With dreams of playing in Super Bowl 50 on their home field all but done, the 49ers would take being competitive right now following three straight blowout losses that saw them get outscored by a combined 79 points.
The Giants, meanwhile, have a chance to stay on top of the NFC East and improve on their 3-1 ATS record against the Niners, who are just 1-9 ATS in their last 10.
ODDS
New York opened as a 7-point favorite with a total of 43. The Giants have paid out at the betting window going 6-2 ATS in their last eight overall. While the line has held firm, the total was wagered to 43.5.
KEY INJURIES
Ahmad Brooks – Took bereavement leave following the death of his sister and will not be available on Sunday. Corey Lemonier will see more reps at the outside linebacker spot for the Niners.
Joe Staley – Sat out practice this week with a knee injury and is listed as questionable for Sunday. If Staley is out, guard Alex Boone would likely move to his tackle spot with rookie Ian Silberman taking over Boone’s position.
Devon Kennard – skipped practice this week due to a hamstring injury and it’s looking like the Giants strong side linebacker will not be available. Mark Herzlich, Jasper Brinkley and Jonathan Casillas are all likely to see action depending on the game situation.
KEY MISMATCH
Just two years ago Colin Kaepernick was the NFL’s darling. Now the fans in the Bay Area are trying to run him out of town. The embattled quarterback has been told by coach Jim Tomsula to stop playing tentatively after completing just 22 of 44 pass attempts with no touchdowns and five interceptions over the past two games – including a pair of pick-sixes. The root cause of his struggles run deeper, however, as he has completed only six passes that have traveled at least five yards. The lack of a vertical threat has defenses stacking the box and running back Carlos Hyde has rushed for a combined 114 yards over the past three games after his breakout 168-yard performance in the season opener. The Giants have the NFL’s top ranked run defense allowing just 3.1 yards per carry, so Kaepernick is going to have to trust his reads and cut it loose.
KEY STAT
12.0 – San Francisco’s NFL-low points per game. The Niners failed to score a touchdown last week and have just 10 points in their last two games. The Giants are 11th in the league allowing 20.5 points per game.
BETTING ANGLE
The Giants have a chance to climb on top of the landfill that is the NFC East with a seemingly favorable stretch of games that begins against the sinking 49ers, who are trying to avoid their worst road losing streak in five years. San Francisco is one of four current 1-3 teams the Giants will face in the next five weeks. New York was headed toward that record or worse after starting 0-2, having mishandled double-digit leads in the fourth quarter against Dallas and Atlanta. Instead the Giants rattled off convincing wins over Washington and Buffalo. They follow Sunday’s game with matchups against Philadelphia, Dallas, New Orleans and Tampa Bay. New York hasn’t trailed in the last two games and takes on the lowest scoring team in the league with a chance to take control of its division.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The season has played out pretty much how we expected for the 49ers after the offseason from hell. But did anybody see Kaepernick turning into Tim Tebow? Not that the failures of the offense are all Kaps’ fault, but being the player in the most visible position does tend to shine a light directly on you. The Niners can’t throw the ball, which in turn hinders the run game and the ability to score points. The defense has been battered the last three games as well, and the Niners have been outscored by 79 points in those losses. They don’t look good because they aren’t good. There is some talent on the Niners and if the Giants take them lightly they will be surprised. New York hasn’t trailed in its last two games and beat a decent Buffalo team on the road last week. They’ve overcome the fourth-quarter issues that cost them a pair of games early and are a serious contender in the NFC East. They won’t let this one get away.
New York 27, San Francisco 13
BookMaker opened the spread for this Sunday game at -7 in favor of the Giants. The NFL lines total surfaced at 43. Minute-by-minute spreads, totals and props are available for this game using the live betting platform at BookMaker.
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone or tablet with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! The matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants will kick off Sunday, October 11, 2015, at 8:30 p.m. ET at MetLife Stadium. The game will be broadcast nationally on NBC.
