The New York Giants will take on the San Francisco 49ers in week three of the 2020 regular season. After starting the campaign 0–2, losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chicago Bears, the Giants are looking to gain their first victory under new head coach Joe judge.
New York Giants V San Francisco 49ers Preview:
The 49ers will enter this game dealing with multiple injuries at key positions. They will be without starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, starting running back Tevin Coleman and Raheem Mostert, and that is not even to mention the quality they’ve lost on the defensive line. Their top two receiving targets in George Kittle and Deebo Samuel, will both be absent for the game, giving the Giants a fantastic opportunity to walk away with a win.
Here’s how to watch:
Where: MetLife
When: 1 P.M. ET
Channel: Fox (5)
Keys for victory (Giants):
Winning this game for the Giants relies heavily on their ability to score points. The defense can do everything possible to stop Nick Mullens and the 49ers passing game, but if the Giants can’t put points on the board, it will not matter.
With Saquon Barkley out for the season and Sterling Shepard dealing with turf toe, young quarterback Daniel Jones is back to square one with his weapons. However, he still has talent to utilize in Golden Tate and Darius Slayton. I believe Evan Engram will finally break out of his shell and show us what he’s capable of.
Over two weeks, Engram has failed to make a significant impact, dropping multiple passes and slipping at the point of attack, which resulted in an interception in week two.
Since the beginning of the season, the New York Giants rank 11th in points allowed and fourth in passing yards allowed, meaning if they can continue this hot streak, they can limit San Francisco severely. The Giants must take advantage of their defensive quality, which and ultimately boils down to Jones and winning the turnover battle emerging as the catalyst.
Defensively, the Giants’ pass rush has to step up and attack a strong San Francisco offensive line. The interior defense has been strong to start the season, but the outside linebackers have disappeared at times. I believe this is the game Lorenzo Carter really flashes his potential and beats Mike McGlinchey (RT) on numerous occasions. After showing incredible development during intrasquad scrimmages this off-season, Carter has yet to really explode onto the scene. In a favorable matchup, this is a great opportunity for him to do so.
Score Prediction: 24-10 GIANTS