Week 2 was tough on the injury front across the league, as many teams saw players go down with various ailments. The Giants and 49ers may have gotten hit the hardest, as both clubs lost key contributors for the remainder of the season.
While losing Saquon Barkley to a torn ACL is a significant blow to the offense, the show must go on for Joe Judge and the Giants. Judge will look to pick up his first win as an NFL head coach when Kyle Shanahan and the defending NFC Champion 49ers head to MetLife Stadium for a second consecutive week to take on the Giants.
Here are five story lines to follow heading into Sunday's matchup.
Replacing Saquon in the backfield
Saquon Barkley has been one of the league's premier running backs and offensive playmakers since entering the NFL in 2018, and his combination of strength, speed, agility and awareness is unparalleled. But with him out for the rest of the season, the Giants must look to others to take his place in the backfield, and the offense has a few intriguing options.
Veteran Dion Lewis has had a successful career serving as a pass-catching back, and he showed those abilities when filling in for Barkley against the Bears in Week 2. Lewis caught four passes for 36 yards, three of which went for first downs including a clutch fourth-down catch on the final drive of the game. Lewis can do more than just catch, though. In his final season with the Patriots in 2017, the veteran averaged 5.0 yards per carry on 180 rushes, finishing the season with 896 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.
Another option is Wayne Gallman, who has filled in for Barkley in the past. When the Giants' starting back suffered a high ankle sprain last year, Gallman stepped in against Washington and carried the ball 18 times for 63 yards and a touchdown while adding six receptions for 55 yards and an additional score. A concussion limited his starts to that one week, but Gallman more than showed that he's capable of handling a large workload.
In addition to the two backs already on the roster, the Giants signed Devonta Freeman this week. The veteran has played in 16 games over the last two seasons, but is only a few years removed from back-to-back 1,000+ yard campaigns with more than 10 rushing scores in each one. It remains to be seen how big of a role Freeman can have this week with only a few days of practice.
DJ's time to shine
No matter who is in the backfield Sunday, the Giants will have to lean on Daniel Jones more than ever. It's been an encouraging start to the season for the team's second-year quarterback, as he has thrown for 520 yards total against two of the league's best defenses in the Steelers and Bears. His 78.7 overall grade from Pro Football Focus ranks 10th in the NFL, and he has once again shown the ability to create plays with his legs, running for 43 yards.
The 49ers defense has done a good job in the passing game this year. They limited Kyler Murray to 230 yards, one touchdown and an interception in Week 1, although he ran for 91 yards and a score. Last week, the Jets' Sam Darnold was held to just 179 passing yards and a touchdown.
San Francisco entered the season with one of the league's top defenses. Injuries have ravaged the unit, as they will be without CB Richard Sherman, DE Nick Bosa, DL Solomon Thomas, and likely DL Dee Ford, along with several others.
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September 24, 2020 at 02:30AM
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5 storylines to follow as the Giants prepare to take on the 49ers in Week 3 - Giants.com
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