2015 Week 5 NFL Spreads: 49ers vs. Giants
Carrie Stroup here with your 2015 Week 5 NFL spread on the 49ers vs. Giants game. Sportsbook.ag Line: New York -7, Total: 43
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (1-3) at NEW YORK GIANTS (2-2)
The slumping 49ers seek to re-ignite their season with a visit to the surging Giants on Sunday night.
San Francisco (1-3 SU and ATS) comes into MetLife Stadium Sunday night in a downward spiral, having lost its past three games, including last week at home to Green Bay. New York (2-2 SU and 3-1 ATS) sits atop a messy NFC East, riding the momentum of two straight wins, most recently a decisive 24-10 victory on the road at Buffalo.
The Giants and 49ers series is tied up at 19-19 all-time, with San Francisco holding an 8-5 SU edge since 1992, and New York performing 8-5 ATS over the same time period. These teams played a defensive struggle last year in East Rutherford, which the Niners won 16-10 thanks to a 34:59 time of possession.
San Fran has several trends in their favor to cover the spread in this week’s game too. Over the past three seasons, they are 7-0 ATS in road games against poor defensive teams (allowing 5.65+ yards per play) while road underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points are 111-57 ATS after having been outscored by 7+ PPG after scoring 7 points or less in the first half of their previous two games.
The G-Men have favorable trends as well, posting records of 52-31 ATS versus poor defensive teams (allowing 5.65+ yards per play), while head coach Tom Coughlin is 29-13 ATS in October in his tenure with the Giants.
San Francisco will be watching a few injuries this week, as veteran TE Vernon Davis (knee), CB Shareece Wright (undisclosed), and WR Quinton Patton (concussion) are all questionable.
New York is dealing with several injuries of its own, with star WR Victor Cruz (calf) doubtful, and DE Robert Ayers (hamstring), TE Jerome Cunningham (knee), and DT Marcus Kuhn (knee) questionable for Sunday night. The Giants also lost TE Daniel Fells for the season this week to a MRSA infection.
San Francisco’s offense is the worst in the league by several metrics through four weeks, and has been particularly anemic in the past two games. Led by QB Colin Kaepernick, the 49ers have scored just 12.0 PPG on the season and generated only 352 total yards in the past two weeks combined. They have particularly struggled in the passing game, gaining only 635 yards through the air with a pathetic two passing touchdowns.
However, there is a silver lining for San Francisco in the ground game. The 49ers running corps, headed by RB Carlos Hyde, has generated the 5th-most yards on the ground (521) while averaging 4.4 yards per rushing attempt (5th out of 32). Hyde leads the team with 282 rushing yards and 2 TDs, with the mobile Kaepernick not far behind with 195 rushing yards and a score. He did enough to beat the Giants last year with 217 total yards and was sacked only once all game.
San Francisco’s defense is below average, allowing 6.2 yards per play while generating only two turnovers. But the reason the Niners won in New Jersey last season was because they picked off five Eli Manning passes.
New York has a top-10 offense so far this season, averaging 25.5 PPG (9th in NFL) and losing only two turnovers. QB Eli Manning has spread the ball around, with five receivers getting double-digit targets through four games. Although Manning did throw five interceptions versus San Francisco last year, he also threw for 280 yards and a touchdown. WR Odell Beckham (24 rec, 307 yds, 2 TD) remains Manning’s first choice, but WR Rueben Randle has had a resurgent year, snagging 14 catches for 175 yards and a pair of scores. Randle had a game-high 112 yards on seven receptions in that home loss to the Niners in 2014.
The Giants continue to have difficulty establishing the running game, generating only 372 yards on the year (24th in NFL) with 3.5 yards per carry and two touchdowns.
The Giants secondary has been susceptible to the passing game, surrendering the most passing yards of any team (1,265) and allowing 6 TD. New York’s run defense has been stout, allowing a league-best 279 rushing yards and only two scores on the ground.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
