Loading ...On paper, the matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants might appear to be a finesse team against a power team…and the 49ers certainly think so.
The Giants are largely considered a team that makes its money passing the football, whereas the 49ers like to out- muscle teams. Just ask Donte Whitner.
"If you put our film on all year long, you'll see wide receivers getting hit, you'll see running backs getting hit, you'll see guys leaving the game early," Whitner said. "We don't pride ourselves on hurting anybody, but it's just being physical. If you be physical with guys, sometimes they're not going to make it 60 minutes in a football game. We pride ourselves on being the most physical team on the football field. That's what Pittsburgh's been doing for so long, that's what Baltimore's been doing for so long.
Whitner took out Pierre Thomas last week and forced a fumble just short of the goal line against New Orleans, but he has hit basically anything that moves during the season.
If the 49ers are convinced that the Giants are not a physical ball club, they should double check that.
While the Giants haven't been particularly good at any one thing all season long, recently the physical nature of their defense has led to much of the success that they have had. Last week the team forced 4 fumbles (yes, four) and allowed Green Bay Packers receivers Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson to catch only a combined 3 balls.
How?
By hitting them, jamming them, and flat out making their life difficult.
The Giants have also stopped teams on 4th and 1 a number of times in the past three weeks, which just provides more evidence of their physical nature up front.
Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz have been eager to get another shot at the 49ers secondary, ever since Carlos Rodgers decided to salsa dance in front of Cruz after an interception.
Physical as they may be in the defensive backfield, the 49ers did surrender over 460 yards passing to Drew Brees last week.
There will be windows for Cruz to get back at Rodgers this Sunday.
Also…
- Be sure to "like" Giants 101 on Facebook and to follow Giants 101 on Twitter
- Meet Victor Cruz at the Poughkeepsie Galleria on January 17th
- Get your tickets to meet Brandon Jacobs at "The Man Show" January 29th
- Text "oneteam" to 20222 to donate $10 to the One Team for the Lights charity initiative.
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hey, thanks for the game plan.
Giants will beat them by being simply a better all around team.
Giants 24, 49ers 17.
Repost:
GOAT56 says:
January 17, 2012 at 5:07 PM
Even as an optimist, I’m at shock the dramatic turn this season as taken in a month. 3 of the guys I have been hardest on Diehl, Blackburn and Grant have all been great. Blackburn basically has been AP from 2007. Grant has rediscovered his 2010 play. Diehl has shown again while he’s not a pro bowler or anything like that he can be an effective LT.
We have gotten to the point somehow that if we don’t win the season is kind of disappointing. Not because our overall accomplishments but because we are better than the remaining teams. I agree that we are playing with house money but not that house money can get us something significant. No matter how this season has played out we have to take advantage of the situation in front of us. It’s great to be in the SB mix every year but since we have this chance we have to jump on it.
Repost:
Actually, I think Rolle’s comments are 100% true. That horrible non fumble call had me flustered as a fan. But the team just took it in stride and continued to play. We miss an opportunity on the onside kick, no big deal. Eli throws and interception no big deal. Ware gets a horrible spot no big deal. This team has a spirit about it that is just really tough minded right now. The losses seem to have to lessons that we use to pull through the tough points of these games.
We have to give IMMENSE credit to Tom Coughlin for teaching this team that you just focus on the next play and don’t get flustered about what is behind you. That attitude has saved some games and saved this season.
When I looked at the last four games on the schedule the week that Green Bay rolled into The Met it looked to me that being 6-6 (the record I assumed we’d have after that Sunday night) was not a death knell because all four games could be won. But I wasn’t sure the team could recover from the humiliations against the Eagles and the Saints. Coughlin did a great job of bringing them back from the dead. At the same time some of the team leaders started stepping up, and the health of the team started improving. The combination led to where they are now. This team has taken on its coach’s character, and that is a very good thing.
Yeah TC did a heal of a job. At 6-6, I thought we were ok. But at 7-7, after the Redskin game I thought this squad didn’t have it mentally. Boy I’m glad I was wrong. TC and the new leaders that have emerged over the past 4 years deserve MUCH credit for this turn around.
Rex Ryan !!!
Don’t think for a moment there will not be some serious hitting in this game. I know Harbaugh and he is definitely not above telling his guys that a 15-yard penalty is small loss in exchange for having receivers decide the middle of the field is off limits. This is going to be a Man’s Game.
The Ravens are going to do the same with the Pats. All Harbaughs are alike (I happen to like Jim and don’t know John, but I wouldn’t mind seeing the Giants pull another beat-the-brothers act over the next three weeks).
The Giants will not be intimidated. Tom Coughlin, Eli Manning, Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw, David Diehl, Chris Snee, Hakeem Nicks, Antrel Rolle, Chase Blackburn, Justin Tuck, Corey Webster, and Chris Canty will simply not allow that. The three guys they’ll have to make sure don’t even think about the hitting are Victor Cruz, Jake Ballard and Travis Beckum. Those guys will go over the middle, those guys are not experienced at really physical post-season play, and those guys will get their teeth rattled. But all could become big contributors on a sloppy field.
I twould be careful with Cruz if I was them as with Nicks. These guys are pysical WRs and capable of bouncing off tackles and making big plays. I would practice wraping up and not big hits if I was them on those 2.
I think it’s a good plan for them. But only Manningham is a finese receiver. I think they need to worry about tackling. The SF hitting mentally is to our favor because Nicks, Cruz, Jacobs & Bradshaw all have shown the ability to break tackles. We are not NO. They are more a precision passing team, we are more of a deep pass and YAC team. I think the key will be Nicks or Cruz beating Rodgers when they have one on one opportunities.
Regarding Chase Blackburn,
I know a bunch of people on this website, Norm specifically, had stated how horrible a job Jerry Reese did in procuring a veteran MLB for this defense in case of injury.
Boy was Jerry’s butt saved as well as the Giants season by the re-signing of Chase Blackburn. This guy came in and played his butt off, in what (not coincidentally) turned out to be the game that really got the Giants defense and subsequently, entire team some real confidence.
I was in that party of people scratching their heads at why Keith Bulluck was not re-signed after Goff went down, and I would never have thought I would be saying this, but thank god for Chase Blackburn.
This offseason we will be reflecting on how good of a story this guy turned out to be.
I’m with you there. We were darned lucky no one was smart enough to bring Chase in and sign him before we made that call. I wanted Bulluck too.
But Chase is right up there for the best story of the season in the NFL. I’m surprised the morons at ESPN haven’t jumped on it yet. From sitting at home while working out on his own at the local high school while playing with his kids and getting ready for a new career to settling a disjointed linebacking crew and leading a tremendously improved special teams group all the way to the Final Four. Quite the redemption story.
Have to say that after seeing his contribution this season I’m 100% in agreement with those who say that the Giants need to keep a roster spot for him even if he’s only the last linebacker retained. I’d trade having him for some hot young thing who looks to have a bright future. Blackburn is part of the heart of this team.
I was so-o-o-o-o-o-o-o wrong about him and his potential contribution that it’s embarrassing. I always loved the guy but thought the Giants had to move on and retain more athletic linebackers (I think I specifically said that if it came to Blackburn versus Paysinger I wanted the latter…I still think Paysinger may become a player, but can I have a do-over on that?).
+1 L.T. he is not, but man I love watching him play. 100% on every play.
By the way, after all of the questioning of the Giants’ medical staff over the past few years, how about some recognition of what an outstanding job they’ve done this season?
They were absolutely right in their advice to the coaches and front office in regard to the length of time it would require to get various players back, and that induced the team not to IR some of those who have come back to make a huge impact late in the season.
Kudos to Ronnie Barnes and his staff.
Looks like they might have figured out the hammy thing too. Ross has been good all year and while Hakeem has dealt with one all year, it seems that it’s been only a minor thing.
They were right about Steve Smith too.
I actually think that was an easy one. Except at Lourdes no one comes back that fast from that surgery. The only reason anyone doubted them was because those dirtbags in Philly insisted he was okay during that period when some (cough, cough) thought the Eagles could do no wrong and were able to run circles around our horrid organization.
Unfortunately for Steve Smith (and very thankfully for Victor Cruz and the Giants), he bought the pretty picture too, grabbed the money and figured the future would take care of itself. I still say we cannot blame him, largely because I think it occurred to him that a knee injury like his might mean he’d NEVER be what he was and that he’d forever be a JAG so should take the extra $2MM and run.
My only thoughts regarding Steve Smith now are “Please no Jerry. Please no.”
It’s hard to believe Chase Blackburn is tearing it up.
I would also like to give a shout out to FF55 for his constant beating the drum on how fantastic it is to be a Giants fan right now.
This is one of the most exciting seasons I can remember watching in the 13 seasons I have been a fan.
To have these story lines, and this kind of talent, all come together for a coach that values the an old school approach, and a quarterback that is everything you could possibly want from a quarterback in his prime…
The 2007 postseason was amazing, but this entire season has been a better story for sure. Division champs in the last game of the season by sweeping the Cowboys!?
Go Giants.
Whitner is far and away the biggest liability in that defense, and it was his whiff on an attempted kill shot on Jimmy Graham that let the Saints back into the game last week. If he wants to talk a big game, that’s his prerogative, but he should probably remember that he’s relying on his teammates to back up what he’s saying, because his coverage skills can’t cash that check. He should also remember that Nicks tore the game against Green Bay open by running 60 yards after the catch after Green Bay’s safety went for a diving kill shot against him and he spun out of it without slowing down.
I guess what I’m saying is, bring it, Donte.
Excellent insight. I came to the same conclusion after watching the game the NO-49ers game a second time. Whitner was also solely responsible for Sproles 44 yard TD. The Giants can and should exploit the 49ers safeties, they are average at best.