Giants get good grades
[object Object] Credit: AP free safety Antrel Rolle, left, celebrates with cornerback Prince Amukamara (20) after intercepting San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith during the third quarter at Candlestick Park. The Giants won, 26-3. (Oct. 14, 2012)
OFFENSE
B The Giants had two scoring drives in which they moved the ball a total of 1 yard combined. That left them having to settle for field goals after Antrel Rolle's interceptions set them up in the red zone on consecutive possessions. Other than that, they moved the ball well. Ahmad Bradshaw is running better than ever and Eli Manning completed 15 of 29 passes for 193 yards (the first time in 24 games he fell short of 200). Domenik Hixon was a first-down machine in the first half. Their final drive, which ate up 7:10 of the fourth quarter, really iced the victory.
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OFFENSE
B The Giants had two scoring drives in which they moved the ball a total of 1 yard combined. That left them having to settle for field goals after Antrel Rolle's interceptions set them up in the red zone on consecutive possessions. Other than that, they moved the ball well. Ahmad Bradshaw is running better than ever and Eli Manning completed 15 of 29 passes for 193 yards (the first time in 24 games he fell short of 200). Domenik Hixon was a first-down machine in the first half. Their final drive, which ate up 7:10 of the fourth quarter, really iced the victory.
DEFENSE
A Three turnovers. Six sacks. Eighty rushing yards allowed. That's all you really need to know about the job the Giants did against a team that came in with one of the high-powered offenses in the NFL. The last time Alex Smith had a game like this, the 49ers fans were chanting for David Carr. The 49ers had only four plays of 20 yards or more and never got closer to the end zone than the Giants' 31. The 49ers converted only 4 of 14 third downs and the Giants had one big stop on a fourth down.
SPECIAL TEAMS
C First the good: David Wilson's 66-yard kickoff return to open the second half set the tone and allowed the Giants to take a lead that forced the 49ers to throw instead of run. The bad: a blocked field goal late in the first half on a missed block by Bear Pascoe on the edge. Lawrence Tynes was good on four field goals. The Giants were able to contain Kyle Williams and Ted Ginn Jr. on punt and kickoff returns.
COACHING
B+ The Giants basically retooled their entire defense, shuffling players into different positions, and It clearly worked. Offensively, the Giants did a good job of sticking with the run even when it wasn't very effective in the first half. Tom Coughlin continues to push the right buttons for his perceived underdogs.