Giants Defeat 49ers, Move to 5-1: The Giants defeated the San Francisco 49ers 29-17 earlier today at Giants Stadium. The win moves the Giants to 5-1 as the team remains in sole possession of first place in the NFC East.
The story of the game was a Giants’ defense that held the 49ers to 10 points and 35 yards rushing while accruing two interceptions, one fumble recovery, six sacks, and a safety.
The 49ers were held to three-and-outs on their first two possessions of the game with San Francisco QB J.T. O’Sullivan being sacked by DE Dave Tollefson and DT Fred Robbins.
Meanwhile, on their second possession, the Giants drove 54 yards in four plays to take a 7-0 lead as HB Brandon Jacobs scored from 26 yards out.
The 49ers responded with an 8-play, 44-yard drive that set up a successful 40-yard field goal. Giants 7 – 49ers 3.
Back came the Giants as New York moved the football 73 yards in eight plays. The Giants were aided by 51 yards in penalties, including a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty and a 31-yard pass interference penalty. The drive ended with a 2-yard touchdown run by Jacobs to extend New York’s lead to 14-3.
Nevertheless, the San Francisco responded again, this time driving 74 yards in six plays, the drive culminating in a 30-yard touchdown pass against CB Aaron Ross. Giants 14 – 49ers 10.
The Giants’ next two offensive possessions ended with punts as did the 49er’s next possession. However, late in the second quarter, at the very start of the 49ers’ sixth possession of the game, S Michael Johnson picked off O’Sullivan and returned the pick 18 yards to the San Francisco 9-yard line. The Giants were unable to get the ball into the end zone and were forced to settle for a 21-yard field goal. Giants 17 – 49ers 10.
With under two minutes to play before halftime, the 49ers moved the ball to the Giants’ 19-yard line with 22 seconds to play. But Johnson intercepted O’Sullivan for the second time, this time in the end zone, ending the threat.
The Giants received the football to start the second half, but punted after picking up only one first down. On the third play of the 49ers’ opening possession of the second half, the 49ers botched the handoff to the back and DE Mathias Kiwanuka recovered the football at the San Francisco 18-yard line. Four plays later, QB Eli Manning hit WR Plaxico Burress for a 6-yard touchdown pass. Giants 24 – 49ers 10.
After a punt by the 49ers, the Giants received the ball again and drove from their 20-yard line to the San Francisco 17-yard line. However, PK John Carney’s 35-yard field goal attempt was blocked and returned 74 yards for a touchdown, cutting the Giants’ lead to 24-17.
Starting at their own 41-yard line on the ensuing possession, the Giants drove 29 yards in nine plays to set up a successful 48-yard field goal by Carney to extend the lead to 27-17.
Both teams then exchanged punts. With just over five minutes to play, the 49ers began their fourth drive of the second half. On the first play of the drive, DE Justin Tuck stripped the ball out of O’Sullivan’s hands, the ball bounced backwards to the end zone where a 49er player kicked it past the end line for a safety and a 29-17 advantage for the Giants.
The Giants then went three and out and the 49ers turned the ball over on downs as O’Sullivan was sacked by Tuck again during the possession. The Giants then kneeled on the football to end the game.
Defensively, the Giants held the 49ers to 35 yards rushing (and only 11 yards rushing by HB Frank Gore), forced three fumbles (two by Tuck, one by LB Chase Blackburn), and recovered another (by Kiwanuka). Michael Johnson intercepted two passes. And sacks were accrued by Tuck (2), Robbins, Tollefson, Blackburn, and DT Barry Cofield.
“Turnovers for us is the name of the game,” said Tuck. “Once you get one you start getting that blood in the water type of feeling. Michael (Johnson) did a great job and we fed off of that and we came up with some big stops because of our turnovers. Defensive line kind of felt left out after Michael’s two interceptions. So we definitely wanted to get some turnovers, too. Any time you win the turnover battle you stand a good chance of winning the game.”
“It was just a matter of being more intense and more focused, and wanting it more,” said Kiwanuka. “We definitely got embarrassed as a team and especially as a defensive line last week. And that is why we were relentless and not letting that happen again. The defensive backs really stepped up their game today. We definitely had a couple of cover sacks. Just like we lost last week as a team, we won this week as a team.”
Offensively, Manning finished the game 16-of-31 for 161 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions. Jacobs carried the ball 17 times for 69 yards and 2 touchdowns. HB Ahmad Bradshaw chipped in with 28 yards on 8 carries and HB Derrick Ward with 19 yards on 4 carries. WR Steve Smith was the leading receiver with 4 catches for 39 yards. Ward caught 3 passes for 50 yards, WR Amani Toomer 3 passes for 31 yards, and Burress 3 passes for 24 yards and a touchdown.
“I felt like we bounced back well enough to win the game but as far as production with our offense, I think it could have been better,” said Jacobs. “I’m not trying to say anything bad, and we did a good job. But there was definitely a lot of room for improvement. We are happy with the win, but we know ourselves as a team that we have to capitalize more when our defense sets us up.”
“We are always happy with a win, but definitely not satisfied with our performance,” said TE Kevin Boss. “I felt like we kind of left some points on the field when we could have taken advantage of some key opportunities. But we are taking it one game at a time right now. This is a good win after last week. Mike Johnson came up with some huge picks in some crucial situations and Justin Tuck causing the fumble which resulted in a safety.”
“Every time you win a game it is a good feeling,” said Toomer. “But I know we still have a long way to go yet. We definitely didn’t play our best game. The bottom line in the results is that you win. We are real honest with ourselves and we know what corrections we have to make to greatly improve. We weren’t as crisp as we would have liked to have been. I wouldn’t say that we are frustrated, but it wasn’t a step forward or a step back. It was a step laterally for us. We definitely have to get better.”
Post-Game Notes: Inactive for the Giants were HB Danny Ware, WR Sinorice Moss, OT Adam Koets, DE Jerome McDougle, LB Antonio Pierce (quad), LB Gerris Wilkinson (knee), CB R.W. McQuarters, and PK Lawrence Tynes.
The Giants improved to 4-0 at home this season. The Giants were 3-5 at home in both 2006 and 2007.
QB Eli Manning was not sacked for the second time this season.
The Giants offense did not have a turnover for the third time this season.
HB Brandon Jacobs’ two rushing touchdowns increased his career total to 26, tying him for eighth on the franchise’s career list.