49ers Vs. Giants: Random Stats

The San Francisco 49ers welcome the New York Giants to town on Sunday in a battle of division leaders and a throwback to the 80s and early 90s when the 49ers and Giants had a solid playoff rivalry, squaring off five times in the divisional round or conference championship game between 1982 and 1994. The 49ers were 3-2 in those playoff games, and added an epic wild card victory in 2003.

This year, the two teams are battling for a shot at the second first round bye. A 49ers win would effectively give them a three game lead on the Giants thanks to the head-to-head tiebreaker. We are only in week ten but the playoff race is heating up for both teams.

This will be the second straight week the 49ers face a team with a strong pass rush. Last week they faced the Redskins and held them to a pair of sacks. Washington got a seven hits and four pressures on Smith to go with those sacks, but it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Now they face a Giants pass rush led by Jason Pierre-Paul (9.5 sacks) and Osi Umenyiora (6.0 sacks). Let's hope Alex can avoid the big hits this week.

Football Outsiders released their latest DVOA ratings and the 49ers hung steady at No. 4 overall. They jumped back up to No. 1 in special teams and face a Giants team that ranks No. 17 in special teams. The 49ers will once again find themselves looking to win the special teams battle and take control of field position. The Giants are fairly solid in coverage units. The Redskins were similarly solid and did a fairly decent job containing Ted Ginn. He had a big 19-yard punt return, but was otherwise contained.

Notable Numbers

• RB Frank Gore (7,196 yds.) needs 149 rushing yds. to pass 49ers and Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Perry (7,344) for the most rushing yards in franchise history.
• K David Akers has registerd 78 points (19 of 21 FGs and 21 of 21 PATs), ranking first in franchise history for the most points scored in the team's first 8 games. He is on pace to set the franchise record for points scored in a single season (WR Jerry Rice - 138 points in 1987). 
• The 49ers defense ranks 1st in the NFL with 60 passes defensed through the first 8 games. Since 1992, when the stat was first tracked by Statspass.com, the 60 passes defensed are the most in franchise history through the team's first 8 games.
• The 49ers defense has not allowed a 100-yd. rusher in 30 consecutive games, ranking t-4th in the NFL for the longest streak of not allowing a 100-yd. rusher since 2000.
• The 49ers have outscored their opponents 206-118. The +88 scoring differential ranks 3rd in the NFL. 
• The 49ers have started 19 drives in opponents territory, ranking 1st in the NFL, and have scored 64 points on those drives, ranking  3rd in the NFL.
• The 49ers average starting field position is at the 32.3-yard line, ranking 1st in the NFL.
• The 49ers rank 3rd in the NFL with an opponents average starting field position of the 25.1.
• The 49ers rank 1st in the NFL with 7 PRs of 20+ yds, while ranking 4th in the NFL with a KOR avg. of 27.4 yds.
• The 49ers have allowed just 118 points on the season, ranking 1st in the NFL for the fewest points allowed.
• The 49ers have allowed just 13 first downs on 3rd and less than 4 yds. (13 of 28 - 46.4 pct.), ranking 2nd in the NFL.
• The 49ers defense has allowed opponents to score on just 24.2 pct. of their possessions, ranking 2nd in the NFL.
• The 49ers defense has allowed just 6 drives of over 5 minutes this season, ranking t-2nd in the NFL. On those 5 drives, they have allowed just 6 points, ranking 1st in the NFL for the fewest point allowed on 5 minute drives.
• The 49ers have only committed 7 turnovers on the year, ranking t-2nd in the NFL for fewest turnovers, trailing only Detroit (6).
• The 49ers have registered 11 runs of 20 yds.-or-more this season, ranking t-4th in the NFL.
• The 49ers offense has gained 4+ yds. on 52.8 pct. (112 of 212) of their first down plays, ranking 5th in the NFL.
• QB Alex Smith has a QB rating of 114.2 on 1st down, ranking 3rd in the NFL (min. 25 atts.).
• The 49ers offense ranks 4th in the NFL with 59.6 pct. (62 of 104) of the first down passing plays gaining 4+ yds.
• As of 11/3, Smith has registered a QB rating of 126.3 against the blitz this season, ranking 3rd in the NFL (GB QB Aaron Rodgers - 133.5; NE QB Tom Brady - 127.4) (min. 25 atts.).
• RB Frank Gore has registered 22 rushes of 10+ yds., ranking t-4th in the NFL this season. Gore also ranks t-4th in the NFL with 8 runs of 20 yds.-or-more. 
• Gore is 4 of 4 on 3rd-n-1 this season, ranking 4th in the NFL for the most 3rd-n-1 rushing conversions. 
• Gore ranks t-1st in the NFL with 5, 100-yd. games this season (Buf. RB Fred Jackson - 5) He is the only player in the NFL to have 4 games of 125+ yds. rushing this season.