“The Cheap Seats: Notebook” NFL GameDay Blog: October 19, 2008 – East Rutherford, NJ

› 4:11 pm: That does it here at Giants Stadium.  New York recovers after last week’s loss to Cleveland and beat the San Francisco 49ers, 29-17.  I’ll have reaction from the players and coaches later.

› 4:03 pm: I’m a big fan of Domenik Hixon.  He filled in very nicely for Burress two weeks ago and his special teams contribution is extraordinary.  He is usually the first guy down the field making a tackle or touching the ball.

› 4:02 pm: Nobody is perfect.  The Giants just fumbled, but again, recovered.  Bradshaw dropped it, T David Diehl picked it up.

› 3:55 pm: Another turnover by the Niners.  This time the ball was fumbled and started drifting into the end zone before it got kicked out of the back of it.  That resulted in a safety.  The Giants now hold a 29-17 lead.

› 3:44 pm: O’Sullivan fumbled again, this time it was recovered by his own team.  He made up for the mistake by hitting WR Arnaz Battle for 21 yards on a 3-and-20.  His next pass he went long for Morgan who simply watched the ball go right through his hands.  Mistakes like that are why the Giants are up.

› 3:38 pm: The Giants just made it a two-score game for the Niners on Carney’s 48-yard field goal.  27-17 Giants.

› 3:24 pm: Oh how things have just turned around.  The Niners’ Manny Lawson blocked Carney’s field goal attempt, and the ball was picked up by Nate Clements, who ran the ball 74 yards for the touchdown.  Impressive leap by Lawson, who was well above the pile when the ball was kicked square into his face.  Niners are closing in; Giants 24-17.

› 3:18 pm: The refs got it right and ruled Bradshaw’s shin down at the 8 yard line before he lost possession.  There was a 15-yard penalty on C Shaun O’Hara on the play, putting that ball out of the red zone and on the 23.

› 3:17 pm: The Giants, who have not lost a fumble all season, threw the red flag for a replay review.  This one involves Bradshaw, who powered his way up the middle, but lost control of the ball as he was being tackled at about the five.  The Niners recovered, but it appears Jacob’s knee was down.

› 3:16 pm: Those pass interference penalties are hurting the Niners.  They just had another, this time with coverage on WR Amani Toomer for 14 yards.  On the afternoon, they have 9 for 114 yards.

› 3:12 pm: RB Derrick Ward caught Manning’s pass and ran it 35 yards for a first down.  The Giants are now using a combination of Ahmad Bradshaw and Ward more often to spell Jacobs, who has two touchdowns on the afternoon.

› 2:57 pm: Manning hit Burress in the end zone for the score in front of 78,676 fans.  The six-yard pass put the Giants up by two touchdowns, 24-10.

› 2:53 pm: Turnovers are turning into points for the Giants.  The first came earlier in the game and now Big Blue just got the ball on the 18 yard line after O’Sullivan fumbled for San Francisco.

› 2:30 pm: That is the half.  The score, Giants 17, 49ers 10.

› 2:29 pm: After the Giants score, the Niners took possession with under two minutes to go.  O’Sullivan looked good driving down the field until being picked off again by Johnson in the end zone.  That should end the half.

› 2:25 pm: Niners coach Mike Nolan is not sporting the suit today.  I’m proud to announce that I’m better dressed than him today.

› 2:20 pm: Big Blue tried so badly to get Jacobs his third touchdown run on the afternoon.  On two straight handoffs to the big guy, the Niners’ defense stuff him.  On third and three, Manning looked for Burress in the corner of the end zone, but completely overthrew the ball.  The Giants had to settle for a Carney field goal.  17-10 Giants.

› 2:17 pm: It’s obvious that O’Sullivan likes throwing to Morgan today.  But, with about three to go in the second quarter, O’Sullivan missed his wide receiver badly, instead throwing the ball into the arms of Giants safety Michael Johnson.  It was Johnson’s first pick of the year.

› 2:04 pm: Not a good drive for Plaxico Burress.  First, he was called for a pass interference penalty (10 yards).  Then, he was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty (15 yards).  That essentially ended their possession and forced the Giants to punt.  As Burress walked off the field, he and coach Tom Coughlin could be seen having words.  Manning then went over to try and talk with Burress, who continued to yell.

› 1:50 pm: A very impressive drive by the 49ers.  O’Sullivan hit WR Josh Morgan for a 30-yard touchdown pass.  It was Morgan’s first career TD, and his third catch for 58 yards.  On that drive, O’Sullivan made several strong throws, and used only six plays to get down the field.  Giants still lead, 14-10.

› 1:46 pm: Worth noting about the Giants’ touchdown drive: The 49ers had three penalties totaling 51 yards.

› 1:44 pm: Two touchdowns on the afternoon for Jacobs.  This one came a lot easier than his first one.  With the ball on their three, Jacobs took the handoff and bruised his way up the middle for the score.  They did this on the first play of the second quarter.  14-3 Giants.

› 1:41 pm: End of the first quarter and Giants are on the three.  They lead, 7-3.

› 1:40 pm: 4-and-1 and the Giants go for it.  They hand it off to Ahmad Bradshaw, who goes strong right and picks up two.

› 1:37 pm: Manning’s first deep pass of the afternoon is credited on a 31-yard interference call on Burress .  The ball is now on the Niners’ 20.

› 1:28 pm: San Francisco came right back on their next possession to put up points.  They did get close to scoring seven on a JT O’Sullivan pass to RB Frank Gore, but Gore got leveled at about the five and missed the catch.  The Niners had to settle for a K Joe Nedney field goal.  7-3 Giants.

› 1:19 pm: The first points of the game go to the Giants.  Manning moved the ball down the field with two clean passes.  Then, from the Niners’ 26, RB Brandon Jacobs took the handoff and made a pair of  nice moves to get into the right corner of the end zone.  It was his longest run of the season. 7-0 Giants.

› 1:10 pm: Plaxico Burress and the Giants just lucked out.  The wide receiver, in his second game back since his suspension, caught a nice pass from Eli Manning towards the middle of the field.  He had it in his arms for two steps and then was stripped in what looked like an obvious fumble.  The officials ruled it an incomplete pass and the Giants punted.  Had they ruled it a fumble, the Niners would have the ball on the 45 yard line.

› 12:39 pm: The Giants are without K Lawrence Tynes, CB R.W. McQuarters, RB Danny Ware, LB Antonio Pierce (Quad), LB Gerris Wilkinson (Knee), TE Adam Koets, WR Sinorice Moss and DE Jerome McDougle.  Chase Blackburn is starting in place on Pierce at MLB and Bryan Kehl over Wilinson at WLB.  Center Shaun O’Hara, who missed some practice time this week with a toe injury, will start.  As for the Niners, RT Jonas Jennings is the only notable that will not start.

› 11:47 am: Just sat down in my press box seat here at the stadium.  Nothing beats getting up early in the morning and being served a full-on breakfast buffet.  I’m talking danishes, eggs, bacon, sausage, french toast… the list goes on.  Now that my stomach is full, I can get to work.