NFL Lines: San Francisco 49ers Face Tough Task With Visiting Giants
Sunday, November 13, 2011
by Aengus Moorehead
Analysis:
Depending upon one's definition of the word, a pair of "elite" quarterbacks will take the field for Sunday's game pitting the visiting New York Giants against the San Francisco 49ers.
While Hall of Famer Joe Montana certainly isn't suiting up for the 49ers, first-year coach Jim Harbaugh heaped considerable praise on current quarterback Alex Smith for his showing thus far this season.
Harbaugh said the top overall pick of the 2005 draft is “every bit the elite quarterback as there is playing in the game right now.” Now, San Francisco has won seven of its eight games this season, although Smith has tossed a grand total of 10 touchdowns in that span.
On the flip side, Giants quarterback Eli Manning said last summer that he felt he belonged in the same “elite” class with New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Last week, Manning did his best to substantiate that claim at Brady's expense by tossing a touchdown pass with 15 seconds remaining to lift the Giants to a 24-20 win over the Patriots.
The Giants have an identical record both at home and on the road, and will need to make sure not to suffer through the cliché of an emotional letdown following a big win over the New England Patriots. Part of the problem may be the fact that they will have to travel all the way from the east to the west coast, which can be a tough task for any team.
New York has battle on all season through injuries and inconsistencies and has now won three straight to put itself in line for an NFC East title. It may still be early, but with quarterback Eli Manning comparing to some of the elite in the game it is time to stop doubting the Giants.
While New York has persevered since the beginning to climb to 6-2, the 49ers’ rise to 7-1 was subtle, as they have now extended their winning streak to six games. San Francisco is another team that is undefeated on the road this season and that has been a huge part of their success, but now they will have to prove their merit at home against another legitimate contender.
Time & Venue:
- 4:15 PM ET, Sunday, November 13, 2011. Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California
Last Week's results:
- NY Giants (+9) beats host New England Patriots 24-20.
- San Francisco 49ers (-3.5) beats host Washington Redskins 19-11.
Last week's ATS:
- Underdog NY Giants (6-2) wins outright
- Favourite San Francisco 49ers (7-1) wins and covers.
NFL Football Odds: 49ers -4, O/U 42.5
Next up:
- NY Giants home to Philadelphia, Sunday, November 20
- San Francisco home to Arizona, Sunday, November 20
With Ahmad Bradshaw likely to miss his second straight game with a cracked bone in his foot, Brandon Jacobs will test the mettle of the NFL's No. 1 rush defense (70.8 yards per contest). Jacobs did rush for his third touchdown of the season against the Patriots. WR Hakeem Nicks also missed last week's game with a hamstring injury, although he returned to practice on Thursday and is expected to face the 49ers. Giants WR Victor Cruz has recorded 90-plus yards in five of his last six games.
San Francisco is riding high with a six-game winning streak and a comfortable five-game cushion in the moribund NFC West. All is not rosy, however, as stud running back Frank Gore is being plagued by a left ankle injury. Gore sits 148 yards shy of Joe "The Jet" Perry for the franchise rushing record. Last week, Gore ran his total to five straight 100-plus yards games with 107 in San Francisco's 19-11 win over the Washington Redskins. On the other side of the ball, the 49ers' defense has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 30 consecutive games.
New York has won the last three meetings between the teams, although the last victory came on Oct. 19, 2008. San Francisco's last triumph was memorable, however, as it overcame a 24-point deficit to post a 39-38 win in a playoff game.
Niners TE Vernon Davis has recorded an NFL-best 23 touchdowns since the start of the 2009 season.
Giants LB Mathias Kiwanuka was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week after notching a team-leading 12 tackles against the Patriots.
San Francisco is 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against NY Giants
San Francisco is 6-3 SU in their last 9 games when playing NY Giants
San Francisco is 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 games when playing NY Giants
NY Giants are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against San Francisco
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of the NY Giants last 7 games when playing on the road against San Francisco
NY Giants are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games when playing San Francisco
The 49ers will once again force the ball into the hands of Manning and try and make him beat them on his own, and it won’t be easy in a hostile environment. A tough travel schedule and a couple of emotional wins could lead to fatigue for the Giants, and if they suffer any sort of a letdown, the 49ers will be right there to pounce as they look to move out in front in terms of the race for home field advantage.
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NFL Football Pick: Take points and Giants.
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Category
Tags
ahmad bradshaw - alex smith - brandon jacobs - candlestick park - eli manning - frank gore - hakeem nicks - jim harbaugh - joe perry - mathias kiwanuka
