The New York Giants offense was abysmal through the first six quarters of the season. They scored zero points in their first 90 minutes of football and never looked particularly close to figuring anything out. The proverbial switch flipped in the second half of their Week 2 game vs. the Cardinals where they overcame a 28-7 deficit late in the third quarter to pull out a 31-28 win.
Even with running back Saquon Barkley ruled out, the 49ers coaching staff still believes the Giants are a threat to continue moving the ball the way they did in the second half at Arizona thanks to quarterback Daniel Jones’ ability to run the ball.
Buy 49ers TicketsMobile quarterbacks have given the 49ers fits during head coach Kyle Shanahan’s tenure, so it’s not a surprise the head coach highlighted that aspect of Jones’ game when discussing the Giants’ offense in a press conference Tuesday.
“Huge challenge. It starts with his legs,” Shanahan said. “Anytime you have that speed and you can run the ball like he does. They’re willing to run him. He’s willing to run. He’s physical when he runs. He’s got the skillset to run away from people. So anytime you have a quarterback like that, the challenge that does just schematically, unlocking your defense and making you have to play a certain way is always a pain.”
Defensive coordinator Steve Wilks on Tuesday echoed Shanahan’s sentiments. He believes the Giants’ run game even without Barkley can thrive thanks to Jones.
“He’s very challenging,” Wilks said, “extremely athletic, does a great job with that format and that offense. They love to run the zone-read as you mentioned. That’s part of [New York Giants head coach Brian] Daboll’s offense. He did the same thing in Buffalo with [Buffalo Bills QB Josh] Allen. So, it’s definitely something that we’re going to see. It’s definitely something that we put on tape during preseason, so we’ve definitely got to be prepared for it.”
Jones ran it nine times for 59 yards and a touchdown in New York’s win over the Cardinals. He also ran for a career-high 708 yards and seven touchdowns a season ago.
A game where Jones gets loose on the ground and extends drives is one where the Giants would have a real chance to stick around and swing an upset. Limiting his running should be a centerpiece of the 49ers’ defensive game plan.
While Jones’ athleticism and the threat he poses as a runner both stand out, he can also dice up a defense through the air. Sunday in Arizona he completed 26-of-37 throws for 321 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Shanahan knows that if Jones opens things up on the ground, he can be dangerous in the air.
“And then he’s got the ability to play in the pocket and beat you that way too,” Shanahan said. “So he’s getting better each year. We’ve all really loved him coming out and I think one of the main reasons he took them to the playoffs last year. He played really unbelievable there in that second half on Sunday.”
The Giants don’t have a ton of offensive weapons ready to roll, but it’s clear the club will highlight Jones as a runner Thursday night. If they can slow down that aspect of New York’s offense they may be able to grind the entire unit to a halt. Stopping a mobile QB though is far easier said than done, so the 49ers’ defense will certainly have its hands full.
