49ers vs. Giants 2015 live stream: Time, TV schedule and how to watch online

With the NFC East disintegrating around them, the New York Giants have an opportunity to make a push for the division crown this season. In order to accomplish that, the team must take advantage of matchups like Sunday night's tilt with the San Francisco 49ers on NBC.

A case can be made that the Giants should have an undefeated record four weeks into the season. The team dropped its first two games -- contests against the division rival Dallas Cowboys and the currently 4-0 Atlanta Falcons -- via inexplicable fourth-quarter letdowns. While the team cannot do anything about those defeats, it seems to have recovered from the emotional blows. The Giants won each of their last two games by double-digit margins, and they looked particularly dominant against the rising Buffalo Bills last Sunday.

Much of New York's success has come as the result of Eli Manning's solid play. The veteran quarterback has mostly avoided turnovers while delivering scores in bunches. That has allowed star wideout Odell Beckham Jr. to continue producing monster receiving numbers. The offense could get an additional boost whenever Victor Cruz returns to the field.

On the other sideline, little has gone right for the 49ers this season. During their most recent game -- a 17-3 defeat at the hands of the Green Bay Packers -- quarterback Colin Kaepernick appeared totally out of sorts, skipping passes off the ground and displaying little pocket awareness. Even running back Carlos Hyde, the offense's lone bright spot through the first quarter of the season, managed just 20 yards on eight carries during the contest. The unit could have an even longer day Sunday given the tough road assignment.

If reason for optimism exists in San Francisco, it centers around the defense, which held Aaron Rodgers and the Packers' powerhouse offense to just 17 points. New York offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo spent eight years in Green Bay, and runs a similar West Coast scheme. The 49ers can use their most recent on-field experience to their advantage. More importantly, Manning can't create with his legs the way Rodgers can, suggesting that if San Francisco's defense can continue to generate pressure at its current rate, multiple sacks could be in its future. New York is still playing without preferred starting left tackle Will Beatty, forcing rookie Ereck Flowers to line up on the blindside with the forgettable Marshall Newhouse covering at right tackle.

A win for the 49ers isn't likely to change the direction of their season, but it would be an important step for first-year head coach Jim Tomsula. Since the team's surprise Week 1 victory over the Minnesota Vikings, it has struggled to look competitive. At the same time, a loss could further raise the question of whether Tomsula is in over his head. With the team just three years removed from a trip to the Super Bowl, the front office could elect to move on from Tomsula after the season, effectively turning every game into a miniature audition.