EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The irony on a night in which the 49ers’ defense struggled mightily against Eli Manning and the New York Giants’ passing attack is one of the few plays on which they had good coverage came at the end.
It came on the play the Giants scoring the winning points with :21 seconds remaining for a 30-27 victory over the 49ers on Sunday night at Metlife Stadium.
Linebacker NaVorro Bowman was in good position at the back of the end zone to defend Manning’s 12-yard pass to tight end Larry Donnell. But Donnell used all of his 6-inch height advantage to leap above Bowman and secure the football while Bowman turned, jumped and tried to jar the ball from Donnell’s hands.