The New York Giants (1-1) head out to the Bay Area to take on the San Francisco 49ers (2-0) on Thursday Night Football at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Here are five things to know about this week’s matchup.
The series
This is the 43rd meeting between the Giants and the 49ers. The series is tied 21-21. Since the 2011 NFC Championship Game — in which the Giants won — the teams have taken turns winning over the next six meetings.
The 49ers lead the all-time series at home against the Giants, 12-10, and look to earn their second win against Big Blue in the last four seasons.
In the series, which dates back to 1952, the two teams are separated by only 22 points (49ers 874, Giants 852).
The Giants are 1-1 in Levi’s Stadium. They won in the last meeting in the Bay Area, 27-23, on Monday night, November 12, 2018.
The Giants and 49ers have met seven times in the postseason. San Francisco has a 4-3 edge in those games.
Injuries: Barkley OUT
The Giants got some good news about star running back Saquon Barkley’s ankle. It is not the dreaded ‘high’ ankle sprain but rather the ‘ordinary’ sprain. However, he will miss this game and is not scheduled back until Week 6.
Guard Ben Bredeson is in the concussion protocol and is also not likely to play.
Left tackle Andrew Thomas (hamstring) missed Sunday’s game in Arizona. He remains day-to-day.
For San Francisco, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk missed Monday’s workout with a shoulder injury. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said it is ‘too early’ to determine whether Aiyuk will suit up on Thursday.
The state of the teams after two weeks
The Niners are 2-0 after knocking off the rival Los Angeles Rams, 30-23, on the road last Sunday.
The Giants are 1-1 after their 31-28 win over the Cardinals in Arizona — their biggest comeback in a game in 74 years.
The 49ers have scored 60 points through the first two weeks of the 2023 season, marking the second-most points scored in Weeks 1-2 during head coach Kyle Shanahan’s seven-year tenure (72 — 2019).
Through Week 2, the 49ers are the only team in the NFL to have two rushing plays of 50 or more yards.
The Giants were shut out by Dallas, 40-0, in Week 1 and trailed at halftime in Arizona, 20-0. It was the first time the Giants were shut out in the first six quarters of a season since 1934 (first seven quarters).
The Giants were the first team to allow at least 60 unanswered points in a season since the 1978 Baltimore Colts (86 points).
The Giants allowed the first 20-plus points in consecutive games for the first time since December 8-17, 2013, in their losses to San Diego and Seattle.
Who are these Niners?
This will be the first time the 49ers will face the Giants with three of their biggest offensive stars — running back Christian McCaffrey, quarterback Brock Purdy and wide receiver Deebo Samuel.
McCaffrey leads the NFL in rushing yards (268) and trails Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson by five yards (309-304) for the league lead in total yards from scrimmage.
Purdy is 2-0 to start this season. He is 7-0 in games started going back to 2022, when he took over the reins as the Niners’ starting QB.
Samuel was a Pro Bowler in 2021 when he racked up 1,770 total yards from scrimmage and scored 14 touchdowns. He is finally healthy again after two injury-marred seasons.
Daniel Jones continues to perplex
Against Arizona, Daniel Jones had a second half for the ages. He threw for 250+ yards, rushed for 50+ yards, threw multiple touchdown passes, rushed for a touchdown, and had no turnovers. It was the only time an NFL quarterback has done all of that in the second half of a game in the 104-year history of the league.
Jones’ 102 yards rushing leads all NFL quarterbacks through two games. But there’s been some rough moments, too.
Jones has been sacked 10 times thus far. Only Houston Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud has been sacked more (11). Jones is tied with five others for the second-most interceptions (3) thrown this season. Only the Jets’ Zach Wilson (4) has thrown more.
