, but has failed to do so for the third time in four contests this season in Sunday’s 17-3 setback to Green Bay. “I want a confident man; just full-bore ahead at that position,” San Francisco coach Jim Tomsula told reporters of his commitment to Kaepnerick. “I believe it’s critical and I believe in Colin Kaepernick.”
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC. LINE: Giants -7. O/U: 43
ABOUT THE 49ERS (1-3): Carlos Hyde has been limited to just 114 rushing yards during the team’s three-game skid after running for 168 yards and two touchdowns in a 20-3 season-opening victory over Minnesota. Kaepernick’s troubles in the last two contests have obviously taken a toll on wideouts Anquan Boldin (five receptions, 28 yards) and Torrey Smith (two catches, 54 yards). Boldin, however, enjoyed a strong performance with five receptions for 53 yards in his last meeting with New York.
ABOUT THE GIANTS (2-2): While Odell Beckham Jr. received plenty of fanfare in the offseason, Rueben Randle has snared a touchdown reception in each of his last two games. Randle also enjoyed a dominant effort in his last meeting with San Francisco, reeling in a team-high seven catches for 112 yards while Beckham added six for 93. Rashad Jennings, who has mustered just 3.2 yards per carry this season, showed he still has plenty left in the tank after he broke three tackles en route to a 51-yard touchdown reception last week versus the Bills.
EXTRA POINTS
1. San Francisco LB Ahmad Brooks will miss Sunday’s game after his 40-year-old sister died from lupus on Wednesday.
2. New York is yielding an NFL-best 69.8 rushing yards per contest.
3. San Francisco is an NFC-worst minus-5 in turnover differential.
PREDICTION: Giants 24, 49ers 13