Golden Nuggets: What’s your stat prediction for Nick Mullens today?

What are your expectations for Nick Mullens today and let’s hear your stat prediction for the San Francisco 49ers quarterback.

Giants vs. 49ers: When the Giants have the ball

Can the Giants block ... anybody?

It’s been pretty apparent that the Giants’ offensive line has not lived up to expectations in their first two games of 2020. It doesn’t take detailed film or statistical analysis to see that the Giants’ pass protection has been spotty and their run blocking non-existent.

The Giants are clearly hoping that the newly-signed Devonta Freeman will be able to help pick up the slack on the ground, but the offensive line will still need to do its job up front. The 49ers are dealing with some potentially devastating injuries along their defensive line, but they still have formidable players in Arik Armstead, rookie Javon Kinlaw, WILL Kwon Alexander, and MIKE Fred Warner.

Giants Looking to Improve Run Defense

Run defense was projected to be one of the Giants’ strengths going into 2020, but after two weeks, the numbers show that hasn’t quite been the case yet.

The Giants’ run defense has ranked in the bottom third of the league after allowing 276 yards on the ground, the ninth-most in the NFL.

That’s been a bit of a sore spot for the Giants, whose defense is otherwise ranked in the top 10 in other areas such as overall (326.5 yards/game, fourth) and pass defense (188.5 yards/game, second).

Despite the issues with the run defense, the Giants don’t appear to be too far off. They have allowed two bi-play run plays of 10+ yards so far, a 30-yarder by Steelers running back Bennie Snell and a 23-yarder by Bears running back David Montgomery.

Without those two plays, the Giants have only allowed an average of 56 rushing yards per game, which would put them in the top ten league-wide.

Do 49ers have too many retired numbers? Shanahan says yes

Thomas is out for the season, of course. But he granted permission to newly signed defensive lineman Ziggy Ansah to wear the jersey number Thomas was issued after becoming the No. 3 overall pick in the 2017 draft.

Ansah wore No. 94 during his six seasons with the Detroit Lions, as well as his one year with the Seattle Seahawks.

“Ziggy was really cool about it because that’s his number,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said Friday. “He called Solly and asked him if he could do it, and Solly was honored to tell him it was no problem and really helped him out with that.”

Ansah and Dion Jordan were added to the 49ers’ 53-man roster this week, taking the spots of Thomas and Nick Bosa, who also sustained a season-ending knee injury.

49ers-Giants: Remember when Ronnie Lott went ‘ballistic’ on Phil Simms for something he didn’t say?

Immediately following the final snap of a 1990 Monday Night Football slugfest between the San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants, 49ers safety Ronnie Lott confronted Giants quarterback Phil Simms. Lott thought that Simms had issued a series of terrible, horrifying, unrepeatable insults about him.

Just one problem: Simms never said anything of the sort.

The brutal 1980s and 1990s rivalry between the 49ers and Giants — two teams that face off once again on Sunday — features all that is unholy, including this odd personal feud based on a lie that nearly turned into postgame fisticuffs.

“Burt says, ‘I was talking to Phil Simms and he said you suck,’” Lott told KNBR in 2016. “I said, ‘What?’ and [Burt] said, ‘He said you’re slow and you can’t move... you can’t run.’”

Before the infamous 1990 49ers-Giants grudge match, Lott said that he drove to the stadium with Burt, who proceeded to divulge other things Simms had allegedly told him over the years. “I’m not gonna repeat some of the things that he said that Phil felt about me,” Lott told the New York Post in February of this year.

San Francisco 49ers vs. New York Giants preview

DB: The Giants intend to go by committee in Week 3, which may see Dion Lewis as the main back with Wayne Gallman and the newly signed Devonta Freeman also seeing time. The challenge for Jason Garrett will be adapting his offense, which was specifically tuned around Saquon Barkley, to the new three-headed monster the Giants intend to deploy. If there are any positives to losing Barkley, it’s that the running back pass protection is likely to improve.

49ers Week 2 Film Breakdown: Stock Down

Here’s which San Francisco 49ers made their stocks go down during their 31-13 win over the New York Jets.

1. Right Tackle Mike McGlinchey

1:51 Second Quarter. First and 10 at NYJ 38.

You’ve seen the holding penalty McGlinchey committed the negated Raheem Mostert’s 67-yard touchdown run. You’ve seen the quarterback hit McGlinchey allowed that led to the interception. But you probably haven’t seen this play, where McGlinchey runs upfield, dives at a defender and misses him entirely. McGlinchey is supposed to be a run-blocking specialist, but this isn’t special.

2. Right Guard Daniel Brunskill

11:43 First Quarter. Second and 6 at SF 24.

Here, Brunskill has to block Quinnen Williams, the No. 3 pick of the 2019 draft. But Williams tosses Brunskill to the side and makes a tackle in the backfield while Brunskill merely tries to keep his balance.

1:25 First Quarter. Second and 4 at NYJ 49.

This time, Brunskill has to block a linebacker. Brunskill pops out of his stance and tries to chase him down, but slips and falls. Not the most graceful play.