Oct 212007
 

Giants Keep Rolling, Win 5th Straight by Demolishing 49ers: The Giants have got it going now and there is just one more lesser-caliber opponent to face before the huge game against the Cowboys on November 11th.

The Giants soundly defeated the San Francisco 49ers 33-15 at the Meadowlands earlier today.  While the Giants struggled somewhat on special teams, the offense and defense completely overpowered San Francisco.

The Giants received the ball first and promptly marched downfield on a 13-play, 83-yard scoring drive that resulted in a 4-yard touchdown pass from QB Eli Manning to WR Amani Toomer on 3rd-and-goal.  However, PK Lawrence Tynes missed the extra point so the Giants led 6-0.

The Giants’ defense forced a three-and-out on San Francisco’s first possession, highlighted by a 9-yard sack by DE Michael Strahan.  The Giants then drove from their own 42-yard line to the San Francisco 20-yard line, but Manning’s fourth pass of this possession was tipped and intercepted.  The 49ers then put together their only scoring drive of the game against the Giants’ first-team defense as Niners drove 81 yards in 11 plays to take a 7-6 lead.  New York could not move the ball on their ensuing possession and were forced to punt.

After that, it was pretty much all Giants.

The Giants scored on each of their three remaining possessions of the first half with one touchdown and two field goals.  The Niners clumsily fumbled the ball away on the first play of their third possession with DE Osi Umenyiora recovering at the San Francisco 27-yard line.  Four plays later, HB Brandon Jacobs scored from five yards out as New York regained the lead 13-7.

On the very first play of the ensuing 49er possession, CB Sam Madison picked off QB Trent Dilfer and returned the ball to the San Francisco 30-yard line.  The Giants got as close at the 11-yard line but were forced to settle for a successful 29-yard field goal by Tynes.  Giants 16-49ers 7.

The Niners did not pick up a first down on their next possession, with Strahan coming up with his second sack on the day.  With 1:35 before the half, the Giants moved from their own 11-yard line to the San Francisco 21-yard line, kicking a 39-yard field goal just before halftime to take a 19-7 lead.

The 49ers received the ball first to start the second half and did threaten to make a game of it as they drove to the Giants’ 15-yard line.  Dilfer completed a 47-yard pass.  Three plays later, on 3rd-and-8, an unnecessary roughness penalty on LB Antonio Pierce kept the drive alive despite Dilfer getting sacked on the play by Strahan and DE Justin Tuck.

However, on the very next snap, Umenyiora exploded off the corner, hammered Dilfer for the sack, forcing a fumble.  Umenyiora made a very quick and athletic recovery of the football and sprinted 75 yards for the touchdown to give New York a commanding 26-7 advantage.

The 49ers could not move the football on their second possession of the second half and were forced to punt.  The Giants then went three-and-out on their first possession of the second half as Manning was sacked for the only time in the game on 3rd-and-5.  P Jeff Feagles’ kick was blocked and knocked out of bounds in the end zone for a safety.  Giants 26-49ers 9.

With the safety, the 49ers received the ball again, but their drive ended with an 8-yard sack by Tuck on 3rd-and-7.  The Giants moved 45 yards on 11 plays on their next drive, but were forced to punt.  The 49ers then turned the ball over again – their fourth turnover of the game – as Pierce intercepted Dilfer at the 49ers’ 33-yard line and returned the pick 28 yards down to the 49ers’ 5-yard line.  Manning hit TE Jeremy Shockey for a 2-yard touchdown pass and the Giants were up 33-9.

The 49ers scored again late in the 4th quarter after the Giants had pulled their starters out of the game.  Their two-point conversion attempt failed.  Game over.

Offensively, Manning finished the game 18-of-31 for 146 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception.  Jacobs carried the ball 18 times for 107 yards and a touchdown.  WR Plaxico Burress had five catches for 43 yards while Shockey had five catches for 39 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, the Giants picked off two passes, recovered two fumbles, accrued six sacks, and scored one touchdown.  Strahan was credited with 2.5 sacks and Tuck with 1.5 sacks.  Umenyiora and CB Aaron Ross also had sacks.  “It seemed like we really capitalized on a lot of their mistakes,” said LB Mathias Kiwanuka.  “We had a lot of angry guys out there just trying to make plays and get to the ball.  When you have that many turnovers it frees you up to do a lot of things.  You can get out there and take chances and capitalize.”

Special teams with the missed extra point and the blocked punt for a safety were obviously a sore spot.

Post-Game Notes:  The Giants are 5-2 for the fourth time in Tom Coughlin’s four seasons as head coach.

The game marked the franchise’s 350th home victory.  The Giants are 350-242-16 at home in their 83-year history

Strahan played in his 207th regular season game, tying him with former TE Howard Cross for first place in franchise history.

Toomer’s 4-yard touchdown reception was the 49th of his career.  He is now the Giants’ all-time touchdown receptions leader.

Inactive for the Giants were WR Steve Smith (shoulder), HB Ahmad Bradshaw, QB Jared Lorenzen (3rd quarterback), OT Adam Koets, OG Kevin Boothe, DT Manny Wright, DE Dave Tollefson, and S Craig Dahl.

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Eric Kennedy

Eric Kennedy is Editor-in-Chief of BigBlueInteractive.com, a publication of Big Blue Interactive, LLC. Follow @BigBlueInteract on Twitter.

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