49ers vs. New York Giants

Eli Manning threw for 193 yards and a touchdown and the New York Giants beat the 49ers 26-3 at Candlestick Park. Ahmad Bradshaw ran for 116 yards and a touchdown. Alex Smith threw for 200 yards with three interceptions. Frank Gore ran for 36. The Giants' defense produced six sacks. The 49ers fell to 4-2 in their first home loss of the year.[1][2][3]

Eli Manning threw a touchdown Sunday afternoon at Candlestick Park. Ahmad Bradshaw ran for 116 yards and a touchdown. The defending Super Bowl champion Giants beat the 49ers 26-3 in the kind of Sunday-afternoon home rematch where the year-two team's competitive identity, in the rematch from the January NFC Championship, was the worst.

Alex Smith threw for 200 yards with three interceptions. Frank Gore ran for 36. Vernon Davis caught one for 14. Mario Manningham caught five for 56. The kind of Sunday-afternoon home game where the offense produced 3 points and the defense gave up 26.

Eli Manning threw for 193 yards. Victor Cruz caught five for 43. The Giants' defense generated six sacks of Smith and forced three interceptions. The kind of Sunday-afternoon home rematch loss where the year-two team's competitive identity, in the rematch from the January NFC Championship, fell to the kind of defensive performance the rebuild had not produced since the W3 Vikings road loss. 4-2 with the Seahawks on Thursday next.

Giants 26, 49ers 3. Margin: -23. Six-game record: 4-2, +58 differential.

• Eli Manning: 15-of-28 for 193, 1 TD.
• Ahmad Bradshaw: 30 carries for 116, 1 TD.
• Victor Cruz: 5 catches for 43.
• Hakeem Nicks: 5 catches for 51.
• Alex Smith: 19-of-30 for 200, 0 TDs, 3 INTs.
• Frank Gore: 13 carries for 36.
• David Akers: 1 FG (49ers' only score).
• Giants D: 6 sacks of Smith.
• First home loss of 2012.
• 49ers 4-2; Giants 4-2.

A 26-3 home loss to the New York Giants at Candlestick Park. The 49ers fall to 4-2 in the rematch-from-NFC-Championship.

How it unfolded

The Giants built a 17-3 first-half lead behind a Lawrence Tynes field goal, a Manning-to-Cruz scoring drive ending in a Bradshaw touchdown, and another field goal. David Akers kicked a field goal. The Giants added another touchdown drive and field goal. The 49ers' offense never crossed the goal line.

The turning point

Manning's first-half touchdown drive. With the year-two team's defense expecting the Giants' offense to be tested and the home crowd looking for the rematch-revenge Sunday-afternoon win, Manning's score-drive set the tone for the kind of Sunday-afternoon home rematch loss the rebuild had not produced since the previous January's NFC Championship.

By the numbers

Smith 19-of-30 for 200 with three INTs (six sacks taken). Gore 13 carries for 36. Davis 1 catch for 14. Manningham 5 catches for 56. Akers one field goal. Manning 15-of-28 for 193 with a TD. Bradshaw 30 carries for 116 with a TD. Cruz 5 for 43. Nicks 5 for 51.

Personnel watch

Smith's three interceptions and six sacks taken. Gore held to 36 yards. The defense gave up 116 to Bradshaw. The kind of Sunday-afternoon home performance where the year-two team's competitive identity, in the rematch from the January NFC Championship, fell to the kind of defensive performance the rebuild had not produced.

What it means

4-2 with the Seahawks on Thursday night next. The Sunday-afternoon home rematch loss is the kind of result that, against the defending Super Bowl champion in the rematch from January, returns the year-two team to the kind of mid-conference position the year's preseason had projected. The Seahawks game in three days is the next test.