Giants vs. 49ers: 5 Halftime Adjustments San Francisco Must Make

We should be in for a crazy finish as the 7-1 San Francisco 49ers take on the 6-2 New York Giants at Candlestick Park. 

The Niners are looking to inch closer to clinching the division title and extending their longest winning streak in 14 years. 

Can SF silence QB Eli Manning and further cement themselves as a top tier NFC team?

Here are five halftime adjustments the Niners need to consider if they want to come away with the win. 

Get After Eli

The Niners need to get after Manning with heavy pressure and win the battle of the trenches in the second half. On the Giants' first scoring drive Eli remained practically untouched and was able to complete 7-7 passes. Look for the Niners to bring a variety of looks with their front seven to get Manning out of his rhythm. If Manning isn't rushed into his throws, expect his dominance of SF's secondary to continue.  

Frank Gore?

Gore has been the backbone of SF's offense for much of this season. Although the Niners have been able to move the ball very efficiently through the air, they can't lose touch with the run in the second half. 

SF must try to establish the rush and get Gore more involved in the second half. If they want to win this game, they need to win the war on the ground. 

Early Down Stops 

The Niners need to focus on getting stops on first and second down in the second half. RB Brandon Jacobs has been able to break off easy chunks of yards on early downs, leaving Eli Manning with unlimited options on 3rd-and-short. 

Stuffing the run and containing NY's short out-routes will be imperative for the remainder of the game. 

Secondary Play

Manning has had his way with the Niners' secondary in the first half. A lot of this has to do with the abundance of time he has in the pocket, but the Niners' corners must lock down and begin to make plays. We've already seen a glimpse of this with Rogers' interception late in the second quarter. 

Shorten the Third Downs

The Niners have been forced into a number of long third downs early in this game. In the second half, San Francisco needs to focus on establishing the run early and getting positive yards on first and second down.