[New post] 49ers vs. Giants: 5 keys to winning home opener in Year 10 at Levi’s Stadium
gqlshare posted: "SANTA CLARA – New grass is down, a 2-0 start is in hand, and the 49ers open their 10th season at Levi's Stadium in prime time."Whoooo's got it better than us? … "Sorry, that was then-coach Jim Harbaugh's rallying cry a decade ago, when the 49ers moved fro" Daily Democrat
SANTA CLARA – New grass is down, a 2-0 start is in hand, and the 49ers open their 10th season at Levi's Stadium in prime time.
"Whoooo's got it better than us? … "
Sorry, that was then-coach Jim Harbaugh's rallying cry a decade ago, when the 49ers moved from Candlestick Park to their $1.2 billion mansion atop a Great America parking lot.
Kickoff is at 5:15 p.m. today when the 49ers' host the short-handed New York Giants (Prime Video; KTVU Ch. 2).
Do you know how many times the 49ers Faithful have attended a Thursday night win here? Once, for a 2018 rout of the then-Oakland Raiders. Two years later, the 49ers beat the Green Bay Packers when COVID guidelines banned fans.
Do you recall the fiasco from the first Thursday night game at Levi's Stadium? Thanksgiving night, 2014, a 17-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, and, then a Tweet from CEO Jed York apologizing for how "this performance wasn't acceptable."
This season is trending much better, and this marks the start of a three-game homestand. Here is how the 49ers can win:
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) congratulates San Francisco 49ers' Christian McCaffrey (23) after scoring a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth quarter of their NFC divisional-round playoff game at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, January 22, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
1. 'A 7-SECOND FIGHT'
Remember when Brock Purdy replaced an injured Jimmy Garoppolo and did not get rattled by the Miami Dolphins' blitz-heavy baptism? More pressure is coming from the Giants, who blitzed a NFL-high 44.7-percent of their snaps last year under defensive coordinator Wink Martindale.
"They're aggressive. They blitz hard," running back Christian McCaffrey said. "All the time, they're bringing some sort of pressure."
McCaffrey, as an every-down back, must help protect Brock Purdy from the incoming linebacker or defensive back. Communication is just one key in blitz pickups. Running back coach Bobby Turner drilled a great description of what ensues.
"Bobby says it best: It's a 7-second fight, whether it's a quick (pass) or not," McCaffrey said. "There's a lot of technique involved but there's a lot of attitude involved, as well, and intent. You have to be on your guy for 7 seconds. It doesn't always work, but that's the mentality going into it."
For perspective, a bull rider must last eight seconds on a bull to earn a score. Purdy, by the way, is averaging 2.66 seconds to throw a pass, quicker than his 2.84-second average last season.
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, right, tries to outrun San Francisco 49ers place kicker Jake Moody during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
2. NFL RUSHING KING?
McCaffrey has opened the season with a NFL-high 268 rushing yards, and he'd like to end it with not only his first rushing crown, but the 49ers' first since Joe "The Jet" Perry ran for 1,049 yards over 12 games (87.4 yards per game) in 1954.
"Absolutely. If we can run the ball well, we can set up so much in this offense, and we've got the guys who can do that," McCaffrey said.
His body "feels really good" despite playing all 57 snaps on Los Angeles' synthetic grass Sunday. Yes, it's abnormal for a running back to play 100 percent of the reps, especially when backed up by a healthy Elijah Mitchell and Jordan Mason. McCaffrey, however, explained that the "flow" of Sunday's game allowed him plenty of rest between series. Of the 49ers' 10 possessions, none of the final nine lasted even four minutes. The Rams' offense played ballhog, owning the time-of-possession battle 33:11 to 26:49.
"There'll be games Mitchell gets four or five carries in a row on multiple drives because he's playing well and I'll be out. It's a situational thing," McCaffrey said. "I don't think it's ever a plan for one of us to get all the carries or not. Sometimes that is just how games go."
San Francisco 49ers defenders tackle New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
3. ZONE-READ REACTIONS
In Sunday's 21-point comeback at Arizona, Daniel Jones totaled a second-half output unmatched in NFL history. He became the first quarterback to pass for 250 yards (259), run for 50 yards (58), throw multiple touchdown passes (two), run for a touchdown and not commit a turnover.
That running aspect is most daunting for the 49ers, who've historically struggled against running quarterbacks because of their Get-The-(Bleep)-Off mentality as aggressive pass rushers. Jones' rushing ability is even more vital for the Giants after Saquon Barkley's ankle injury Sunday.
"No. 1, we've just got to maintain our rush lanes," defensive coordinator Steve Wilks said. "Sometimes our guys, and that position itself, is just so aggressive, and all of a sudden, you're trying to tell those guys to slow down and that's not what they do naturally."
The goal, then, is to pin Jones in the pocket, clog escape routes, plaster receivers in coverage, then sack him, force a fumble, and live happily ever after. "He's going to try to get out any chance he get," said Nick Bosa, who's hunting for his first sack of the season. "So we'll just try to close in on him, be good in our rush lanes, and we could have a good day."
Not only will the Giants be without Barkley, they've ruled out left tackle Andrew Thomas and left guard Ben Bredeson, as well as outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari.
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Darren Waller (83) catches a 24-yard touchdown pass while being defended by San Francisco 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga (29) during the first half of an NFL football game between the San Francisco 49ers and Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)
4. TIGHT END TROUBLE
Six months ago, the Giants surprisingly pulled off a trade for Darren Waller from the Raiders, who, six months earlier, awarded him a contract extension that pays him more annually ($17 million) than the 49ers' George Kittle ($15 million).
Waller gave Jones and the Giants a No. 1 target, and he emerged in that capacity Sunday (six catches, 76 yards).
"The size and the speed is something that is hard to contain," linebacker Fred Warner said. "It's something we're going to have to be aware of and make sure we're on top of because if he gets going, then it could get ugly quick."
Warner knows by experience from last season's Week 18 overtime win in Las Vegas. Not only did Waller put the Raiders ahead 7-0 with the first of his three catches (72 yards), he drew a pass-interference penalty on Warner in the end zone to set up a game-tying touchdown with a minute left in regulation.
As for Kittle, he's had just three catches (19 yards Week 1, 30 yards Week 2) while having to help block. That trend could continue to combat the Giants' blitzes. Or he could be the quick-pass option for Purdy if Brandon Aiyuk (shoulder) is limited or unable to play.
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) in action against the New York Giants during an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
5. DON'T OVERLOOK DEFENSE
After opening the season against a pair of former NFL Defensive Player of the Years — T.J. Watt and Aaron Donald – the 49ers next face a Giants defense still seeking its first sack and turnover of the season. No, these aren't your Lawrence Taylor defenders, but all it takes is a Jim Burt- or Leonard Marshalls-type hit (see: Montana, Joe) to remind the 49ers of the consequences.
"They've got as good of inside players here, too," Shanahan said. "Dexter Lawrence, it's our first time really seeing him, but just watching the last 24 hours, he's as good as advertised. Leonard Williams has always been a great player. Both of their edges are good also. So they've got a very good front. Similar challenges the last two weeks."
Leading the Giants' last season were Dexter Lawrence (7 ½ sacks), Ojulari (5 1/2) and Kayvon Thibodeaux (four), the latter of whom finished fourth in NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.
Thibodeaux also stoked social-media flames by social-media flames when he critiqued the 49ers' NFC Championship Game loss, tweeting: "Way this game looks we might be better than the 49ers." Former 49ers Joe Staley's reply: "Ur a flash player who gets bodied by average tackles."
The Giants will encounter a 49ers offense that's scored 30 points in each of its wins (30-7 at the Pittsburgh Steelers, 30-23 at the Los Angeles Rams). It's an offense averaging 32 points per game since Purdy replaced Garoppolo in that Dec. 4 win at Miami, including two playoff wins and excluding the NFC Championship Game in which Purdy got injured.
If Purdy needs to air it out, his confidence is not shaken from Sunday's three overthrows. Here is his fascinating description of the passing attack: "The anticipation, the trust, it's real, it's part of this position, it's part of football. You can't always throw when a guy breaks and he is wide open. That's just not how the league works. Windows close fast and you have to be on point. You have to anticipate guys and where they're supposed to be per coverage, per concept. So that's something that we work on and we take very seriously here. It's part of our offense being able to throw before guys break and whatnot."
And with that, let the games resume at Levi's Stadium.
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