The 49ers are aiming to bounce back from a hugely underwhelming Week 8 display when they face the New York Giants on the road.
San Francisco is favored to improve to 6-2, but victory is far from a given
for the 49ers considering their injuries and the issues that are afflicting them on both sides of the trenches.
There have been suggestions the 49ers could look to address their lack of pass rush by striking a trade for one of New York’s stable of pass rushers, with Kayvon Thibodeaux mentioned as a potential target.
But would the Giants be willing to trade him? I checked in with Edward Valentine of Big Blue View to get his take on the trade talk and some of the other key issues ahead of the 49ers’ first road game with the Giants since 2020.
The Giants are 2-6, but there seems to be a lot more optimism around the team with Jaxson Dart’s emergence. Is Brian Daboll coaching for his job or have he and Joe Schoen bought themselves some time?
Daboll is undoubtedly coaching for his job. Giants’ ownership does not WANT to make a change. They put Daniel Jones through three head coaches, two GMs and probably a half-dozen offensive coordinators in his time with the Giants. They want to avoid doing that to Jaxson Dart if at all possible.
It’s clear that Dart and Daboll have a great relationship. Daboll is the guy who pushed for Dart. Still, you have to win games. Since the start of 2023 the Giants are 11-31 with Daboll as head coach, and they continue to find embarrassing ways to lose games. That has to change over the next few weeks, or the Giants will find someone else.
Given their issues rushing the passer, there’s intrigue among the 49ers’ fanbase around a potential trade for a Giants defensive lineman. Do you see New York trading any of their players on the defensive front?
I do not. There has been a lot of discussion about Kayvon Thibodeaux, but I know the Giants don’t want to trade him. He was the first player GM Joe Schoen drafted. To trade Thibodeaux, the Giants would probably have to receive an offer of multiple picks that included at least a second-rounder. I don’t see anybody doing that.
The Giants have had issues stopping the run so far this season, what have been the underlying reasons behind those struggles?
“Issues stopping the run?” LOL. I would actually say they have shown a complete inability to defend the run. They are last in the league, and deserve to be so. By Expected Points Added (EPA), the Giants are -45.79 vs. the run, 14 points worse than the 31st-ranked team (Dallas). Terrible run fits with guys consistently jumping into the wrong gaps. Inability to set the edge, both from the outside linebackers and cornerbacks. Miserable tackling. Dexter Lawrence is not having his best year, and there isn’t a ton of talent next to him in the interior defensive line.
New York suffered a huge blow with the loss of Cam Skattebo for the rest of the season. How do you think that will change the offense the rest of the way?
I don’t think it changes the offense a lot. Tyrone Tracy was the team’s leading rusher a year ago, and he can also be used as a receiver. Devin Singletary is still a decent player. What it changes is the energy. The attitude. That is what Skattebo (and Dart) have really brought to the Giants in addition to talent. Are they going to be able to maintain that sort of energy?
The 49ers are narrow favorites for this game? How do you see this one turning out?
I know the 49ers are 5-3 and the Giants 2-6. I know San Francisco is favored. The Giants have won their two games at home with Dart at quarterback, and I think they can win this one. The 49ers have not scored more than 26 points in a game this season. The Giants have posted games of 37, 34 and 32 points. They can generate offense, although consistently surpassing 30 points without Skattebo and Malik Nabers is a big ask.
I think that if they can prevent San Francisco from having a “get right” game offensively, keeping the game around the 20-24-point mark, it could come down to whoever makes the plays at the end.
