Giants Fall to 49ers, 30-12
The New York Giants fell to the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday Night Football, 30-12 at Levi’s Stadium.
On top of playing one of the best teams in the NFL on a short week, the Giants were hampered by injuries, with running back Saquon Barkley and offensive lineman Andrew Thomas ruled out. The team would also lose rookie cornerback Deonte Banks to an arm injury during the game.
Although New York played tough for three quarters, they finally ran out of gas in the fourth quarter and were thoroughly dominated on the stat sheet. The offense racked up only 150 yards, with only 29 on the ground. Meanwhile, the defense had no answer for San Francisco’s skill players, surrendering 441 yards from scrimmage.
Quarterback Daniel Jones completed 22 of 32 passes for 137 yards, no touchdowns, and an interception. Wide receiver Parris Campbell caught six passes but only 24 yards for an average of four yards per catch.
While not great, the first half was much better than the Giants’ first two first-half performances this year. San Francisco moved 64 yards in 15 plays to begin the game, converting three third downs in the process; the biggest play was a 24-yard reception by Jauan Jennings on 3rd and 8. However, New York’s defense halted the drive at their 11-yard line, and the 49ers settled for Jake Moody’s 28-yard field goal for an early 3-0 lead.
The Giants had not scored any points in the first half in their first two games, but they responded right away on their first possession. An 18-yard completion from Jones to running back Gary Brightwell moved the ball into 49ers territory, but Brightwell's critical drop on the next play would eventually halt the drive at the San Francisco 26. Graham Gano kicked a 44-yard field goal to tie the game at three.
Both teams punted on their next drives, but New York’s defense had their hands full throughout the second quarter.
The 49ers regained the lead with an 11-play, 72-yard drive bolstered by a pair of third and long screen plays: a 30-yard reception by Deebo Samuel on 3rd and 15 and a 17-yard reception by running back Christian McCaffrey on 3rd and 13. 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy finished the drive with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Ronnie Bell.
After the Giants were forced to punt, the 49ers marched 73 yards in 11 plays. An 18-yard run by Elijah Mitchell followed a 12-yard run by McCaffrey on 3rd-and-1; later, a roughing the passer penalty on Giants lineman Leonard Williams gave San Francisco an automatic first down on 3rd and 12. McCaffrey scored from four yards on the next play, extending the lead to 14.
New York salvaged some momentum on their last drive of the half, as they needed just one minute and 27 seconds to reach the outskirts of field goal range. A 17-yard completion to Darius Slayton gave the Giants enough yardage and time for a 57-yard attempt for Gano, which he drilled perfectly to make it 17-6 San Francisco at halftime.
The Giants were forced to punt on the first drive of the second half, but a 49-yard punt by Jamie Gillan pinned the 49ers inside their own 10-yard line. New York’s defense promptly forced a three-and-out, and a 15-yard penalty on San Francisco’s Shemar Jean-Charles for fair catch interference gave the Giants’ offense fantastic field position at the San Francisco 37.
They needed just two plays to capitalize; assisted by a 22-yard pass interference penalty on Deommodore Lenoir, the Giants scored on Matt Breida’s 8-yard touchdown run, making it 17-12 after the two-point conversion failed.
San Francisco struck right back, entering Giants territory immediately with a 40-yard reception by Samuel. The Giants’ defense made things worse by drawing penalties on a pair of third-down plays,
but a goal-line stand successfully kept the 49ers out of the endzone; Moody’s 21-yard field goal extended the lead to 20-12, but the Giants still only trailed by one possession.
Unfortunately, the 49ers would assert themselves in the fourth quarter and pull away. The Giants went three-and-out on their next drive, and a 29-yard reception by San Francisco tight end George Kittle set up a 36-yard field goal from Moody. Then, after another Giants punt, San Francisco moved 70 yards in eight plays before scoring on Samuel’s 27-yard touchdown catch, as the 49ers lead swelled to 18 with just under six minutes remaining.
On New York's next drive, Jones was intercepted by Talanoa Hufanga and replaced by Tyrod Taylor on the team’s final possession.
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