New York Giants missing Saquon Barkely as they look to blunt San Francisco 49ers offense

Wink Martindale's New York Giants defense is yet to take off in 2023, and on Thursday night will be greeted by its most gruelling task yet when it visits Kyle Shanahan's high-powered San Francisco 49ers attack. 

The Giants enter their Week Three matchup having allowed the most points in the NFL, while ranking 18th in pressure rate having failed to record a sack or takeaway over the opening two games.

Martindale's blitz-friendly defense had reaped rewards with remarkable efficiency for a scheme asking to be dunked on by the league's big arms at times last season; he is blitzing at a similarly lofty rate this year, without finding a way to the quarterback.

Fail to slow the Niners offense and it is game over before Wink can blink.

"I think overall we've given up too many points," said Giants defensive lineman Leonard Williams. "There's definitely areas that each player and each position group wants to tighten up and get better at but at the same time we know it's a lot more involved that we have to pay attention to on film and getting the job done.

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"I think it just starts with execution though. I think we need to just focus on our own individual job as an individual and just lock in on the details."

The 49ers blew away the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week One before ousting the Los Angeles Rams in Week Two behind an offense that boasts the luxury to pick its poison with the brilliance of Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk.

"They have a really good offense," added Williams. "I mean, it starts with some of their skill players, (running back Christian) McCaffrey and (wide receiver) Deebo (Samuel), they do a good job of playing in the backfield and being a wide receiver at the same time.

"They have a pretty good offensive line, (tackle) Trent Williams is a really good left tackle and I think (quarterback Brock) Purdy's been doing a good job of stepping up as a quarterback. We've been describing him as like a point guard type of quarterback. He gets the ball out quick and knows where to go with it."

McCaffrey leads the league with 268 rushing yards at 6.4 yards per carry this season, while second-year quarterback Brock Purdy has carried over his tremendous from his standout rookie campaign.

Shanahan continues to evolve his outside zone and play-action philosophies at a bar-raising rate amid his ongoing search of a Super Bowl title.

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"He's done this for a long time," said Giants head coach Brian Daboll. "He has a ton of experience. He has, I'd say, a number of plays that he's run throughout his past and he's always evolving.

"That's what I appreciate about Kyle. He's a heck of a football coach. He creates, I'd say, a lot of issues, whether that's run force issues, whether that's making plays look exactly the same and setting things up. He's a timely play caller. He's an excellent coach."

The Giants enter the game on the back of a franchise-record comeback that saw them overturn a 21-point deficit to beat the Arizona Cardinals 31-28, during the second half of which quarterback Daniel Jones threw for two touchdowns and ran in another while completing 17 of 21 passes for 259 yards and rushing for 59 yards.

"It starts with his legs," said 49ers coach Shanahan. "He's willing to run. He's physical when he runs. He's got the skillset to run away from people.

"So anytime you have a quarterback like that, the challenge that does just schematically, unlocking your defense and making you have to play a certain way is always a pain. Then he's got the ability to play in the pocket and beat you that way too. So he's getting better each year."

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Victory came at a potentially damning cost, though, as running back Saquon Barkley suffered an injury that will keep him sidelined against the 49ers. Star left tackle Andrew Thomas will also be absent against a Nick Bosa-led defense.

Barkley rushed for 63 yards and a touchdown against the Cardinals, with Matt Breida primed to inherit the bulk of the snaps out of the backfield alongside assistance from Gary Brightwell and rookie Eric Gray.

"I came into the league, I was fifth string, and then I was a starter at one point, so this is nothing new to me, I've been playing. Football is football at the end of the day, you go out there and play, so it's nothing new," said Breida.

Breida previously spent three seasons with the 49ers after going undrafted out of Georgia Southern, his best year coming in 2018 when he ran for 814 yards on the ground while making 27 catches for 261 receiving yards.

"I've already played here before after I had left. It's always good to go back, you know, some of my old team-mates (49ers tight end George) Kittle, (49ers wide receiver) Deebo (Samuel), (49ers defensive lineman Nick) Bosa, all of them over there, so it'll be good to see them," said Breida.

"I think it's going to be a good atmosphere, the guys will be ready, so it's going to be a good game."

Watch the New York Giants (1-1) visit the San Francisco 49ers (2-0) in Thursday Night Football live on Sky Sports NFL from 1.15am in the early hours of Friday; Week Three continues with the Los Angeles Chargers at Minnesota Vikings from 6pm on Sunday.