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10 storylines to follow when Giants face 49ers

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  1. SO THEY MEET AGAIN**

NEWS
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> Fact or Fiction: Team's defensive MVP
> 5 Players to Watch vs. 49ers
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The New York Giants (2-2) and San Francisco 49ers (1-3) meet for the fifth time in five seasons this Sunday night at MetLife Stadium. Among non-division opponents, only Green Bay and Atlanta have faced the Giants more often in that span with four meetings apiece. The Week 5 matchup will break a 19-19 tie, including 4-4 in the postseason, in the all-time series that dates back to 1952. The 38 games have been decided by a total of eight points in the Giants' favor, or 0.21 points per contest. However, the 49ers won their most recent meeting, 16-10, last season on the Giants' home turf.

2. TWO GAMES? EH; THREE'S A STREAK

Back-to-back wins after dropping the first two games have put the Giants back in the hunt, but as coach Tom Coughlin said, there are still plenty of "next steps" to take in the construction process. Middle linebacker and defensive captain Jon Beason reiterated that point as the Giants try to make it an official winning streak.

"Two games, eh," Beason said coming off victories over Washington and Buffalo. "Three games, that's a streak. Great opponent, huge platform and it's a huge game. That's the nature of the NFL."

3. INJURY REPORT

Out: WR Victor Cruz (calf), LB Devon Kennard (hamstring), DE Robert Ayers Jr. (hamstring), DE George Selvie (calf). Questionable: LB Jonathan Casillas (calf), CB Jayron Hosley (concussion), CB Trumaine McBride (groin). Probable: TE Jerome Cunningham (knee), LT Ereck Flowers (ankle), DT Markus Kuhn (knee).

4. POLARIZING DEFENSE

Through the first quarter of Steve Spagnuolo's return as defensive coordinator, the Giants have the No. 1 team against the run (69.8 yards per game) but last against the pass (316.3). However, Big Blue is plus-six in turnover differential (tied for second in the NFL) this season and has allowed just 31 points in the last two games.

"It's sustainable if the points on the board stay where they were the last two weeks," Spagnuolo said. "The other thing that we had to come up with and we've done it in the games that we've won, you've got to get turnovers."

5. TOMSULA, MANGINI COME TO METLIFE

Since opening with a 20-3 win over Minnesota in Jim Tomsula's first game as head coach, San Francisco has been outscored 107-28 over the last three weeks, allowing 26.3 points per game.

Meanwhile, 49ers defensive coordinator Eric Mangini will be back in East Rutherford, where he served as the Jets head coach from 2006-2008.

6. SAN FRANCISCO PLAYMAKERS

Playmakers on 49ers first-team offense, defense, and special teams, presented by Nike

San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick won his only game as a starter against the Giants last year, throwing for 193 yards and a touchdown and running for 24 yards on the ground. While he has thrown just two touchdowns to five interceptions this year, the 49ers still boast a top-five running game led by Carlos Hyde. The second-year back broke out with 168 yards and two touchdowns in Week 1 but has managed just 114 yards in the last three weeks.

7. MANNING VS. 49ERS

Giants quarterback Eli Manning is 5-2 all-time against the 49ers as a starter, including the 2011 NFC Championship Game that sent the team to Super Bowl XLVI. While passing Hall of Famer Joe Montana in career yards and tying the franchise record of 101 victories set by Phil Simms, Manning saw his interception-less streak of 142 passes come to an end last week. It was the second-longest streak to begin a season in Giants history.

8. SPECIAL GIANTS

Josh Brown is tied for the league lead with 10 field goals made, and only he and Seattle's Steven Hauschka have made at least 10 attempts without a miss this year. Meanwhile, Brad Wing, whom the Giants acquired this summer in a trade with the Steelers, is first in the league with 12 punts inside the 20-yard line and no touchbacks.

"Not only does he lead the NFL, we lead the NFL," Coughlin said. "We've only had four starts inside our 20. Our opponents have had 18. That's a big difference, a big field position impact."

9. UNDER THE LIGHTS

NBC has televised 166 regular-season primetime NFL games since Sunday Night Football debuted on September 7, 2006. The Giants' 26 appearances on Sunday Night Football rank second among NFL teams. The Cowboys are first with 33.

10. FOUR GIANTS ADDED TO RING OF HONOR

Four names will be added to the Ring of Honor during a halftime ceremony on Sunday night: Jack Lummus, John Johnson, Chris Snee and Osi Umenyiora. Each will have a panel displaying his name in the stadium for every Giants home game, increasing the total to 39 honorees in the ring.

Giants fans who can't attend the game can watch the Ring of Honor ceremony live on Giants.com and on the Giants mobile app.

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