The Giants win the toss and they elect to receive, which is just fine considering the 49ers likely would have deferred anyway. They take a knee and will start at the 20-yard line. After two short runs from Brandon Jacobs, the Giants face an early third down, but complete a short pass on soft coverage to convert it. Then they dumpoff to Jacobs again and Ray McDonald doesn't see that he's caught the pass, and it goes for a first down. Then two more passes for first downs, quickly moving into San Francisco territory.
New York has a quick run and then another pass completion to Mario Manningham to covert to first down. The Giants set up a nice screen that goes for a first down and they're inside the 20-yard line. Then Donte Whitner strips the ball in a clear fumble, but the referees ruled the play dead with forward progress and Jim Harbaugh isn't able to challenge. The Giants go 14 plays, 75 yards, 8:33 to connect on a field goal to take a 3-0 lead.
San Francisco starts their drive with an 11-yard completion to tight end Delanie Walker. Then they're called for a false start, courtesy of Joe Staley, but Alex Smith completes to Braylon Edwards for 21 yards for another first down. An incompletion to Vernon Davis follows on the next play. Frank Gore has a short carry and the 49ers are faced with an early third down, but they convert it, a big completion over the middle to Ted Ginn Jr. Gore is stuffed for no gain on the next play. Then it's Edwards with a big completion to get the 49ers closer, with a 3rd and 3 coming up. It's Gore in the flat, catching a high-velocity pass and picking up the first down. But two incompletions later, the 49ers have another third down. This one from ten yards out. It's complete to Vernon Davis, but it's short of the first down and the 49ers will bring out David Akers to kick a field goal. It's good from 36-yard out, and the game is tied 3-3 with 25 seconds remaining in the first quarter.