The San Francisco 49ers head out to the East Coast to battle against the 2-6 New York Giants. Both teams are coming off a loss in the previous week. If the 49ers look to bounce back and erase their worst outing— a Week 8 loss to the Houston Texans—they must stick to the Keys to Victory.
Establish the Run
The 49ers need that to set a goal and get as close to that magic number—40 rushing attempts—if they're going to stand a chance against the New York Giants.
The Giants are ranked 30th against the run, allowing 148.9 yards per game. They ranked 26th in allowed rushing touchdowns per game. The 49ers need to bully the defensive line upfront and generate rushing lanes for running back Christian McCaffrey and company. The 49ers may need to mix it up a bit using wide receiver runs, quarterback runs, and their other running backs, such as Brian Robinson Jr.
Expect Kyle Shanahan to run the ball outside and power up the middle inside. If the 49ers can establish the run, they will be heading toward a 6-3 record.
Attack the Linebackers
The Giants' linebackers—Okereke and Massau—rank 61 and 65 out of 80 linebackers, per Pro Football Focus. On film, both linebackers struggle in coverage. Kyle Shanahan loves to exploit weak coverage linebackers.
Expect quarterback Mac Jones to get the ball out of his hands quickly while attacking the linebackers using screens, slants, and quick out throws. This could be a massive game for players like Christian McCaffrey, tight end George Kittle, and wide receiver Jauan Jennings, if covered by the Giants' linebackers.
If the 49ers' offense targets the linebackers, they will likely gain explosive plays to help seal the deal.
Contain Jaxson Dart
This week, the 49ers' defense must contain Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart. Dart may be the most mobile quarterback the 49ers have faced all season without linebacker Fred Warner and defensive end Nick Bosa.
Dart has 43 rushing attempts for 195 yards, averaging 4.5 yards per carry, with four touchdowns on the season. This is going to be a massive task for the edge rushers of the 49ers. Mykel Williams, Clelin Ferrell, and the others must set the edge and keep Dart in the pocket to eliminate any big runs to the outside.
When inside, the 49ers' defensive front must wrap and tackle to keep Dart from bursting right up the middle. If the 49ers look to spy, they could run a big nickel package using rookie safety Marques Sigle, who is a great run defender, tackler, and has speed.
Don't expect Dart to go down without fighting. His team may be 2-6, but he keeps his team in every game. The mission is simple: contain Dart, control Dart, defeat Dart.
The 49ers need this win badly. Expect the team to go all out and secure the victory by any means necessary. Running the ball is key offensively, and taking away Jaxson Dart's run ability is key defensively. If the 49ers stick to these three keys, they will be victorious.