49ers in another prime-time matchup with a 1-win team

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs against the Atlanta Falcons during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Oct. 22, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

SANTA CLARA — The 49ers appear to have less talent than the New York Giants.

When they play each other Monday night at Levi’s Stadium, the 49ers won’t have their starting quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo, or starting running back Jerick McKinnon. And the Giants will have their three best players — quarterback Eli Manning, wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and rookie running back Saquon Barkley.

But the 49ers will be the favorites. Oddsmakers give them a three-point advantage because the Giants are under-performing. Their record is 1-7. And their offense has scored just 18.8 points per game, despite all of its talent.

“The Giants have an incredible set of skill players,” 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh explained Friday. “Barkley is phenomenal. The tight end, Evan Engram, is really good. (Wide receiver Sterling) Shepard’s a really good player. Odell is obviously really good. So, it’s going to be a great challenge for us this week.”

Despite their record, the 49ers still must respect the Giants’ offense, even though it hasn’t produced.

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This article has 83 Comments

  1. Sherm and Spoon Vs OBJ. Advantage OBJ. We need to get pressure this week to help them. Lucky for us, NY doesn’t have a good OL.

    “Meaning Barkley has a chance to become one of the greatest running backs of all time, like Sanders.

    “That’s how much talent Barkley has.”

    Truth.

    1. He’s great in open field. 49ers are going to have to do a good job penning him in when they get the ball to him on the edges.

      1. Red Zone is where the Giants struggle, and I look for them to utilize Barkley more down there.

  2. The Giants are giving up 122.4 rushing yards per game to rank 23rd in the league. The Cheetah is healthy and should run wild. The Giants offensive line and the 49ers offensive line have something in common. Both have given up 31 sacks, so establishing the ground game is key for both teams. The Giants pass defense looks more susceptible on the left side, and they rank 27th against the TE; which means SF should look to panning Goldmine Kittle….

    1. I like your confidence Razor, but are you sure the Cheetah is healthy? His ankle injury is the kind of injury that can nagg on a player for an extended number of games. Hopefully these extra days of rest will make a difference, but I suspect he won’t be 100% until after their bye week.

      Plus, losing Mostert hurts. He was really finding a nice role on this offense, and unlike Morris, Mostert’s speed has allowed him to be effective running the oustide zone. Morris seems limited as a between the tackles, which in turn limits Kyle’s play calling a bit.

      However, despite Mullens lack of starting inexperience, I don’t expect the Giants to simply load up against the run, or do a lot of blitzing, like teams have been doing against Beathard. So I think the 49ers should be able to run the ball provided Breida is relatively healthy.

      While I like what I’ve seen from RB Jeff Wilson so far, I’d like to get a look at this young RB out of NC State, Matt Dayes. He’s got some wiggle and speed for a 208 lbs tailback.

      1. MM: Matt Breida should be his healthiest in weeks for 49ers-Giants game.
        By Matt Maiocco November 08, 2018 7:34 AM

        That’s not to say he’s 100% but what back is this time of year? Having said that, I can’t imagine them not calling up Wilson or Dayes for this game. I will be watching AJ Dillon today for BC against Clemson. Not sure he’ll come out but he’s a load at 245 with 0% body fat….

        1. Yah, good call on Dillon.

          And BTW, how about your boy Darius Leonard?

          https://www.colts.com/news/darius-leonard-continues-building-on-defensive-rookie-of-the-year-campaign

          Man has that kid delivered! The minute I compared his stats to his game film (thanks to your advice) last April, I knew he was going to be a tackling machine for whichever team drafted him. I’d still would have given up our 2nd round pick in this years’ draft for Garoppolo all day long, and I like Warner a lot, but man, Leonard sure looks like a blue chip talent right now!

  3. The 9ers will play with confidence now that they have their QB for the rest of the season.
    31-13 9ers. They are on a roll.

  4. I think most people realize that Eli Manning is the main reason the Giants offense seems broken, despite having at least a couple ELITE level skill position playmakers in Beckham and Barkley. The Giants OL certainly has it’s issues, but, like the 49ers offense with CJ Beathard, it ultimately comes down to QB play. In fact, while Eli has a stronger arm than Beathard, and tons more experience, I see some of the same issues with Eli, that I see with Beathard.

    Eli shows the same kind of hesitation as CJB, which is really remarkable for a veteran QB. And though nobody is as deliberate when it comes to telegraphing his passes as CJ Beathard, Eli has also been guilty of locking in on his receivers this season. It just goes to show how important sheme continuity is, even for a veteran QB, which is why the idea of firing Shanahan this early in the rebuilding process, even though his offense has been impressive even without his franchise QB (and Shanahan’s offense has been almost unstoppable with Jimmy G) seems like an extreme overreaction, given the circumstances.

    However, I think Kyle does have to take a look at replacing Saleh, because unlike the offense (QB), it’s much harder to point to 1 position as being responsible for most of the defensive struggles this season.

    1. I think Saleh will get another year because they most certainly will address the pass rush this off-season.
      With that being said we still need to address the secondary inside linebacker and Salehs in game adjustments late in games.

      1. Do they though?

        I think once Foster has another offseason to get that shoulder right, he’s going to end up being the player we thought he was going to be, and Warner has tons of potential. I think ILB depth is still a need, but I still expect those 2 guys to become a fearsome linebacker duo!

        I do agree that the 49ers are certainly lacking talent most on the defensive side of the ball. In fact one could argue that the 3 biggest needs are all on defense –
        Edge, CB, and Safety.

        1. 49,personally I’d take Jonah Williams if Bosa is not there and then get a WR and then go defense the rest of the draft.

        2. Edge and CB yes, safety no.

          They have a guy at FS now that they should re-sign and start next year in Ward, and a young guy in Colbert who can back him up along with another young guy in D.J. Reed.

          At strong safety they have Tartt who will be the starter. You can add another guy there if you don’t te-sign Exum, but that would be a later round pick.

          1. None of those guys are true FS’s, and Ward is too tiny and brittle for the position. Colbert/Reed are backups. Deionte Thompson should be the pick if they want a more durable version of a Hooker….

            1. Ward is a true free safety, it’s where he should have been playing all along.

              Yes he has a history of injury and it should play into whatever he gets on his next deal.

              Going FS in the top 10 with the needs this team has in other areas would be a mistake.

              1. We can agree to disagree, because the position is the key that unlocks the scheme. Ward isn’t their guy, and I’d be surprised if he’s on the team next year; irrespective of the coaches speak….

              2. “Ward isn’t their guy, and I’d be surprised if he’s on the team next year”

                So would I.

            2. I am hoping the Niners pick ninth in the draft, but that is assuming Mullens can sustain his success.
              .
              Thompson is 9th on the draftek draft board, so he is a reasonable pick. The single high safety is what makes Pete Carroll’s defense work.
              .
              Josh Allen and Joe Jackson may also be possibilities, at 9.

          2. Yeah, I don’t think the 49ers should invest in Ward yet since he has had a hard time staying healthy, and Colbert looks too much like a backup at this stage.

  5. “we still need to address……inside linebacker”

    The same spot they’ve invested 1st and 3rd round picks in?

    1. Yup. Can’t have enough LB depth in a 3-4 scheme. Just like you can’t have enough cornerbacks and can’t have enough edge rushers.
      They have the draft capital and free agent dollar space so keep building it brick by brick baby!

      1. “Can’t have enough LB depth in a 3-4 scheme.”

        They play a 4-3 scheme and have good backups, one that is already signed through 2020 and the other is an exclusive rights free agent who will be cheap.

        “They have the draft capital and free agent dollar space so keep building it brick by brick baby!”

        They currently have only 5 picks for the 2019 draft.

        1. Exactly. Keep building the depth up through the draft and pick your spots in free agency.
          This isn’t new. It’s a rebuild.

          1. They already have the depth there with 3 guys who are in year 1 or 2.

            Anyone added there should be either a late round pick or a cheap vet FA.

            1. In a rebuild you gotta add depth at all positions especially the ones where guys can’t stay healthy.
              Corner, LB, and oline is my point.

              1. “you gotta add depth at all positions especially the ones where guys can’t stay healthy.”

                You don’t see the irony in this do you?

          2. At this point it doesn’t matter what people say. You are all piss and vinegar when it comes to Shanny and Lynch.
            According to you nothing is good enough. You sound bitter.

              1. Oh you are so smart. You know that they play an exclusive 4-3 do you? Never deviate from it right? Never have 4 Lb’s on the field at once?
                Yeah ok!

  6. Niner defense is facing a big challenge. They held Gurley to 63 yards, they need to do the same with Barkley.
    .
    They need to key on Barkley in the running game, but also as a pass catcher.
    .
    Once they make the Giants one dimensional, Saleh should dial up some exotic blitzes, and get after Eli.
    .
    It would help if Mullens can lead to some early scores, so the Giants are playing catch up. Mullens needs to be bold, and not settle for field goals.
    .
    Hope they can negate OBJ, by letting him leap up to catch the ball along the side line, but then pick up a leg and drive him out of bounds, so the pass is an incompletion.
    .
    I hope Thomas can get another sack.
    .
    If Saleh and his defense can shut them out, maybe it will shut up the talk about replacing him.
    .

              1. Prime, first you call me a moron, then ask to meet you. I am a tiny bit smarter than you think you are.

              2. Prime, you gotta try and get on tv so we can get jacked up seeing you! Avere divertimento paisano mio!

  7. On defense, I thought the Niners should attack the right side. Patrick Omameh at right guard looked like the weak link, but they just cut him.
    .
    Jamon Brown, who used to play for the Rams, is expected to play. Saleh should scheme to go after him right away, since he has had little time practicing with the rest of the O line.

    1. Sebbie…

      What should the 9ers do scheme-wise to mitigate NY extra point attempts (should they have any attempts)?

      What color do you think the NFL’s Surface Pros should be?

      1. Cassie, the stench of Baalke is strong this morning.
        .
        Maybe you should answer your own questions instead of trying to troll me.

  8. Here’s my top 5 so far. Not a big board or guess at where they might be taken. Just the best 5 players that could help out this team.
    1. Quinnen Williams (As good as he might end up being I still hate the idea of taking another DT so high)
    2. Devin White (Team blew it by not trading Foster before the deadline. They’ll lose leverage if they wait until after they’ve drafted his replacement)
    3. Josh Allen ( Yannick Ngakoue)
    4. DeAndre Baker (Given Diggs injury history I believe Baker is the best corner in the draft)
    5. Deionte Thompson (Despite being listed 5th, I’d take this guy over any other on this list and be perfectly happy with it. Shouldn’t be overlooked.)

    1. Agreed on Thompson. Grab the best edge left at the top of round 2, and sign the best F/A edge available. Double dip at the end of the draft at edge….

  9. I have cut Solomon Thomas a lot of slack this season, and I am rooting for him to do well, because of what he is going through. Losing a loved one is hard, especially when so young.
    .
    Hope everyone knows that they can get help, all they need to do is ask. These are trying times, but I think I see the light at the end of the tunnel. Hopefully, for the Niners, too.
    .
    I think Goodwin’s wife, Morgan, is an amazing person.

  10. The only significant threat the Giants pose is Barkley…. I can see him breaking off long runs on screens – something this D still doesn’t know how to defend… Pound the ball and limit Eli’s mistakes. That is the only chance they really have in this one assuming Mullens can put together another decent game without turnovers against another subpar defense.

  11. Surmising more about the draft, the Niner strategy should be to trade back with a QB needy team. I will assume the Niners pick 8th and move back to the 16th. For that, the Niners get the 50th pick in the second round, which is close in the trade value chart. Niners would end up with the 16th, 40th and 50th picks in the first 2 rounds, by moving back 8 spots.
    .
    At 16, the Niners select Brian Burns EDGE.
    At 40, the Niners select Taylor Rapp S.
    At 50, the Niners select Iman Marshall CB.

    1. Burns is a player I could see still on the board at the top of round 2 given his size at only 235 lbs. He’s here in South Bend, Sebber….

    2. Pretty good draft, Sebs. Thats how I’d do it. Then I’d tell Peters and the scout team to find me a receiver who has the ability to start, in the late rds–after the big names are all gone. They seem to be pretty good at picking up talent in the later rds.

      1. TY, Saw, however, I would not draft a WR, unless a highly ranked prospect fell in the draft and was available.
        .
        I think the Niners should go after a battle hardened, and battle tested Free Agent WR, and overspend if necessary.
        .
        The problem with rookies, is that they tend to get injured. Look at Pettis and Taylor. Rookies need to work out, study hard and get stronger so they can take the sledgehammer blows.
        .
        Niners have only 5 picks, so they should draft a DE, S, CB, OL and TE. If they move back and garner another pick, they should draft an ILB or a RB.
        .
        I agree, they have found good later round talent, like Kittle, Taylor and Colbert.

    3. Yay Sebbie! Any chance we can bundle a pile a players and get an additional pick in the 2nd round?

      1. Maybe throw in some trading cards too! To sweeten the deal, of course…

        And remember that Seb will claim genius if the team trades back at all, since he was the “first” to suggest it!

        1. yeah .. EC …

          it’s a wonder he hasn’t .. ( yet ) .. broken his wrist …
          pattin’ himself on the back … ;-}

          ( he must give it … plenty of exercise … huh ? )

        2. Yes, I proposed trading back, and the peanut gallery pilloried me. Nobody thought it was a good idea.
          .
          Then JL did 9 out of 10 things I proposed, even obtaining 2018 second and third round picks. Seahawks even moved back multiple times., an impossibility to some (you know who you were).
          .
          Now we have Zaidi, who leads the SF Giants. He has done many multi player deals. In fact, he is so clever, he made a multi player deal between 3 teams. It can be done, if the participants are shrewd enough to do such a deal.
          .
          Sure am glad that many posters on this site have started to advocate trading back. I will claim to be first on this site because I proposed many many mocks, all with trade back proposals, and the archives will show a lot of pushback to my mocks, from the usual suspects. I think 49 had a trade back scenario, but most others stuck to the assigned draft positions.
          .
          I know, I know, you are just jealous, you were not smart enough to be the one to think outside the box, and you certainly do not have the class to actually acknowledge that I was leading the pack. Additionally, I have been steadfastly advocating that the Niners let the QB roll out of the pocket. JG in the Detriot game, and CJB in most of his starts, have been chained down in the pocket, and have been bludgeoned. In fact, I have been advocating the QB rollout and naked bootlegs since the Kaep days. Now, even Tim Ryan has called for some rollouts. Mullens did it 4 times last game, and threw 2 ridiculously easy TDs.
          .
          I do not need to pat myself on the back. Your whiny snark just highlights how prescient my posts are.

          1. As Rocket and others pointed out already, no one was against trading back. We just ridiculed your multiple trade backs which did and still defy reason.

            You continue with your delusional narcissistic self aggrandizing posts. Seems your little self imposed sabbatical taught you nothing. Sad, but it’s comical to see you post so often in a vain attempt to seem important.

            1. Like I said before, the Seahawks traded back multiple times, and stockpiled picks, which is smart since there has been so much turnover on their squad.
              .
              Yes, you ridiculed my strategy, but when Pete Carroll and Schneider used it, it just made your snark look clueless.
              .
              You just do not get it. You do not have the mental acuity to actually say something smart, so you just hurl insults, which make you look even more deplorable.

              1. Ha! There you go again calling others dumb. That’s what you do.

                The truth is you are clueless to your own ignorant remarks. Keep it up though, maybe one day you’ll slay the giants.

              2. East, maybe you should stop leading with your chin. Then I would not have to point out how clueless you are.
                .
                Trading back is a sound strategy, especially for a rebuilding team.

              3. Maybe you should see your missteps on other threads before you talk about straws in someone else’s eyes!

                The irony of your self delusions is rich on your posts. Like I stated earlier, look in the mirror, grow up, and realize that the Sun doesn’t revolve around you!

            2. The funniest part of the whole thing is he has no idea who the players he’s picking are. He just looks at names on the draftek board and picks positions.

              1. And he throws so much Spaghetti at the wall that he thinks he’s a genius when one or two stick, however tenuous their perch. Plus, he believes he makes it stick on the first place! Laughable!

              2. Rocket, you are so wrong. I look up each individual player’s draft scouting report, and Google youtube videos of each individual’s performances.
                .
                But yes, I do rely on draft rankings, because I would not have moved up into the third round to draft a QB, when he was ranked as a sixth rounder.
                .
                I certainly would not have moved up into the 4th round to pick a red flagged player, and just have waited until after the draft to get him as an UDFA, since he was off many draft boards, JL’s included.

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