_{Brian Daboll and the Giants set to take on Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers. Photo Credits: Clutchpoints.com}

San Francisco 49ers (2-0) vs. New York Giants (1-1)

NFL Week 3 opens on Thursday September 21, 2023 with a meeting between the San Francisco 49ers and the New York Giants.The Giants are coming off a very impressive comeback victory over the Arizona Cardinals, with a score of 31-28, with quarterback Daniel Jones seemingly hitting his stride. This is certainly a turnaround from their 40-0 loss in week one. However, it is likely they will be without star running back, Saquon Barkley, on Thursday who might be sidelined for a couple weeks with a sprained ankle. According to rotowire.com, Giants head Coach Brian Daboll has not officially ruled Barkley out yet, but it is not looking promising.

This poses an interesting storyline for Thursday night because in the event Barkley doesn’t play, former 49er Matt Breida will probably get most of the work at running back for the Giants. Even at full strength, I believe the star-studded San Francisco roster, which includes running back Christian McCaffrey, tight end George Kittle, wideout Deebo Samuel, rising star quarterback Brock Purdy, and a powerhouse defense that just might be the best in the National Football League, is too much for the New York Giants.

That being said, San Francisco could also be without a key player, an emerging star receiver Brandon Aiyuk who is questionable with a neck/shoulder injury. This could certainly play a factor in the game. The 49ers have lived up to the hype so far with a convincing win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in week one, with a score of 30-7, as well as a big win over NFC West rival Los Angeles Rams 30-23 in week two. Certainly some interesting storylines to follow leading up to Thursday night’s matchup, but all things considered, I expect the 49ers to be firing on all cylinders. I’m taking San Francisco for this one.