Eli Manning: Stomach Bug Is Nothing Compared to 49ers Defense

Much ado about nothing has been made of Eli Manning's stomach bug after the New York Giants' star quarterback missed part of Wednesday's practice.

The truth is, the San Francisco 49ers defense is going to upset Manning's stomach more than his stomach bug.

As Manning returned to practice today for the Giants, the only thing he should be concerned about is the 49ers' swarming defense, which allowed just 14.3 points per game during the regular season and intercepted Drew Brees twice in the divisional round.

The 49ers have also been able to create a lot of pressure this season, racking up 42 sacks behind All-Pros Aldon Smith and Justin Smith. Aldon Smith came a sack away from breaking the NFL rookie record for sacks in a single season.

The good news is that the Giants gave up just 28 sacks this season, seventh-fewest in the NFL. They also gave up just one sack against the 49ers in Week 10.

But not only have the 49ers gotten better as the season has worn on, the sack totals don't tell the whole story for Manning and the Giants. Just because Manning hasn't gotten sacked a lot doesn't mean he hasn't seen his fair share of pressure in the pocket.

Obviously, Manning and the Giants are riding a huge wave of momentum after knocking off the defending champion Green Bay Packers. But the 49ers are riding a wave of their own, coming off a thrilling 36-32 victory over the New Orleans Saints.

At home, the 49ers are going to be ferocious defensively. They also know opportunities like this don't come around very often.

Make no mistake about it—Manning will be prepared for Sunday's tilt against the 49ers, even after missing part of Wednesday's practice.

The question is, will he be able to handle the 49ers defense?

I think he's in for a rude awakening.