EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The Giants have the fewest takeaways in the NFL this season: two.

The 49ers have the most turnovers in the NFL this season: 15.

If turnovers are the most important stat in determining the outcome of a game, as so many claim, the team that bucks its trend could well gain the victory today at Giants Stadium.

"Where the hell are our turnovers (on defense)?" asked a perplexed Tom Coughlin. "We have none. And that is as big a factor as any."

San Francisco coach Mike Nolan has a different question. Can his quarterback, J.T. O'Sullivan stay away from the turnover bug. He has accounted for all but three of the 49ers' turnovers, with eight interceptions and four lost fumbles.

"J.T. has done a good job," Nolan said of the quarterback who came over from Detroit to join offensive coordinator Mike Martz. "He has had the turnover bug the last couple of weeks late in the game, which has not helped us. As all good quarterbacks do, they make a mistake, but they have to be able to make up for it."

When O'Sullivan does make up for it, he usually does it with a big play. The 49ers have collected 27 plays of 20 yards or more, including 22 via the pass. Wideout Isaac Bruce, who played in Martz's system during the glory days in St. Louis, is averaging 18.9 yards-per-reception and has caught four TD passes.

The other five big plays have come from the feet of running back Frank Gore, who leads the 49ers in rushing with 524 yards and in receiving with 22 catches. He plays the Martz role made famous by Marshall Faulk with the Rams.

"He is the complete package," defensive end Justin Tuck said of Gore. "You really can't get a read on him as a slasher, or a downhill runner, or a power runner: he does it all. You just have to make sure you wrap him up, because he is never down.

"Gore is one of those backs who bounces off of guys and gets the extra 3 or 4 yards. You have to gang-tackle him early and really put it in his mind that it is going to be a long day for him."

The Giants may have to tackle Gore without middle linebacker Antonio Pierce, who probably will miss this game because of a thigh injury. Even if he does play he probably won't be at full speed. Chase Blackburn would replace Pierce for the Giants, who claim the inability to stop running back Jamal Lewis Monday night in Cleveland fueled the big passing game for quarterback Derek Anderson.

If Gore can control the game, it's unlikely the Giants will be able to improve on their motley takeaway total — the team's lowest after five games since the figure became an official statistic in the 1930s. He has fumbled just twice, losing one, in 107 carries.

The Giants' defense has forced three fumbles, but was unable to recover any of them. They have just two interceptions, one by Tuck in St. Louis and one by cornerback Kevin Dockery against Seattle.

What has kept the paucity of takeaways from becoming an even bigger factor has been the lack of Giants turnovers. They had just one before Eli Manning threw those three interceptions against the Browns. Despite the mistakes, the Giants still have the top overall offensive numbers in the NFL and the best rushing total per game (181.2 yards) by more than 18 yards per contest over the second-place Atlanta Falcons.

"We try to do whatever we can to hold onto the ball," said Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride. "Now if you go three-and-out, that isn't doing any good, either. So it is whatever you can do to get first downs, and right now we are number one in the league in that (24 per game). We try to do that each and every week."