How the Giants Defense Can Shut Down QB Nick Mullens
The Giants will be facing a 49ers team without its starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo on Sunday, as San Francisco announced Friday that backup Nick Mullens would make his first start since 2018.
Mullens, an undrafted free agent out of Southern Miss in 2017, already has one start against the Giants under his belt, that coming in Week 10 of the 2018 season on Monday Night Football.
Mullens completed 27 of 39 passes for 250 yards in that game, one touchdown, and one interception in a close but losing effort. Now he will get a chance to even his record as a starter against the Giants Sunday against a very different looking Giants defense.
The Giants' defensive line will be the key to crippling the 49ers gameplan, similarly to how the Jets defensive line gave Mullens problems last Sunday.
Against the Jets, Mullens struggled to get the ball out quickly, particularly with pressure from the interior in his face. The Jets defensive line managed to penetrate the line and put Mullens under duress frequently, and Mullens wasn't exactly a smooth operator with the likes of Jets defensive tackles Quinnen Williams and Steve McLendon in his face.
Mullens' faced interior pressure on his first two pass attempts and was sacked for a significant loss on his second attempt, almost losing a fumble. When Mullens took the field on the next series and the Jets pressure got there again, Mullens fell to the ground out of caution.
Mullens' lone interception came on a third-down play when Jets edge rusher Terrell Bashum got around 49ers right tackle Mike McGlinchey. Bashum got to Mullens and forced a pass that was a bit too high for running back Jerrick McKinnon on a curl route, as the pall was tipped into the hands of Jets veteran defensive back Pierre Desire.
Mullens' best completion of the day came on a play-action pass on 2nd and 8 with 13:01 left in the fourth quarter. The 49ers' offensive line did a good job of selling the run and keeping the Jets defensive line from getting upfield, as Mullens has a clean pocket to sit in just long enough to deliver a strike to wide receiver Kendrick Bourne on a crossing route for 24 yards.
The play-action pass is the strength of the 49ers offense, and even a quarterback like Mullens, who doesn't boast the strongest arm or deliver the ball well under pressure, can still effectively deliver the quick passes if the defensive line is caught off guard.
The Giants have the defensive line talent to give Mullens the same type of problems he had against the Jets. The key to the game will be not letting the 49ers running game get into a rhythm.
The Giants' defensive front will be at an advantage of not having to face 49ers running backs Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman. Tight end George Kittle, who is exceptional at blocking, also won't play Sunday.
Giants defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence, Leonard Williams, and Dalvin Tomlinson were projected to be one of the better run-stuffing defensive line trios going into the season.
Sunday will be an opportunity for the group to showcase just how big of an impact it can have. If it can shut down the run, it will also grant itself an opportunity to show its disruptive interior pass rush ability.
