The 49ers seek their second 3-0 start in 25 seasons when they host the Giants

Updated Sep. 20, 2023 3:42 p.m. ET

Associated Press

NEW YORK GIANTS (1-1) at SAN FRANCISCO (2-0)

Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EDT, Prime Video

OPENING LINE: 49ers by 10, according to FanDuel SportsBook.

AGAINST THE SPREAD: Giants 0-2; 49ers 1-0-1.

SERIES RECORD: Tied 21-21.

LAST MEETING: 49ers beat Giants 36-9 on Sept. 27, 2020, in New York.

LAST WEEK: Giants beat Cardinals 31-28; 49ers beat Rams 27-20.

GIANTS OFFENSE: OVERALL (23), RUSH (13), PASS (24), SCORING (28)

GIANTS DEFENSE: OVERALL (15), RUSH (26), PASS (9), SCORING (32)

49ERS OFFENSE: OVERALL (7), RUSH (3), PASS (16), SCORING (3)

49ERS DEFENSE: OVERALL (12), RUSH (3), PASS (23), SCORING (3)

TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Giants minus-4; 49ers plus-3.

GIANTS PLAYER TO WATCH: Edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux. The No. 5 overall pick in the 2022 draft has been an enigma in the first two games. He looked very good in training camp and has been missing in action since the season started. He’s had four tackles, including one solo. Coach Brian Daboll was asked what is wrong with him on Monday and said he has the right mindset and is working to improve.

49ERS PLAYER TO WATCH: WR Deebo Samuel. Samuel had six catches for 63 yards and five carries for 38 yards and a TD last week. It was his first regular-season game with at least 100 yards from scrimmage since Week 4 against the Rams last season. He did it eight times in 2021.

KEY MATCHUP: Giants offensive line vs. 49ers defensive line. San Francisco generated only one sack last week — on a blitz by linebacker Fred Warner — as Rams QB Matthew Stafford did a good job of getting rid of the ball quickly. New York's Daniel Jones typically holds onto the ball longer and has been sacked 10 times this season.

KEY INJURIES: Giants RB Saquon Barkley sprained his ankle on Sunday and will miss the game. ... New York G Ben Bredeson (concussion) and LT Andrew Thomas (hamstring) also will be out. ... San Francisco WR Brandon Aiyuk (shoulder) and CB Ambry Thomas (knee) will be game-time decisions.

SERIES NOTES: The Niners are 2-1 against the Giants under coach Kyle Shanahan, including his first win as a head coach after nine straight losses in 2017. ... The teams met in the playoffs eight times between the 1981 and 2011 seasons, with each winning four.

STATS AND STUFF: The Giants rallied from 21 points down to beat Arizona last week, matching the biggest comeback in their 99-year history. ... The Giants are the fifth team in the Super Bowl era to have no sacks and no takeaways in the first two games of the season. ... New York QB Daniel Jones threw for 321 yards and two TDs and ran for 59 yards and another TD in the win last week. He is aiming for his third straight road start with 300 yards passing. ... TE Darren Waller had six catches for 76 yards last week for New York. He caught a TD against the Niners last season with Las Vegas. … Rookie WR Jalin Hyatt made his first two career receptions for 89 yards against the Cardinals. … New York WR Isaiah Hodgins caught a TD against Arizona and has TDs in three of his past four games. … New York DT Dexter Lawrence had a tackle for a loss in Arizona, and three in his past four games. … Safety Jason Pinnock had a career-high 13 tackles last week for the Giants. … New York CB Adoree Jackson has had a pass defense in three straight games. … Graham Gano’s 34-yard FG with 19 seconds remaining last week for the Giants was his ninth career game-winner in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime. ... San Francisco is seeking to start 3-0 for the second time in 25 seasons, having also done it in 2019. ... The Niners have won 12 straight regular-season games — three shy of the franchise record. ... The 49ers have scored at least 30 points on offense in each of the first two games of the season for the fourth time ever and first since 1998. ... San Francisco RB Christian McCaffrey has scored a TD in 11 straight games, including the playoffs — one shy of Jerry Rice's franchise record. The NFL record is 15 straight games held by John Riggins and O.J. Simpson. ... McCaffrey's 268 yards rushing are the most through two games since DeMarco Murray had 285 for Dallas in 2014. ... Niners rookie Jake Moody is the first kicker to make at least six FGs and six PATs without a miss in his first two games since Justin Tucker in 2012. ... Moody's 57-yard FG last week was the second longest in franchise history.

FANTASY TIP: With Barkley out, former 49ers RB Matt Breida could get a bigger load for the Giants. Breida has started only two games since leaving San Francisco following the 2019 season. But he topped 100 yards rushing five times in 18 starts in 2018-19 for the 49ers.

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