Giants vs. 49ers: 10 Keys to Watch During Transcontinental Grudge Match

The 7-1 San Francisco 49ers will face the 6-2 New York Giants in what will be considered the game of the week. 

The San Francisco 49ers return home after defeating the Washington Redskins in a hard fought 19-11 victory. The New York Giants are also coming off a huge win, where they defeated the New England Patriots in Gillette stadium. 

Expect a dogged match between two teams fighting for that second bye slot in the NFC. Can Eli Manning continue his solid play or will Frank Gore take over? 

Here are the keys to watch in this pivotal matchup. 

Elite Manning

Eli Manning has played at an elite level in the first half of the season, but will have his hands full against a staunch 49ers defense. Expect something to give, in what will be the game of the week. 

East to West

We all talk about the West coast teams traveling East, but there are struggles when the opposite occurs. 

49ers Run Game

The New York Giants are ranked 25th against the run despite the pedigree of their defensive line. I expect Frank Gore to have a huge day against a suspect Giants run defense. 

Pass Protection

The 49ers' offensive line could struggle in pass protection against the vaunted Giants pass rush. The Niners must focus on slowing down Jason Pierre Paul, who already has recorded nine-and-a-half sacks for the season. 

The New York Giants' offensive line has played below average and should struggle against a fiery 49ers front seven.  

Carlos Rogers vs. Hakeem Nicks

Can Carlos Rogers contain Hakeem Nicks? If the Niners are able to take away the Giants' run game, expect Eli to sling it 40-50 times. 

Carlos Rogers has played at a Pro Bowl level this season and will have to bring his "A" game against a pass-happy Giants offense. 

Injuries

The New York Giants are dealing with some injury issues with key players. Headlining the injury list is running back Ahmad Bradshaw, who returned to practice today. 

Center David Baas also returned to practice, in the hopes of playing against his former team in the Niners. Hakeem Nicks was absent, but I fully expect the star receiver to suit up against the Niners this Sunday. 

49ers Special Teams

The 49ers' special teams, led by Brad Seely, is one of the best in the league. Ted Ginn Jr. is having a Pro Bowl season and could end up positioning the 49ers offense with short fields this Sunday. 

Andy Lee also deserves a shout-out for his performance in the first half of the season. 

Patrick Willis vs. Jake Ballard

Rookie Jake Ballard has played well the last few weeks, but this Sunday he likely matches up with Patrick Willis. 

Patrick Willis is known as a run-stuffer and a ferocious hitter, but his play in coverage has been equally great. 

Alex Smith

The 49ers are a run-oriented football team, but Alex has done his part to make the opposing defense honest. The Niners should be effective on the ground, but Alex will have to continue avoiding turnovers. His play in the turnover department has keyed a 49ers turnaround this season. 

Complacent Giants

The New York Giants have a reputation of not showing up for certain games. If the Giants start slow, expect the Niners to roll in this game. 

The Giants must quiet this raucous home crowd in San Francisco if they hope to escape with a win. We all saw what happened in San Francisco when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers started slow.