Battered SF gets injury break
Giants know 49ers’ pain after New York loses star running back Barkley
What if we told you the 49ers have actually had some good fortune with injuries this season?
Would you call us crazy? Delusional? Maybe worse?
Before getting too worked up and rattling off the long list of the 49ers’ wounded, consider that this coming Sunday could be the second consecutive game San Francisco’s opponent will be without both its star running back and top wide receiver.
The New York Giants will welcome the 49ers back to their house of horrors — aka MetLife
Stadium — without Saquon Barkley, perhaps the NFL’s best running back, who went down with a season-ending torn ACL during his team’s 17-13 loss to the Bears. Sterling Shepard, the Giants’ No. 1 receiver, limped off the field with a toe injury at the end of the first half and may not face the 49ers either.
The Giants’ injury woes not only stack up with some of those suffered by the 49ers, they mirror the pain endured by the Jets, who were walloped by San Francisco on Sunday with star tailback Le’Veon Bell (hamstring) and top receiver Jamison Crowder (hamstring) nowhere to be found.
That’s not to suggest the 49ers aren’t plenty good enough on their own to easily dispose of the likes of the Jets and Giants. It’s just a reminder that NFL injuries really don’t discriminate.
Some reasons for 49ers’ optimism
GIANTS’ LINE STRUGGLES CONTINUE » After a rough Week 1,
the Giants’ line play was only slightly better in their loss to the Bears on Sunday. New York’s offensive linemen have allowed an eye-popping 56 pressures through two games, just one fewer than the Texans’ NFL worst 57. The Giants line has only created enough room for 104 yards rushing, including just six from Barkley a week ago.
Most concerning for the Giants has been the play of rookie left tackle Andrew Thomas, the fourth overall pick in this year’s draft. Thomas, who was the Giants’ highest-picked offensive lineman since 1974, was regularly beaten in pass protection against the Bears. Of course, the Bears have Khalil Mack rushing the passer. Even the Raiders will admit he’s no ordinary guy.
TAKING A RUN AT THE GIANTS » Should Nick Mullens get the start at quarterback over Jimmy Garoppolo
( high-ankle sprain), we can probably expect a heavy dose of running the ball for the 49ers — with whomever is healthy enough to run the ball.
The Giants’ defensive linemen — Leonard Williams, Dalvin Tomlinson, Dexter Lawrence and BJ Hill — get solid grades as run- stuffers, according to ProFootballFocus.com. But the foursome couldn’t prevent the Steelers and Bears from piling up 141 yards and 135 yards, respectively, against the Giants this season.
But New York also had the league’s fourth-worst pass-rush grade last season among linemen. The general lack of pressure up front has made it easier for Ben Roethlisberger and Mitch Trubisky to attack Giants defensive backs not named James Bradberry — mainly Corey Ballentine and Isaac Yiadom. Staying clear of Bradberry is probably wise for the 49ers, considering he’s coming off another outstanding game — he had an interception, three passes broken up
and allowed just one catch on six targets against the Bears. Bradberry earned PFF’s highest grade — 91.6 — of any NFL defender in Week 2.
Some reasons for 49ers’ pessimism
IN MULLENS WE TRUST? » Jimmy Garoppolo’s high ankle sprain could very well prevent him from playing, which would mean it’s Nick Mullens time again. Forced into second- half duty in the 49ers’ win over the Jets, Mullens looked like a man who hasn’t thrown a pass in two years, which, coincidentally, was the case Sunday.
His last real action came in 2018 when he started eight games after Garoppolo tore his ACL. Mullens started eight games — with just three wins — and threw for 2,277 yards, 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
HAVE YOU SEEN THE 49ERS’ INJURY LIST? » The Giants will enter Sunday’s game as an underdog, but they also won’t have to worry about
a lot of the 49ers’ top level talent. While still talented, the 49ers’ talent advantage takes a hit if they’re without Garoppolo, Nick Bosa ( knee), George Kittle ( knee), Raheem Mostert ( knee), Richard Sherman (calf) and Deebo Samuel (foot), as many expect.
The 49ers who will suit up are probably dreading having to venture back onto the “sticky” artificial turf at MetLife Stadium. “It was something our guys were concerned about right away,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said Sunday. “And the results definitely made that stronger. Unfortunately, it’s a place we have to go back to next week.”
PROBABLE DIFFERENCEMAKER » Daniel Jones.
No one said it was fair, but Saquon Barkley’s unfortunate injury means the second-year quarterback from Duke will have to carry the load offensively from here on out. The Giants need Jones to quickly out grow his growing pains if they are to have a shot this season.