NFL Week 10 Preview: Giants’ Eli Manning vs. 49ers’ Patrick Willis In Game Of The Week

NEW YORK GIANTS (6-2) at SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (7-1)
Sunday, 4:15 P.M. ET, FOX, Direct TV (716), Sirius (NYG 85, 86 SF)

Why Watch
No, you are not seeing things, football fans. The near-perfect 49ers are vying for home field advantage with the perfect Green Bay Packers. Who saw that coming? Not the NFL who scheduled this game for 4:15 P.M. because a big-market, east coast team flew west to play it. The ‘Niners are 2-1 against the NFC East. Now comes the Giants, the beastliest of them all.

What To Watch
It takes about eight games for opposing teams to catch on to what a new coach is doing with his new team. Give a coordinator enough game video and he can game plan any other team. This is Jim Harbaugh’s next challenge. Figure out how other teams will game plan the ‘Niners now that they won’t sneak up on anyone.

New York’s Tom Coughlin is good at that. The Giants did enough to stifle the Patriots in their house last weekend. They should have a tad easier time doing the same to the 49ers offense, provided they contain RB Frank Gore so that he does not become a play-action threat. The question is whether QB Eli Manning can overcome San Francisco’s eighth-ranked defense. If Peyton Manning were active this season, he might not have played as well as Brother Eli (15 TDs, 6 INTs) who ranks seventh in yards and fifth in passer rating. Ahmad Bradshaw is OUT for the Giants.

Who Will Win

This game is all about New York’s offense vs. San Francisco’s defense and Eli Manning vs. four-time Pro Bowler Patrick Willis. With Bradshaw out, Willis carries the day. 49ers at home. 

And you can add the name Harbaugh to the list of family dynasties in pro football, right up there with Manning and Ryan.

About Anthony Brown

Lifelong Redskins fan and blogger about football and life since 2004. Joined MVN's Hog Heaven blog in 2005 and then moved Redskins Hog Heaven to Bolguin Network. Believes that the course of a season is pre-ordained by management decisions made during the offseason. Can occasionally be found on the This Given Sunday blog and he does guest posts.

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