Giants Face 49ers Later Today

San Fransisco isn't just a defensive pound and ground team this year. They actually have an offense that can win games for them. For a wounded Giants team to go into their house and have any chance of walking  away with a win, it is my belief they have to completely shut down the 49ers great running game. That is a very large, if not impossible, challenge for the Giants - but one they have to achieve if they are going to prevail.

Why am I so focused on the need to stop their running game:

1. Giants aren't putting up 30+ points on offense against the 49ers defense.
2. Giants aren't going to run the ball well and are therefore almost certainly not going to control the clock and limit San Fransisco's possessions.
3. Combine the first two elements and the only conclusion is that the Giants defense has to limit the points the 49ers score if Giants are going to be in this game. But, as I've noted, the 49ers suddenly have a legitimate well balanced offense this year, maybe bordering on prolific. In order for the Giants defense to keep the game close enough for Giants offense to win, the Giants defensive line has to get to Smith.
4. The Giants defensive line is not going to get to Smith if San Fransisco maintains a balanced offense. Thus, the Giants have to make the 49ers offense one dimensional and the only practical way to do that is to completely shut down their running game - which will create some long down situations for the 49ers in the first half and then totally abandoning their running game in the second half - allowing the Giants defensive line to ignore the run and pin their ears back and go full out after Smith.

The bottom line? The Giants have a very poor chance of winning this game if the 49ers offense remains two dimensional and the Giants defense is forced to honor the pass and the run all game long.