The New York Giants are still licking their wounds after a poor performance against Philadelphia in Week 8. Still, they have no time to sulk because the San Francisco 49ers are coming to town hungry for a win to keep themselves in playoff contention in the NFC West.
Every contest comes down to matchups. In Week 8, the run defense was tested, and unfortunately, they did not step up to the challenge. There’s a good chance that they will have another opportunity to do so in this matchup.
We know that 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is one of the best playcallers in the league, but at his core, he really loves to run the ball.
He and his bevy of offensive weapons will put this rush defense to the test once again.
It is definitely the matchup to watch this week and could be the matchup to watch for the remainder of the season.
Let’s take a look at some key elements of this class in the run game that should be interesting to watch.
Sep 28, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams (71) pass blocks against Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen (41) during the second quarter at Levi’s Stadium. / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
This should be an extremely interesting matchup to watch. People are still seemingly split on Kayvon Thibodeaux. Some who judge him on his pass rushing think that he is not explosive enough to get home like Brian Burns.
Others have seen his consistent improvement as he has morphed into an all-around end who has excelled in run defense. This tackle/tight end combo will put that improvement to the test.
George Kittle is recognized as one of the best blocking tight ends in the game, and it is more difficult to prepare for his blocking because you have to account for him as a receiving threat.
His athleticism and power are difficult to deal with. Because Thibodeaux lines up primarily on the right side, he will have to deal with Williams, who is as strong, crafty, and nasty as it comes at tackle.
Luckily for Thibodeaux, he has lined up plenty of times across from Andrew Thomas in practice, but this will still be a great matchup to watch as Maybe Thibodeaux can win over a few more fans.
Oct 26, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) runs for a gain during the second half against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. / Sean Thomas-Imagn Images
This is another fun matchup to watch as Giants inside linebacker Bobby Okereke will get to once again show his ability to get elite backs on the ground.
Last week against Philadelphia, Okereke had seven solo tackles, his biggest total since Week 1. Christian McCaffrey is a slippery back who gets downfield because of his shiftiness. He will also be a problem in coverage.
Okereke will likely find himself matched up with him in both areas, and if he can have a good day, it will help the Giants regulate the 49ers’ run offense and make them use McCaffrey more as a pass receiver, so more defensive backs can guard him.
It should help Okereke that he has already seen Saquon Barkley twice this season. At the heart of it all, this is just an old-school middle linebacker vs. running back duel.
Oct 9, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97) guestures during the first quarter of the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Apparently, some people believe that Giants defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence is slacking off or has fallen off. This will be a good test against the 49ers’ interior offensive line to show that he has not.
Will Lawrence continue to command the double teams he normally sees, or will we begin to see him not feared, as San Francisco decides to block him solo?
If the 49ers do double-team him, will Lawrence be able to dominate, or will they keep him in check? If they double-team him, as most teams do, can he still occasionally win or displace the line enough to allow others to make plays?
Will Lawrence press because of the perception of Big Blue Nation, and if so, what will it look like? Will that only further their belief that he’s fallen off? Either way, his play will go a long way toward determining whether this defense can succeed against the 49ers’ rushing attack.
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