49ers at Giants: Could San Francisco Possibly Spoil New York's Fun?

To get you ready for week 7, FanHouse is previewing all 13 NFL games. Here is the New York Giants/San Francisco 49ers preview.

2007 Records:

New York Giants: 4-2 (2nd in NFC East)
San Francisco 49ers: 2-3 (3rd in NFC West)

Last Game(s):

Giants 31 - Falcons 10
Ravens 9 - 49ers 7

When the 49ers have the ball: Offensively, the 49ers will look to get anything going -- really, anything. They are currently dead last in the NFL managing only 203.2 yards per game, and 31st in the league scoring only 12.6 points per game. On the plus side, they are likely to get Alex Smith and Vernon Davis back in time for this game, and that has to go at least some distance in improving this embarrassing offense.

Defensively, the Giants just have to do more of the same. Outside of one huge run by Jerious Norwood on Monday night, they were able to shut down the Falcons offense and help the team walk away with their fourth victory in as many games. Ever since halftime of the Redskins game, this unit has been one of, if not the best defense in the entire league. And so long as defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo continues to gameplan according and call the game aggressively, New York will continue to dominate.

When the Giants have the ball: A little consistency by Eli Manning would be nice, but so long as the Giants keep winning, those "what were you thinking" interceptions will be overlooked. And it's not like all of them were horrible decisions, but it's something he needs to cut back on either way. Outside of that, there is little to complain about for the Giants offensively; they have scored points, avoided costly penalties and spread the ball around well. Almost anyone on that side of the ball not named Michael Matthews appears to be a significant offensive threat. And therein lies the problem for San Francisco.

How can the 49ers possibly stop New York? Well, that may not be as tricky as jump starting the offense. While San Francisco may not be overly skilled defensively, they can find some advantages to exploit this weekend. One of those would be the series of injuries the Giants are suffering. While it's unlikely that Plaxico Burress, Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward will miss the game, it is likely that their respective aches and pains could hinter their performance. Sure, it hasn't yet, but it's bound to happen sooner or later. With none of those men being at 100%, the 49ers could focus on them, essentially taking them out of the game.

The Edge: Experts, analysts and fans are always looking for the "edge" and what team has it. So, who has it this week? The New York Giants, of course. I mean, really, is there a team riding a larger momentum wave at the moment? This is a team that started 0-2 and was dead in the water, who have suddenly come to life and begun rolling over anything and anyone in their path.

Keep an eye on:

Aaron Ross versus 49ers wide receivers - Will the 49ers try to exploit the rookie? Will they be able to? Everything Ross has touched so far has turned to gold, but he still has a lot of learning to do.

Bryant Young - After starting strong, Young has quieted down, but may be the key for San Francisco on Sunday. If he can get to Manning and rattle him, the 49ers may be able to force some ill-advised turnovers.

Giants blitz packages - Do you ever wonder what the Eagles' Jim Johnson could do with the Giants personnel? Well, if you have, watch the Giants defense this weekend.

Note: This is another classic "trap game" scenario. The Giants have been able to avoid falling for it so far, but with Miami (in London) and a bye week up ahead, this may be the perfect time for them to slip up. The 49ers could easily end the Giants fun this Sunday.