Week 5 saw another Eli comeback which left the 49ers floundering - The Winning Play

New York, making their second appearance on SNF, facing off against the struggling 49ers. The Giants find themselves coming off a 2 game winning streak, beating the Redskins and Bills in the last 2 weeks. San Francisco on the other hand have had a very rough start. After beating the Vikings in the season opener, they have gone 0-3 since. Only scoring 27 point over those 3 games. Really it the match-up of contrasting Offences, Giants just getting theirs firing while the 49ers can find anything.

The Play we are going to look at today just so happens to be the Game winner. The Giants have got into the 49ers Red zone, but are running out of time at the end of the 4^th. They need a TD to take the lead, a FG is useless as they are currently losing 27-24.

1^st and 10, SF 12 with 0:26 on the Clock.

 

Giants are in the Gun. TE Trips to the top of the screen with a lone Wideout to the bottom. SF are showing 4 rushers down on the line and 2 High Safeties

Giants have called a Pass. The lone WR is running a Fade. Running back, who had been destroying the 49ers on passing plays throughout the game, Releases to the Lefts on an Out. To the Trips side. The TE is running a Seam, Slots on what some would call a Smash or Slam route, and the Wideout is going deep with a Fade.

There is nothing special about the Coverage by the Defence. They in straight up, Man to Man with 2 Deep Safeties. Though the pass rush has a nice looking twist called on the left side.

The Giants Offensive Play call is pretty good when you take into account the structure of the Defence. The Fade/Stop and go on the outside stretch the field both vertically and horizontally. As the Safeties they will have either a responsibility to help the Corners defend the deep routes, leaving the middle of the field open for that Seam route. Or they will roll to the Trips side leaving the bottom WR, 1on1 on the Fade.

As we roll the play on. The Defence starts to show Eli Manning the Man coverage. However, Manning is doing some work of his own. Looking off the Backside Safety. To Manning, this seems like the only player that can jump the TE’s route…

 

 

 

 

But it’s the play side Safety that is in the dangerous position. Instead of working out toward the WR going deep. He sits and reads the eyes of Manning. Any sort of Reaction or flow to centerfield by that Safety and the play is broken up. But he just sits there not wanting to commit, ending up in no-man’s land. Not able to get to the Seam up the middle or in a position to get to the sideline to help on the Fade. Manning sees that the Seam is open and fires the ball in quick and with elevation.

 

Because of this, the LB in Man coverage has no chance to play the ball. All the Giants need is for Donnell to come down with the ball and complete the catch.

With barely any time left on the clock, the Giants give themselves a 3 point lead after the PAT. 49ers are doomed to another defeat.