Week 7: San Francisco at NY Giants

Revenge is patient. Also, sometimes, very cheap. The last time the Giants saw Trent Dilfer, he was wearing a Baltimore Ravens uniform and inexplicably masterminding a bone-rattling butt-whipping of the G-Men in Super Bowl XXXV. That was seven years ago, of course, but for a Giants team currently plowing through a weak stretch on their schedule, now is the ideal time to re-make The Dilf’s acquaintance.

Brought in to be a veteran backup type to 49ers QB Alex Smith, Dilfer unexpectedly found himself removing his headset after Smith badly separated his shoulder in Week 4. While Dilfer wasn’t exactly terrible in his two starts, San Fran fans are hoping Smith can return this week – he’s still questionable at press time. For a 49ers offense that has been limping along all season long, the player under center may not make much of a difference against a rejuvenated Giants defense. That’s doubly true if RB Frank Gore continues to struggle (he’s currently averaging 3.6 YPC and just 61.2 YPG), but even if Gore gets off the schnide, it’s hard to imagine this disoriented and ineffective unit mustering much against a Giants defense whose confidence is soaring.

Although they’ve only been dominant twice – in their ridiculous 12-sack, one touchdown stuffing of the Eagles in Week 4 and against a bad Falcons team last week – the Big Blue D has continued to loom larger for opponents with each passing week. The quick development of rookie safety Aaron Ross into a playmaker has helped bolster a suspect secondary, and the defensive line has been increasingly tough against the run and regained its pass-rushing mojo. Against a 49ers team that ranks dead last in the NFL in total offense, it looks like another big week is in the offing.

That goes for the Giants offense, too, which has put up 30-plus points in back-to-back games and is now clicking along at full strength. Plaxico Burress is unable to practice due to a badly sprained ankle, but he has been available on Sundays and continues to make Eli Manning look far better than he actually is. The 49ers’ secondary is the best the Giants have faced since Dallas’s in Week 1, but even against ace CB Nate Clements, Burress is a good bet to look good. Ditto for the Giants running game, where Brandon Jacobs looks fully healed and the team continues to find solid supporting work from Derrick Ward (little-used last week but terrific during Jacobs’ injury) and Reuben Droughns, who tallied 90 yards on 14 carries against Atlanta. The Giants’ offensive line has given the backs room to work and Manning the time he so dearly needs to get comfortable, and as long as that continues, the Giants will win.

While San Francisco’s defense has been moderately tough so far, we think Eli will have another relatively relaxing day this week. The playmakers on the 49ers defensive squad are almost all in the secondary, and unless Eli starts forcing passes – either under duress or because of his patented, gape-mouthed brain lock – San Francisco will have to step up to slow these Giants down. Considering their past troubles against the run – they’re giving up 124.2 yards per game on the ground, 22nd-best in the NFL – San Francisco can expect a steady diet of Jacobs, Droughns and Ward. Also being served, whether Trent Dilfer’s on the field or the sideline: revenge. Probably served cold – apparently that’s best? Anyway, cold or not, said revenge will definitely be anticlimactic. But, to our minds, it’s just about certain.

Giants by 10