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Giants at 49ers Preview: The Rematch

Oct 13, 2012, 1:44 PM EDT

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GIANTS (3-2) AT 49ERS (4-1)

By Football Night in America’s Elliott Kalb

These teams met in San Francisco in the NFC Title Game, with the Giants winning in overtime, 20-17, as Lawrence Tynes hit a 31-yard FG five plays after Kyle Williams fumbled on a punt return.

The 49ers have outscored their opponents 79-3 the last two games.

San Francisco has some former Giants: RB Brandon Jacobs spent seven seasons with the Giants (2005-2011), and was part of two Super Bowl championship teams (XLII & XLVI). He signed with the 49ers as a free agent on 3/28/12. WR Mario Manningham spent four seasons with the Giants (2008-2011), before signing with the 49ers as a free agent on 3/18/12. (Jacobs suffered a knee injury August 18, but isn’t quite ready to return.  Of course, the 49ers aren’t suffering without him. Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter have combined to rush for 633 yards, average 5.4 yards per carry and score five touchdowns to headline the NFL’s leading rushing attack (195.8 yards per game).

Last week, the Giants gained 502 yards, their second-highest total of the season. They finished with 609 yards in a victory over Tampa Bay on Sept. 16. The Giants rushed for 243 yards, their highest total since finishing with 301 against Carolina on Dec. 21, 2008.

The 49ers rank seventh in the NFL in rush defense, surrendering just 81 rush yards per game.  They do it out of a base 3-4 formation, which doesn’t help the run defense.  But they have terrific linebackers.

San Francisco’s defense has allowed only 35.9 pct. (42 of 117) of running plays to gain 4-or-more yds., ranking 1st in the NFL.

Last week, the 49ers delivered a record-setting offensive performance, racking up a franchise-record 621 net yards of offense in a 45-3 win against Buffalo. San Francisco became the first team in NFL history to amass over 300 yards rushing (311) and passing (310) in the same game.

The 49ers have scored on 49.1 pct. of their possessions this season, ranking 2nd in the NFL (New York Giants – 51.8 pct.).

The 49ers defense has allowed just 3 points off of turnovers, ranking 1st in the NFL for the fewest allowed.

After the 49ers’ cornerback Carlos Rogers picked off a pass in the teams’ regular-season meeting, Rogers mimicked Victor Cruz’s touchdown celebration by shimmying and shaking near New York’s sideline.In his book that came out in July, “Out of the Blue,” Cruz said he viewed Rogers’s “cheap Victor Cruz imitation” as a “sign of disrespect.”

Cruz went on to explain the inspiration for his salsa dance, which he unveiled last year when the former undrafted free agent had a franchise-record 1,536 receiving yards. Cruz said he began punctuating his touchdowns with the salsa to honor his grandmother, Lucy Molina, who died at 77 in mid-September.  Rogers said mid-week that know knowing that, it has definitely changed his plans on mimicking and mocking the celebration.

Alex Smith has a sprained finger but he says that it shouldn’t be an issue for him.  Besides, the way Colin Kaepernik has looked, it wouldn’t matter.

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