Tell us how you really feel, Anthony Davis.

Davis, the former Rutgers star, signed a $37.3 million contract extension three days ago to keep the right tackle with the 49ers for the next five years. But according to Davis, the highest draft pick in Rutgers history, his time in college with the Scarlet Knights under then head coach Greg Schiano did nothing to prepare him for the next level.

Davis blasted Schiano, now head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, several weeks ago while he attended Rutgers’ Pro Day to support his former teammates. Speaking to the NFL Draft Bible for their podcast, Davis didn’t exactly endorse Schiano, who has ruffled veterans in Tampa Bay with his no-nonsense personality and strict disciplinarian style on the practice field.

“Schiano didn’t do s—,” Davis told NFL Draft Bible. “He like, breaks your confidence down. That’s his idea of molding guys, by breaking their confidence down. But really, without confidence, you’ve got a s— team. And I feel like, what he’s doing, I thought it was because I was young and I just didn’t appreciate what he was doing, but now that I’m a little older, I just realize that his plan is not working. And I think he’s going to start finding that out soon enough.”

Schiano was recommended to Tampa Bay last year by Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, himself notorious for his blunt demeanor.

On Friday after signing his extension with the 49ers, Davis tweeted a quote that seemed to be attributed to Schiano. Davis deleted the tweet just minutes after he posted it.

Despite his digs at Schiano, Davis had a reputation for underperforming at Rutgers, including a lackluster work ethic on the field and in the weight room. He struggled his rookie season, coming into rookie camp overweight and in poor shape.

In recent years, Rutgers has been relatively solid in terms of producing NFL products. Ray Rice, a second-round pick in 2008, has become a Pro Bowl running back with the Ravens. In addition, Titans cornerback Jason McCourty, twin brother Devin McCourty of the Patriots and wide receiver Mohamed Sanu of the Bengals have all developed into solid NFL players.

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer for all your offseason news.

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Everyone knows that many factors contribute to winning a game. Factors like health, luck and weather conditions all play a part in the game. As does, above all, strategy. And the Giants sure know that.

There were a lot of mistakes made in the Giants vs. 49ers game. Many of which cost the 49ers a handful of points. Most notably, punt returner Kyle Williams’ fumbles that cost the 49ers at least 10 points.

After the game, the Giants player were joyfully basking in their glory in the locker room when a controversial aspect of their game plan was revealed.

According to reports, the Giants were especially violent toward Williams because they knew he had suffered several concussions in the past.

Devin Thomas, the reserve wide receiver who recovered both of Kyle Williams’ fumbles, told the Star Ledger,  “He’s had a lot of concussions. We were just like, ‘We gotta put a hit on that guy.’ … [Giants reserve safety Tyler] Sash did a great job hitting him early and he looked kind of dazed when he got up. I feel like that made a difference and he coughed it up.”

So one man’s concussion, is another team’s ticket to the Super Bowl.

Watch your backs, Patriots (and your knees, ankles, shoulders, heads, or any other previously injured body part), the Giants are out to get you.

The post Did the Giants specifically target Kyle Williams in NFC Championship game? appeared first on Metro.us.

The last time either the Giants or Patriots were in the Super Bowl, they played each other. Furthering the similarities is during the home stretch of the ’07 season, the Giants laid an egg at home to a lowly Redskins team in Week 15, then won a road game at an AFC team (Buffalo) to catapult them into the playoffs. This season’s Week 15 loss, also at home to a last-place Redskins squad, was then followed up by a “road” win against the Jets.   

The rest is history, as the Giants haven’t lost since.      

Coughlin has done all he can to downplay the similarities between the two seasons, but not even he can deny them now. He openly spoke about the comparisons, regaling a post-game exchange with defensive end Osi Umenyiora.     

“I’m trying to fight it,” Coughlin said. “But Osi sat next to me for a minute [in the locker room] and he just looked at me with a smile on his face. He said, ‘Have you thought about how this is coming down? Do you realize that this is scary because of the way that this is coming about?’”     

Just like in past Super Bowl-winning seasons, conquering unforgettable title games is not new for the Giants. Lawrence Tynes’s game-winning field goal on Sunday split the uprights at the same end of Candlestick Park where Matt Bahr kicked his game-winning 42-yarder as time expired in the 1990 NFC Championship game. That field goal was also set up by a late takeaway, when defensive tackle Erik Howard forced a fumble by Roger Craig that was recovered by Lawrence Taylor.     

Sunday’s ultimate play was also made by unlikely role players, as rookie linebacker Jacquian Williams stripped Kyle Williams and was recovered by reserve wideout and return specialist Devin Thomas at the 24-yard line to set up Tynes’s kick.    

Coughlin said such a play was no accident, as this batch of players is as close — or even closer — than the ’07 version. The 16-year head coach (the last eight with the Giants) said he’s living in the moment and is appreciating this run even more.    

“There’s a strong feeling amongst this group,” Coughlin said. “We went through a lot this season. We had a lot of ups and downs. We fought through injuries and adversities. Those things just make this so much more meaningful. I can’t say how proud I am of these guys. … We’re very grateful and humbled to win a game like that [and] grateful to win five elimination games in a row.”     

The normally reserved Coughlin then allowed a peek into the emotions he felt throughout the week.    

“I’m delighted. I’m excited [and] at times it’s very difficult to contain yourself,” Coughlin said. “Even this past week when the excitement of this thing was building up, the days seemed to be flying by.”     

Umenyiora was still in disbelief and said this feeling of déjà vu can hopefully end the same as the first time around.      

“It’s the weirdest thing I think I’ve ever been a part of,” Umenyiora said. “I can’t really explain it. But I’m just going to go with it. It’s crazy how similar it is to what happened in 2007. It’s going to be a different game, but hopefully it will be the same outcome.”     

Big Blue notes
 
» The Giants have never lost an NFC Championship game (5-0). They are 3-0 on the road in the NFC championship game, now winning twice in San Francisco and once in Green Bay. It was the second time they defeated the 49ers in a championship in Candlestick Park on a last-play field goal (Bahr, ’90).  

» The 49ers set a record for futility in a championship game, converting just 1-of-13 third-down opportunities. The 49ers were limited to 15 first downs overall and held the ball for only 28:18. Niners quarterback Alex Smith completed only one pass to a wide receiver, a three-yarder to Michael Crabtree.  

» Punter Steve Weatherford had a 40.6-yard net average on a franchise postseason record 12 punts.   

» Linebacker Chase Blackburn’s unlikely return to the Giants is a microcosm of their will and fight. Unemployed until the week after Thanksgiving, Blackburn, who wasn’t resigned last summer, had a team-high seven tackles (five solo).  

» Manning improved to 7-3 as a starting quarterback in the postseason, including 5-1 on the road. The five road postseason victories are an NFL record.  

Manning’s attempts (58) and completions (32) shattered the Giants’ previous postseason records, both, ironically, set in San Francisco. The record for attempts was 44 by Phil Simms on Dec. 29, 1984 and the completions mark was 29 by Kerry Collins on Jan. 5, 2003. Manning now owns the franchise postseason records for passes (316), completions (190), completion percentage (60.13), yards (2,220) and touchdown passes (16).    
 
» Wideout Hakeem Nicks is averaging 18.6 yards per catch in his postseason career, easily besting the former Giants records of 13.9 held by Frank Gifford (17 catches for 236 yards) for receivers with at least 15 receptions.
     
» Tight end Bear Pascoe scored his first NFL touchdown on his first postseason catch, a six-yarder in the second quarter.     

» Running back Ahmad Bradshaw has 94 postseason rushing attempts and his 4.34 postseason yards-per-carry average is the highest in Giants history, surpassing Joe Morris.   

» Punter Steve Weatherford’s 557 punting yards easily outdistanced the former postseason record of 422, set by Brad Maynard in the Super Bowl 11 years ago. 

» The four playoff wins against San Francisco is the franchise’s highest total against any opponent.   

» The Patriots may be the ones with revenge on their minds as they lost Super Bowl XLII while trying to complete a 19-0 season and most recently lost, 24-20, at home on Nov. 6. But the Giants are 3-0 in Super Bowls against teams they faced in the regular season and 0-1 against a team they didn’t previously play (the Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV).
     
» This was the Giants’ fifth consecutive road game playoff victory, an NFL record, and fifth-consecutive win overall, outscoring opponents 141-67.      

» The Giants are 3-1 in the Super Bowl. The Patriots are 3-2. Whichever team wins they’ll stake a claim as one of the preeminent franchises since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, as only four other franchises have at least four Super Bowl trophies (Steelers, Packers, Cowboys and 49ers).      

» New York will be the 10th franchise to play in at least five Super Bowls, joining San Francisco, Green Bay, Pittsburgh, Dallas, the Raiders, Washington, New England, Miami and Denver.    

» There have been five NFL/NFC championship games decided in overtime and the Giants have played in three of them. They lost the 1958 league championship game to the Baltimore Colts and defeated Green Bay in 2007 and San Francisco on Sunday in conference title games. The other NFC overtime games were Atlanta’s 30-27 victory at Minnesota in 1998 and New Orleans’s 31-28 triumph over the Vikings two years ago.
     
» The Giants played in a record 19th championship game. Dallas is second with 16. The Giants are 8-11 in championship title games — 3-11 in NFL championship games prior to the 1970 merger and 5-0 in NFC championship games after it (1986, 1990, 2000 and 2007).  
   
» The Giants are the third team since the introduction of the 16-game schedule in 1978 to reach the Super Bowl after finishing the regular season with a 9-7 record. The 1979 Los Angeles Rams and 2008 Arizona Cardinals were 9-7. Both of those teams lost the Super Bowl to the Pittsburgh Steelers.      

» This was the fourth time — and the first time in the NFC — a fourth seed and a second seed met for a conference championship since 1990, the first season a sixth playoff team was added in each conference. The No. 4 seeds are 4-0 in such games. Twice the fourth seed went on to win the Super Bowl (Broncos in ’97 and the Ravens in ’00).
   
» This was the 47th postseason game in the history of the Giants franchise, third-most overall (Dallas, 58 games and Pittsburgh, 53).   

» New York is 23-24 in the postseason. The 23 victories ties them with Washington for sixth among NFL franchises.  
 
» Coughlin has improved to 11-7 as a head coach in postseason games. The 11 victories tie him with three coaches, including two former Giants coaches (Bill Parcells and Dan Reeves), for the seventh-highest total in NFL history. The win was also Coughlin’s seventh on the road as a head coach, tying Hall of Famer Tom Landry for the most in NFL history. Coughlin is 7-4 on the road in the playoffs (5-1 with the Giants). Landry was 7-7. Should Coughlin win the Super Bowl, he’ll tie Parcells (8-3) in total playoff wins as Giants head coach. Coughlin is now 2-2 in conference title games (0-2 with Jacksonville, 2-0 with New York).

Follow Giants beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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What went right …

1. Wideout Victor Cruz made the most of the single coverage he saw all afternoon, as he tortured the Niners’ secondary for 10 catches for 142 yards. Cruz’s first half alone would be a great full game for most receivers as he registered eight catches for 125 yards. The first-time playoff entrant recorded his first-career 100-yard day following a 17-yard reception with 20 seconds remaining in the first half. The grab set up a Lawrence Tynes 31-yard field goal with two seconds remaining to give the Giants a 10-7 halftime lead.
 
2. If not for Cruz’s heroics, quarterback Eli Manning’s stats wouldn’t have been as inflated, but what was more impressive was the way Manning managed the game. Manning, who had a career-best playoff run, finished 32-of-58 for 316 yards and two touchdowns. Although the weather conditions were less than ideal, and the footballs were slick, Manning was efficient in the red zone against the league’s fourth-best red-zone defense, didn’t turn over the ball and played as well as any passer could considering the elements.   
  
3. Punt returner Kyle Williams, who was subbing in for Ted Ginn, Jr., had two key miscues. His first was a muffed punt with 11:08 remaining in the fourth quarter that was recovered by Devin Thomas at the Niners’ 29-yard line. It was the first turnover by either team in the game. It set up a 17-yard touchdown by Mario Manningham with 8:34 remaining. It was Manningham’s first catch of the game. The second was a strip by rookie linebacker Jacquian Williams at the Niners’ 23-yard line, with 9:32 remaining in the extra session, which was also recovered by Thomas to set up Tynes’s 31-yard game-winning field goal with 7:06 remaining in overtime. 
 
What went wrong …
 
1. As bad as Cruz torched the Niners’ defense, 49ers tight end Vernon Davis did the same to Big Blue’s secondary. Davis finished with three receptions for 112 yards, including the opening touchdown on San Francisco’s second possession, and another score for 28 yards with 5:18 remaining in the third quarter. Davis’s size and speed were too much for any Big Blue linebacker or safety.  
   
2. The running game was the Achilles’ heel for the Giants’ offense all season, particularly in short-yardage situations, and Sunday was no different. New York had a tough time converting first downs via the ground and were stymied all afternoon. Ahmad Bradshaw led Big Blue with 74 yards, while Brandon Jacobs could only muster a paltry 13. The short-yardage deficiencies cost the Giants at least four points, as head coach Tom Coughlin eschewed a long field goal in favor of calling Jacobs’s number on fourth-and-one at the Niners’ 38-yard line. The Giants didn’t convert and the rugged Niners’ run defense set the tone.       
  
3. It’s a good thing that there is a two-week layoff between Sunday and the Super Bowl, as Manning may need the extra rest. Manning was sacked six times and knocked down 16 times, as the San Francisco pass rush was hellacious.   

Follow Giants beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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1. Know which way the wind blows

The weatherperson might be the most watched individual in the Bay Area this week. Sunday’s forecast for San Francisco is for temperatures in the mid-50s with a chance of showers. And leading up to opening kickoff it’s being reported that it should rain off and on all week. That makes for sloppy conditions, which could heavily favor the Niners. Candlestick Park is already below sea level so any extra water benefits the team with the superior ground game and run-blockers. If it turns into a muddy affair that means a whole lot of 49ers running back Frank Gore (1,211 yards, 4.3 yards per carry and eight rushing touchdowns in the regular season).   

2. Feelin’ fine

The Giants are getting healthy at the right time, as players like linebacker Michael Boley and defensive end Osi Umenyiora didn’t play in the regular season matchup. But it should be noted that Gore didn’t play much either, as he was knocked out in the first half with a knee injury and didn’t play in the second half. When he did play, however, Gore was a non-factor (six rushing yards). Whichever team imposes its will and wins the game of attrition in what should be a physical game goes a long way into deciding the winner.    

3. Top of the heap

This is just the second time since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger that two former No. 1-overall draft picks at quarterback face off in the conference championship game. Giants quarterback Eli Manning (No. 1 in 2004) and Niners quarterback Alex Smith (No. 1 in 2005) will most certainly have huge roles in their team’s fortunes. While Manning has finally entered the elite stratosphere with his career year this season, Smith has just finally started to shake loose his bust label. If it turns into a shootout, Manning has the decided edge, but Smith showed last week in out-dueling Drew Brees that he’s capable at keeping defenses honest and not allowing them to solely key on Gore.

Follow Giants beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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Those are the names the TV broadcast teams will be drooling over and shoving down the public’s throats this weekend — and rightfully so. They are four of the best players in the entire NFL.

However, the NFC and AFC championship games are going to come down to the play of the less heralded stars. Guys that are bouncing back from injuries and offseason issues, and some rising stars who are coming off breakout regular seasons.

We take a look at eight players that could make a huge impact in Sunday’s games and maybe even decide who ultimately advances to the Super Bowl.

Donte Whitner
Deal:
Whitner, the 49ers’ starting strong safety , likes to talk some trash. His tweet Tuesday, after beating New Orleans, simply said, “Out here in San Fran we let our Shoulder Pads do all the talking….haha.”

Analysis:
With so many Pro Bowl selections on San Fran’s defense (four of them to be exact), Whitner sometimes gets lost in the shuffle. However, that hit he put on Pierre Thomas last week — the one where Thomas went limp and fumbled the ball — might have Giants receivers thinking twice about crossing paths with him.

Victor Cruz
Wide receiver, Giants
The undrafted free agent out of UMass had his coming-out party in a Week 3 win over Philadelphia, catching two long touchdowns and making Nnamdi Asomugha trip over himself. Cruz’s 1,536 receiving yards is a single-season Giants franchise record — and his salsa dance (used as a scoring celebration) brings all the girls to the yard.

Corey Webster
Cornerback, Giants
New York’s secondary was supposed to be vulnerable, a weakness even on an otherwise stout defense.

But Webster has defied that logic. He finished the regular season with a career-high six interceptions and has been even better in the postseason, shutting down Falcons stud Roddy White and then Packers burner Greg Jennings.

This week, he is expected to guard Michael Crabtree, who was held to just one catch for 21 yards when the two teams met on Nov. 13.

Mark Anderson
Defensive End, Patriots
Call him Tebow Kryptonite. The 6-foot-4, 255-pounder racked up 10 sacks in 14 games for the Pats, and smothered Broncos QB Tim Tebow in two wins. Anderson sacked him twice in Week 15 and forced a fumble in last week’s playoff win. With Andre Carter (quad) out, Anderson is the Pats’ most prolific pass-rusher. Alex Smith beware.

Aldon Smith
Linebacker, 49ers
The seventh overall pick in the NFL draft has lived up to the hype. Drawing comparisons to Dallas’ DeMarcus Ware, Smith set the 49ers record for most sacks in a season (14) and fell half a sack short of the all-time rookie record.

Smith is viewed by many as a situational pass-rusher. He was on the field for less than 50 percent of the 49ers’ defensive plays and notched 13 of his 14 sacks against (think Giants here) three wide-receiver sets.

Bryant McKinnie
Left Tackle, Ravens
He was left for dead after a weight problem and a penchant for skipping practices — McKinnie was kicked off the 2010 Pro Bowl team for missing meetings — forced him out of Minnesota.

But McKinnie has slimmed down (officially listed at a svelte 360 pounds) and looks like the Pro Bowl tackle he once was, now protecting Ravens QB Joe Flacco’s blind side.

Ironic since McKinnie’s success helped move “The Blind Side” star Michael Oher to right tackle.

Aaron Hernandez
Tight End, Patriots
While fellow stud tight end Rob Gronkowski gets all the headlines (and records), Hernandez might be the bigger threat overall.

The 6-foot-1, 245-pounder is fleet (4.6 40 time) and can line up at four different positions, including tight end, blocking fullback, slot receiver and wide receiver.

Lardarius Webb
Cornerback, Ravens
We all know how disruptive safety Ed Reed (he had one pick last week and dropped two more) can be, but Webb has developed into one of the better corners.

“Sometimes I’m mad and I want to curse him out. But it all pays off during the week,” Webb said of Reed.

He recorded five interceptions in the regular season and has two already this postseason, both while blanketing Houston stud receiver Andre Johnson last week.

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Besides facing an aggressive, smashmouth football team, New York has to worry about the elements going against them.

Sunday’s forecast for San Francisco has temperatures in the mid-50s with a chance of showers. And even if it doesn’t rain on game day, reports are that the scattered showers throughout the week could make Candlestick Park a treacherous place for quarterbacks and receivers.

Wideout Victor Cruz said he’s plugged into the weather forecast, just like he did in Green Bay last week when he added local weather apps to his cell phone. Cruz noted that while he obviously has no control over the weather he can still take precautions in case things get ugly.

“It’s grass, and a throwback stadium, so it naturally has that give to it. The grass is pretty thick and you tend to slide and slip a little bit,” Cruz said. “If it rains, it will definitely be a challenge for us, [but] it’s nothing that we haven’t faced before. Whatever challenges come our way we’ll have to just take them head on.”

Head coach Tom Coughlin wasn’t particularly concerned about playing in wet conditions. Coughlin acknowledged weather can have some effects (“If we have to put the ball in a bucket of water a couple times this week, we will do that”), but otherwise Big Blue will have their focus solely on the Niners.

“I have glanced at it, but it is what it is,” Coughlin said of weather. “Once we are in the game, if it becomes a factor, then we would have to make adjustments.”

Should it turn into a ground-oriented game, Coughlin insisted the Giants have the horsepower to hang with the 49ers. He noted the running game has improved each week and he has faith in Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs.    
 
“We are about balance. We rushed the ball 29 times when we were out there and we did win time of possession,” Coughlin said, recalling the Packers game. “We did have 70 snaps to their 52. We did all the things that you want to do.”  

Coughlin also noted the trouble with preparing for the Niners is that they showed they can win games in a multitude of ways. They showed they can win a shootout, like last Saturday’s win over the Saints, or a close-to-the-vest, field-position game. Last week, Niners quarterback Alex Smith torched the Saints’ secondary (24-of-42 for 299 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions and a key 28-yard rushing touchdown) so Coughlin made it clear that the offense won’t be a one-man goring.  
 
“Even though their numbers are not great offensively for a 16-game season, the way they play, you have to understand they do an outstanding job complementing their defense and special teams,” Coughlin said. “They are a team that has been very steady and have a philosophy in how they play and they have not wavered from it. But the thing that occurred [in the Saints game], was when they needed to make the plays [through the air] and the score went back and forth in the last four minutes of the game, they certainly showed that they can bring the ball down the field.”    

Should the weather heavily factor in, it would also put a premium on field position and the kicking game. Both of San Francisco’s special team specialists, kicker David Akers and punter Andy Lee, set records this season and are arguably the best 1-2 duo in the league. Their return game is also in the top 10, led by wideout/return specialist Ted Ginn.     

“The thing that was most impressive to me is they led the league in field position, where they took the ball over at the 33.5-yard line and that is a nice start for anybody,” Coughlin said. “They also led the NFL in the opponent’s drives, making them start at the 24.3-yard line.”      

Statistics and weather aside, defensive end Justin Tuck said it simply comes down to who wants it more and who’s tougher.    

“You just have to play,” Tuck said. “I just like playing football — regardless of snow, sleet, sun, whatever. It doesn’t really stop what we want and have to do. … In the end it just comes down to what we do and what we control.”   

Big Blue notes
 
» Punter Steve Weatherford can sure pick a winner. This will be the veteran’s third-consecutive trip — and fourth overall — to a conference title game. He played for the Jets in the last two AFC Championship games and for New Orleans in 2006. While he’s managed to hitch onto winning programs, Weatherford is still looking for that elusive Super Bowl appearance, as his teams are 0-3 in the penultimate game.

Weatherford said while he felt “almost snake-bitten” and the experiences ended up being “a big tease” he feels confident this is the breakthrough appearance: “I’ve never felt more confident that I’m going to win it all. Last year [on the Jets] we felt really good, we were playing really good football, but I never really felt like I could feel like I feel right now. I don’t feel like we’re invincible, but I feel like we’re the only people that can stop us. Unless we shoot ourselves in the foot, I don’t think there’s a team in the NFL that can beat us.”   

» Tuck said he’s not worrying about who did any praying or who the Niners intend on featuring on offense. Ultimately, Tuck said it comes down to how Big Blue executes: “We don’t worry about anybody. It’s all about what we do. Will we have something in store to kind of slow him [Davis] down? Sure we will. But at the end of the day, we’re not going to put too much emphasis into what they do, as long as we do what we do.”   

» Hakeem Nicks said his unusually-large, 4X hands will have no problem catching passes in the rain or inclement weather: “I’m a hands catcher. I like to snatch the ball out the air, so it won’t bother me. I think it’s just paying attention to details [and] looking the ball all the way in because the ball could be a little wet. But you know, I think it’s just a matter of concentration.”   

Nicks did allow that route-running could be an issue for some, but added it’ll be harder for the defensive backs than the wideouts: “You’ve got to be more detailed in your route coming in and out of your cut. It’s just a matter of having your nose over your toes in your route and not leaning back in your route. And you might have to switch up your cleats a little bit and get a little bit longer spikes in your cleats to catch you a little bit. … I feel like it’s always to the receivers’ advantage [playing in mud] because we know where we’re going on a route. DBs are just guessing or playing their coverage.”  

» Safety Antrel Rolle naturally had a differing view of Nicks’s opinion. Rolle said his defensive back brethren are every bit as sure-footed as the wideouts: “It’s not going to affect us much. We just have to react to it [and] make sure to have the proper equipment. Maybe get some studded cleats that can grip the ground a little bit harder. You just play the game.”   

When discussing the renaissance of Niners dual-threat quarterback Alex Smith, Rolle didn’t sound too impressed. Afterall, they already vanquished arguably the best in the game in Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers: “We’re going to play our game. We faced a guy, Aaron Rodgers, last week that can run just as well as Alex Smith. I played against him [Smith] twice a year when I was in Arizona so [I’m] very aware of his capabilities. He is a great athlete as far as running the ball and throwing the ball. With that being said, we’re going to rally to it [and] I can promise you one thing, he won’t run the ball too much.”  

When the topic of Super Bowl experience came up, Rolle said he’s not even thinking of Indianapolis yet and is too focused on San Francisco: “I’m not trying to cut you short,” he said when a reporter brought up the big game. “But we’re not answering questions about the Super Bowl right now. I’ll answer all of the questions you want about San Francisco. But questions about the Super Bowl I’m not going to answer.”

Follow Giants beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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While he’s always looking for slights so he can use them as an extra emotional edge, Rolle acknowledged he found one in a seemingly innocuous statement soon after the Giants took down the defending champion Packers.     

The veteran safety took umbrage with Niners tight end Vernon Davis saying he preferred that his second-seeded squad face the fourth-seeded Giants at home Sunday in the NFC Championship game, instead of having his team go to Green Bay and face the top-ranked Packers. Davis, who was openly rooting for the Giants to upset the Packers, said he meant no disrespect as he simply wanted to have a chance of having home-field advantage in the penultimate game.       

Rolle took offense though, and said he was actually happy for the perceived slight.      

“If he said that, I can only hope that he was saying that just because they wanted to get a home game,” said Rolle. “You know, they better be careful for what they ask for because their wish has been granted and we will see those boys come Sunday. … Our mindset is extreme at this point. I might be a little biased, but in our minds we can’t be beat. That’s the approach we’re taking.”      

Davis, who caught the game-winning touchdown to stun the Saints last Saturday, tried to downplay the brewing controversy. He said he wasn’t disregarding Big Blue, but added he’s not backing down from his comment either.    

“Yeah, I prayed [when] the Giants won,” Davis said. “But they’re a good team. I didn’t pray because they were the worse team. They’re a good team and I acknowledge that. They’re the hardest game ever when they come up here. They have a good team offensively and defensively. This week we’ll prepare like we did last week, and we’ll approach this, I guess, [like it’s] the end of the world.”
        ?
Rolle is as feisty as they come and said he can’t wait to show the Niners what Giants football is all about. He then added there’s just a special feeling within the locker room right now. Rolle wasn’t on the 2007 Super Bowl team, but has Super Bowl experience as a member of the Cardinals (2008) and is confident that destiny is playing a huge part in this current run.      

“We’re not going to be denied at this point. We understand what we have as a team. It’s not all about talent, it’s about chemistry. We’re gelling at this point,” Rolle said. “Coaches and players are on the same page at the same time. We have one goal in mind, which is to win the championship.”    

It’s almost inarguable that anyone on Big Blue has a bigger chip on his shoulder than Rolle, but that doesn’t preclude others from having the same amount of confidence and gumption as they prepare for San Francisco.     

“In a sense we do feel like it,” Cruz said when asked if he feels like his team is unstoppable. “If we’re playing like we’ve been playing, if we’re executing at a high level the way we’ve been playing, we’re a tough team to stop. … Hopefully, we can win the game pretty well. As long as we can execute and do all the things we know how to do, we’ll be okay.”     

Though they are happy to get the rematch, to a man, revenge isn’t on their minds. But each player that was asked about facing the 49ers again said having played them before — and losing to them — helps the team hone in on assignments even better.   

But in the end, the players said the 49ers don’t represent a rematch, rather the next obstacle.         

“Doesn’t matter about the first time around. All that matters is what happens right now, this week,” tackle Kareem McKenzie said. “That’s all we’re going to focus on. It does help that we’ve played them before in that environment, so there’ll be some relative familiarity with the situation. But at the same time, we have to approach this game with a new sense of vigor and energy.”    

Linebacker Michael Boley said it best. He has no time for the verbal sparring or revenge talk. All he cares about is getting to Indianapolis.    

“They’re just in the way of where we want to be and obviously that’s the Super Bowl,” Boley said.        

Big Blue notes
 
» This is the second week in a row the Giants have an opportunity to avenge a regular season loss. They lost to the Packers on Dec. 4 in MetLife Stadium, 38-35, before beating them handily Sunday. The Niners also own a Nov. 13 regular season win over the Giants, in San Francisco, 27-20.
  
» The regular season series is tied at 14-14, but the Niners lead the postseason series, 4-3. A better idea of how evenly matched the rivalry has been, the Niners hold a slim lead in total points scored, 721-709. This is the eighth playoff matchup and will tie an NFL record (Giants vs. Bears and Cowboys vs. Rams). 

» The starting quarterbacks in Sunday’s championship game will be Eli Manning (No. 1 pick in 2004) and Alex Smith (No. 1 in ’05). It is the second time since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger that both starting quarterbacks in a conference championship game were No. 1-overall picks in an NFL Draft. The other time it happened was the 1998 AFC Championship Game on Jan. 17, 1999 when Denver’s John Elway and the Jets’ Vinny Testaverde were the quarterbacks. 

» Manning has four postseason road victories in his career. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that puts him in a six-way tie for most playoff road wins in NFL history (the NFL considers the Super Bowl an away game for both quarterbacks). The other quarterbacks are Pro Football Hall of Famers Len Dawson and Roger Staubach and current quarterbacks Jake Delhomme, Joe Flacco and Mark Sanchez.

Follow Giants beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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Following Sunday’s demolition of the defending champion Packers, the Giants were already immersed in next week’s gameplan by Monday morning because for the second week in a row they’ll get to avenge another regular season loss, this time to the 49ers. The fourth-seeded Giants advanced to the NFC Championship game in San Francisco against the second-seeded 49ers and hope to rectify their last-second 27-20 loss on Nov. 13.     

Despite having to travel cross-country and face a Niners team that’s also teeming with as much swagger as Big Blue, head coach Tom Coughlin said he likes their odds.     

“I think we’re a dangerous team,” Coughlin said. “I like where we are. I like our attitude. I like the way we’re playing.”   

Such confidence has everything to do with the do-or-die statuses each game had for the Giants in the final month of the season, including its two playoff games.     

“This team knows how to win on the road,” defensive end Justin Tuck said. “Right now, it just seems like it’s our time.”      

Tuck, the inspirational leader of the Giants’ defense, helped his squad hold a Packers team that had averaged 40.1 points at home to half its average by forcing four turnovers. Green Bay came into the game having only committed 14 turnovers, including just six fumbles, but were harassed into four fumbles by Big Blue.      

“Our defense has been outstanding for the last few weeks and that’s been a huge difference for us,” Coughlin said.  

The Giants are peaking at the right time and that’s usually the formula for success in today’s NFL. In recent playoff history, the regular season’s best team has rarely won the Super Bowl. Last year, Green Bay was a 10-6 Wild Card entry and steamrolled its way to the Lombardi Trophy. The Giants were 9-7 this season and earned their way into the playoffs on the final day of the regular season.     

They’ve gotten guys healthy at the right time and have used the momentum of playing must-win games to their advantage. Their self-proclaimed “Road Warriors” moniker has certainly found a home.

“There’s nothing like going into a stadium and what’s left of the fans at the end of the game and it’s just your fans,” said linebacker Michael Boley.

And after vanquishing the Packers for the second-consecutive playoff win at Lambeau (2007) the Giants say they’re ready for the penultimate game.     

Sunday will be the Giants’ first championship game appearance since the ’07 playoffs, when they defeated the Packers in Green Bay in overtime, 23-20. Quarterback Eli Manning said he relishes the opportunity of trying to duplicate that magical postseason run.        

“I think we are always confident going into games,” Manning said. “Guys understand the way to win football games against good teams. Our defense is playing great with pressure and turnovers. Our offense, for the most part, is protecting the ball and playing smart football. When we have a chance to make a big play we are making them.”    

Defensive end Osi Umenyiora said he’s proud of the way the team is jelling, but claimed he’s not shocked. He added they’ve always had the talent. It just took a little while for key guys to get healthy and get back to playing the “Giants way.”    

“We know we’re a good football team and we’re a great defense. We might not have showed most of it during the regular season, but that doesn’t matter now,” said Umenyiora. “This is the postseason and we’re playing the way we’re supposed to be playing right now. We’ve been playing well for the past four or five games now, so hopefully we’ll keep it going and take this thing all the way.”     

Big Blue notes
 
» Running back Brandon Jacobs said he was so ready to play the Packers that he wished the game could’ve been played sooner. Jacobs only had 22 yards rushing, but scored the game-salting touchdown late in the fourth quarter. He said his confidence never wavered that they’d beat the Packers in the rematch: “I knew we were going to beat them on Wednesday, to be honest with you.”   

» Loquacious safety Antrel Rolle caused a stir after the Packers beat the Giants, 38-35, last month when he said he felt the Giants were the better team and that they’d face them again in the playoffs. Naturally, after helping the Giants knock off the defending champs, Rolle was ready for an “I told you so” moment: “I’m not surprised [with the win]. I said, ‘We’ll see them again.’ We saw them again. This is the outcome.” 

» Defensive end Osi Umenyiora has five sacks in the last three games since returning from a high ankle sprain. 

Follow Giants beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8 for all the team news heading up to the NFC Championship game.

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Even Joe Flacco.

The Ravens held on to beat the Houston Texans 20-13 yesterday in the AFC divisional round.

Baltimore will head to New England Sunday to face the No. 1-seeded Patriots. Flacco, who joked with reporters earlier this week about not getting enough credit, did just enough to get the W. He finished 14-of-27 for 176 yards and two touchdowns for the Ravens. Houston coughed the ball up four times and Baltimore played error-free football — no turnovers, no penalties.

“The four turnovers were huge,” said Ravens coach John Harbaugh. “That’s the difference in football games, especially at this time of year. The fact that we capitalized on turnovers was probably the key to the game.”

Ray Lewis and Ed Reed led a defensive unit that held to the potent Texans offense to just one touchdown. Lewis recorded a team-high seven tackles and Reed sealed it with an interception near the goal line in the final minutes.

“Turnovers killed our opportunity to win, and that’s what hurts now,” said Texans quarterback T.J. Yates.

 Championship weekend

We are down to the NFL’s Final Four after the Ravens and Giants punched the final two    tickets. Here’s a look at next weekend’s AFC and NFC  championship games:
   
Baltimore (13-4) at New England (14-3), Sunday, 3 p.m. (CBS)
Scoop: Contrasting styles go head-to-head, as the Pats’ second-ranked offense (428 yards per game) meets the Ravens’ third-ranked defense (288.9 yards).
History lesson: Baltimore upset New England 33-14 in the 2009 wild-card round when Tom Brady posted the worst passer rating of his prolific playoff career (49.1).  
Prediction: Ravens 23, Patriots 17. We’re predicting Joe Flacco makes just enough plays to get it done.

NY Giants (10-7) at San Francisco (14-3), Sunday, 6:30 p.m. (FOX)
Scoop: Eli Manning is playing arguably the best football of his career, but this is one is all about the pass-rush. The Giants ranked third in sacks (48), with the 49ers close behind them in seventh (42).
History lesson: Giants faced the 49ers back on Nov. 13 and narrowly lost, 27-20, on a fourth-down stop in the closing seconds.
Prediction: 49ers 20, Giants 17. In the end, the Niners are just a little deeper — and more talented — on defense. The X-factor? Alex Smith.

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Atop the list of missed opportunities was that for the first time all season Big Blue stymied an opponent’s main offensive threat. Niners running back Frank Gore came into the contest riding a franchise-record five consecutive games with at least 100 yards, but ended Sunday’s contest with zero yards on just six carries. Gore bowed out early in the second half with a knee injury, but even when healthy he was ineffective.   

“I felt good at the fact his presence didn’t hurt us,” head coach Tom Coughlin said of Gore. “During the course of the day, holding them to 77 yards instead of the 138 they were averaging was great. We did get hurt in the run game after the second turnover but by and large we did a good job with that.”   

New York’s defense was stellar against the run, but overall they played as uneven a game as they’ve had all season — most notably in the red-zone (or what Coughlin calls the green zone). Too many times, according to Coughlin, Big Blue was forced to kick field goals instead of tallying touchdowns. The Giants (6-3) didn’t score their first touchdown until the third quarter and were hampered by missed opportunities.      

“We did lose the turnover battle and that hurt us. Plus, being 1-of-4 in the green zone,” Coughlin said. “We talked about not getting just field goals because that would be an issue … ultimately we waited too late to do what we wanted.”    

For the first time in over a month, quarterback Eli Manning couldn’t find that fourth-quarter magic. Manning wasn’t spectacular, but was more than effective enough to keep the Giants within striking distance. He led two touchdown drives of 80 or more yards and had the Giants in position to go for the tie in the waning seconds before his fourth-down pass was batted down at the line if scrimmage.   

Regardless of the ending, Coughlin said his quarterback came into Monday’s meetings focused and ready to get back to work.   

“Absolutely, he comes in the same way every day [win or lose],” said Coughlin. “I call it a balance of analysis. He’s straight forward and wants the answers and he’s not afraid to be wrong on a certain play, [because] all he wants to be is improving on every play. He’s always the same … I never worry about Eli.”    

Coughlin also insisted that he doesn’t worry about the rest of the daunting second-half schedule and is not even thinking about past collapses.   

“I don’t know why this keeps coming up. You’ve got to take each year one at a time and each week one at a time. We didn’t play well and it had nothing to do with [thinking about] the second half [collapses],” said Coughlin. “We play the Philadelphia Eagles this week, so I don’t get involved with the ‘what-ifs.’ You waste a bunch of time worrying about that stuff … you can’t change the schedule, so you can only worry about what’s in front of you.”   

What’s in front of the Giants next is the hated Eagles. The Eagles have their own problems, specifically the alleged “Dream Team” having a nightmarish season. Now word is that quarterback Mike Vick broke two ribs and his status is questionable Sunday.   

Coughlin said he hasn’t started the gameplan yet, but added his team will be ready to bounce back in a big way.   

“We have a good group of fighters. We didn’t play well, but we kept fighting, kept battling. As long as you have that you can correct the little things and get them straightened out,” Coughlin said. “But they’re playing hard [regardless]. This is a good group of guys who enjoy playing with each other and I have no doubt they’ll be ready.”  

Big Blue notes

» Coughlin said he’ll know more about the availability of the walking wounded later this week. Amongst the banged-up players are cornerback Aaron Ross (quad), linebacker Michael Boley (knee) and Ahmad Bradshaw (foot), who didn’t even make the trip to San Francisco. Coughlin hopes that Boley, who is listed as “day-to-day,” returns quickly because of the responsibilities the veteran has: “It’s not just one individual, as everyone is important. [But] Michael is important because he’s our Mike [middle linebacker] and our communicator. We want to get him back as soon as possible.”   

Coughlin on Bradshaw’s availability: “We’ll see. There’s no sense speculating, but he’ll have to go out and practice. He’s had a good couple of weeks of rest but we won’t know until he gets out there.”   

» Coughlin also didn’t want to speculate on the Eagles’ quarterback situation, adding that preparation will earnestly happen on Wednesday: “I haven’t even begun to gain or gather any information about Philadelphia. But I’ll say they’re a talented football team and we’ll prepare as hard as we can for them this week. We’ll deal with that situation soon, but I have not begun that yet … but in this case you have two gifted quarterbacks [Vick and Vince Young] who can do the same things. We’ll plan accordingly.” 

Follow Giants beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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What went right …
 
1. No Gore-ing

The Giants were an opposing running back’s dream heading into the game, but more than redeemed itself with its best effort of the season. Frank Gore entered the game with a franchise-record five consecutive games with at least 100 yards rushing, but was stifled all game before exiting with a knee injury to start the fourth quarter. Gore finished with zero yards on just six carries.  

2. Not elite, but efficient

Eli Manning didn’t set the world on fire statistically, but he was efficient. Although his final game-tying drive came up just short, Manning was sharp for most of the game, finishing 26-of-40, 311 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Despite his two picks, he was otherwise very solid, especially early, when he started the game 11-of-11. He also had another streak in the fourth quarter when he went 7-of-7 and converted two crucial fourth-down conversions. The recently-hot Manning led two Big Blue touchdown drives of 80 or more yards.   

3. New York didn’t necessarily miss Ahmad Bradshaw (foot), who didn’t even travel, as Brandon Jacobs and D.J. Ware filled in admirably. Jacobs tallied 55 tough yards on a season-high 18 carries, while Ware registered 34 yards in limited duty. The 89 combined rushing yards weren’t flashy, but they were effective enough to at least keep San Francisco’s vaunted defense honest.  

What went wrong …

1. Mr. Rogers

Manning will be seeing a lot of Niners’ cornerback Carlos Rogers in his nightmares, as the veteran snared two interceptions. The first, coming in the first half, ended a hot streak by Manning who was 12-of-15 at the time – with two of those incompletions being outright drops. Rogers’s second wasn’t on Manning at all, as receiver Mario Manningham broke off his route early, and Rogers came up with the easy pick early in the fourth quarter. Gore’s backup, Kendall Hunter, punched it in on the next play from the 17-yard line for the score. It capped a wild 1:01 for the Niners who scored 15 points in a matter of three offensive plays.  

2. No game manager

Niners quarterback Alex Smith was thought to be a weak link, but he acquitted himself nicely, even sans Gore. The maligned seven-year signal caller finished 19-of-30 for 242 yards, one touchdown and an interception. Smith certainly did enough to keep Big Blue off balance in all facets, as he added 27 rushing yards and never committed the killer mistake.
 
3. Nothing special

Special teams still continue to hold the Giants down, as they got nothing out of this unit. Since Domenik Hixon went down with a second-consecutive season-ending ACL injury in training camp, the Giants haven’t found a suitable replacement. Fill-in Devin Thomas was benched, while punt returner Aaron Ross gave way to Victor Cruz. Even the coverage team had a big gaffe, as the Niners executed a surprise onside kick with 5:00 remaining in the half. The gain in field position resulted in a 39-yard David Akers field goal to give the Niners a 9-6 lead.

Follow Giants beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8. 

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The main thing to look for in this game will be Frank Gore — a lot of Frank Gore.

The 49ers make no secret that they utilize Gore to the fullest. He’s their best — and some say only — offensive weapon. Gore has had a great season so far, posting 782 yards, 4.9 yards per carry and five scores. He is the backbone of an offense that would rather not put the onus on quarterback Alex Smith.
He’s having a career season, but his past makes the Niners faithful weary.

The Niners will look to pound a suddenly suspect Giants run defense.

2. Eli’s coming, hide your cornerbacks

Eli Manning is the hottest quarterback not named Aaron Rodgers and will look to keep it rolling against a very steady 49ers defense.

It’ll be a tough task, because Manning hasn’t had the luxury of his counterpart Alex Smith, who has a premier running game behind him.

Look for the Giants to implement a pass-heavy scheme to offset their inconsistent rushing attack. Manning was a turnover machine last season, but has been very judicious this season.

3. Will the injuries ever end?

The health of the Giants will also have a huge influence on the outcome.

Running back Ahmad Bradshaw is having a bad statistical year and to compound that he’s also been banged up with a foot injury. His availability will be a game-time decision. The status of wideout Hakeem Nicks (hamstring) shouldn’t be as secretive. He’s slated to give it a go, but his effectiveness will be a mystery until the game starts.      

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The Niners’ ascension might be the league’s biggest surprise. They have a rookie head coach in Jim Harbaugh and quarterback Alex Smith, who despite having a career season, was thought to be a lame duck going in to this season. The 49ers haven’t had this much success since the mid-2000s, which is why it’s hard for experts, fans and opposing players alike to buy into their dominance this year.    

Just don’t count any of the Giants as non-believers.  

“We respect them because we know it’s hard to go 7-1 in this league and play at the level they’re playing right now. They’re a great football team that’s well coached with a lot of talent,” said running back Brandon Jacobs. “Take nothing away from them [because] they’ve earned everything they’ve gotten. They’ve beaten teams we’ve beaten and they’re legit.”   

“I really don’t understand [the lack of respect], but maybe it’s too many recent memories of them not being a high-performance team,” Kiwanuka said. “But when you’re lined up across from somebody you have to play them for how they’re playing that week and not how they’ve played in the past. You have to play everybody as hard as you can because anybody can beat you … when you talk about a team that has won seven games it’s not a fluke [because] they’re doing it for a reason.”   

The reason why the Niners are doing it is obvious — running back Frank Gore. Every Big Blue defender respects the seventh-year vet and will do everything in their power to slow down the guy who is currently in the midst of a franchise record-setting streak for most consecutive games with 100 yards rushing (five).     
    
Kiwanuka, who will rotate between starting strongside linebacker and rush end on obvious passing downs, said Gore has their attention — and respect. He added he expects an old-fashioned type of smashmouth game and is looking forward to the challenge.         

“It’s power [running game] and they’re going to try to run it up in there,” Kiwanuka said. “For us, because we’ve had problems against the run, it’s critical that everyone is playing technically sound. That means if you have a gap, take care of your gap. End of story. I don’t want to hear any arguments after the play saying, ‘I thought this and I thought that.’ Just get in your gap and we’ll be fine.”     

Fellow starting linebacker Michael Boley agreed, saying he too looks forward to this rare throwback test.   

“I’m not going to over-hype this, but they’re a good team [and] we have to step it up because they’re a sound and physical team,” Boley said, adding the team who sets the physical tone the earliest should be able to control things. “If a team is going to run the ball, they’re going to run the ball, so whoever hits you first [has a better chance to win]. … We have to match their intensity.”  

BIG BLUE notes:  

» Boley was amused — but ultimately unfazed — as to why analysts and fans don’t give either team much credit for their pristine records: “It is what it is. Players play. All that stuff on the outside — people thinking a team is a good team or not — is just talk. The games are decided on Sunday. We know it’s all talk and their opinion.”   

Boley allowed a broad smile when talking about the Giants’ hopes of making Alex Smith, the Niners’ much-maligned quarterback, beat them. Smith is having a career season so far, but he’s also not asked to do too much. So, while not trying to sound disrespectful, Boley wryly grinned when discussing how important it is to make Smith carry the load: “They want to run [so] we have to play a strong, smart game and stop the run … we want to put the game in [Smith’s] hands.”

» Kiwanuka was excited to talk about the prospects of making the 49ers one-dimensional on offense, hopefully forcing the Smith of old to carry the load. Kiwanuka said first thing’s first though, as Big Blue must stop the run to make that happen: “I enjoy standing up now, but I want to put us in a position where we have to rush the passer and get sacks [because] that’s the fun part. But you have to earn the right to rush the passer, meaning you have to stop the run first. I’m the run-stopping linebacker, which means first I must stop the run and then I get to have some fun.”  

» Jacobs said if he gets the start Sunday he won’t turn this into a personal battle to see if he can out-rush Gore. Jacobs said he’s going to stay within himself and put the team first: “We just need to win the game. I need to do enough to help our team win the game. I’m not trying to compete against Frank Gore. He’s a great back. Not taking anything away from myself, but I’m just trying to do whatever my team needs.”  

Jacobs went on to say that although the running game has disappointed recently, Big Blue can’t get away from it too much: “We haven’t done what has needed to be all year long and we need to do better in the run game. Right now they’re hanging in there [against the run]. They’re a linebacker defense [3-4 front] and a really good defensive front, but anything is possible.”  
 
» Count Gore as another player who could care less what outsiders think about their 7-1 mark. He agreed with many of the Giants — particularly Jacobs — who said the team only focuses on themselves, and not trying to please the masses: “[Critics] still don’t give us the props, but we don’t worry about that. We are coming to practice trying to get better everyday and trying to get better every Sunday. As long as we see ourselves getting better going forward, we are fine with that.”

Gore added he’s confident that people are going to have to wait a long time to see his Niners fall on their face: “I think so, but we don’t pay any attention to that,” he said when asked if he thinks people are waiting for the other shoe to drop. “We are trying to get better every day over here, trying to be a family and working hard. We are not worried about anybody outside of our camp.”    

He finished by saying he has the utmost respect for the Giants’ run defense and doesn’t see the porous numbers for the defense as an indicator: “I feel whatever they put their minds to, they can do it. They have some great talent down there. Their D-line has talent. I respect them and their team. It is going to be a great game on Sunday. They are playing great ball and we are playing great ball. We should put on a show for everybody.”

Follow Giants beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8 for breaking injury updates over the weekend and leading up to the game.

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Sure, the Patriots have all-world quarterback Tom Brady, but what San Francisco brings may be more detrimental to Big Blue’s defense — a power running game.

Frank Gore is perhaps the most talented of the Niners’ skill position players and the offense has been molded around him. The seven-year vet has gashed opponents this season and has rewarded rookie head coach Jim Harbaugh’s faith with a superb season (782 yards, 4.9 yards per carry and five touchdowns).  

“You know they’re going run. Gore has [a franchise-record] five-straight games with 100 yards and they have good receivers and a tight end who’s very rare,” Coughlin said. “Plus, they have three first-rounders on the offensive line … they have good talent.”

Coughlin’s concerns for stopping Gore are well-founded — the Giants are allowing 127.1 yards a game and 4.6 yards per rushing attempt.     

But the Niners aren’t 7-1 solely based on offense. Coughlin was quick to note how physical they play defense and how sound their special teams are.   

“They’re a very good football team that has improved their club by the moves in the off-season. They’re third in kickoff returns, thanks to Ted Ginn, and lead the league in net punting. They’re No. 1 against the rush, have 19 takeaways (plus-12) and they’re sixth in the league in rushing yards per game,” said Coughlin. “They do an outstanding job with multiple personnel and play a certain way every week.”    

Coughlin then marveled at how similar both clubs are when it comes to back-against-the-wall situations.    

“They’ve showed resiliency in their wins,” he said, noting large road comebacks at Detroit and Philadelphia. “They’ve been tested and have shown a lot. They’re 7-1 and deservedly so.”    

While he didn’t give much detail on what it’ll be like to face Harbaugh the coach instead of Harbaugh as a player (“You would have to check with somebody else, I don’t know”), Coughlin did allow that the fiery Harbaugh “has changed their style, attitude, demeanor and work ethic.” He added the Niners’ style is very similar to Harbaugh’s Stanford teams that pounded opponents into submission on both sides of the ball.   

“They’re technically very sound and have outstanding personnel,” Coughlin said, looking as intense as he’s ever looked at his weekly press conference. “Overall, they are a powerful and sound team.”     
 
Big Blue notes

» The Giants’ injury list for Wednesday included cornerback Prince Amukamara (foot), offensive tackle Stacy Andrews (back), center David Baas (knee), running back Ahmad Bradshaw (foot), fullback Henry Hynoski (neck), wideout Hakeem Nicks (hamstring) and defensive end Osi Umenyiora (knee). Notable guys not on the list include defensive end Justin Tuck, linebacker Michael Boley, wideout Ramses Barden and defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul. All the above players practiced except for Bradshaw, although Coughlin said the running back “is better than he was last week. He is walking around and if he keeps getting better, we will see [about playing Sunday].”        

» Offensive lineman Adam Koets was waived. Koets could never get back onto the field after suffering a torn ACL late last season in Seattle. He began the season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list and the Giants had until this week to either activate him, release him or put him on injured reserve (with pay). Big Blue also cut practice squad fullback Alex Daniels and filled his spot with defensive end Craig Marshall.  

» Linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against New England (12 tackles, six solo, and an interception). This was Kiwanuka’s second Player of the Week award. He was honored in Week 8 in 2008 after he had 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble, four quarterback hits and five tackles in a victory at Pittsburgh. Kiwanuka started that game at right defensive end, so he has now won a Player of the Week award at both end and linebacker. Kiwanuka is the first Giant to be named Defensive Player of the Week since Michael Boley (Week 11, ’09).   

» Offensively, the Giants have had two Offensive Player of the Week honorees this season: Manning (Week 3 vs. Philadelphia) and Ahmad Bradshaw (Week 6 vs. Buffalo).     

» Coughlin wouldn’t delve into the Penn State scandal, but did praise
longtime head coach Joe Paterno for his illustrious career: “He has had a
fabulous career. I have admired him for a long, long time. I was a
player on a [Syracuse] team the first year he became a head coach. I
have admired him for a long time. … His impact on the game is very rare — the
way he has impacted the game over the years.”   

» Some mid-season notes to chew on:

— The Giants are nothing but consistent mid-season winners under Coughlin, as they are 6-2 for the fifth time in his eight seasons. They were 5-3 twice and 7-1 in 2008 at midseason. The Giants are a combined 47-17 (.734) in the first eight games since Coughlin arrived in 2004.   

— The Giants are ranked 11th in the NFL on offense and 19th on defense. Last year at this time, they were second and first, respectively.

— They also can’t generate anything on the ground, as they’re averaging just 88.8 yards a game (29th in the league) and 3.3 yards per carry (30th). Last year after eight games, those numbers were 151.9 yards per game and 4.7 yards per carry.

— Overall, outside of Manning’s brilliance, the offense has dipped in production. The Giants averaged 27.0 points per game at midseason last year and are averaging 24.6 now. First downs per game (20.5 from 22.9), time of possession (29:42 from 34:32, a product of the struggling rushing attack) and third-down conversion percentage (34.0 from 37.3) are all down. Total yards per game are 371.6, a drop from a Coughlin-era high of 401.0 at this time in 2010.    

— Some defensive numbers are down as well, as the Giants are allowing 23.0 points a game, three more than last year. Opponent first downs a game have jumped (13.8 to 20.3), third down conversion percentage (29.1 to 34.5), passing yards per game (169.8 to 238.5) and opposing completion percentage (54.6 to 59.8).   

— It’s almost amazing New York is off to such a great start because of the drops in offensive and defensive efficiency, but that can mostly be credited to a couple important factors: Manning, the turnover differential (plus-seven in ’11, minus-three in ’10), sacks (league-leading 28 in ’11, 24 in ’10) and the number of late-game comebacks (five).  

— Speaking of close games, the Giants have won their last three games by three, three and four points. This is the first time they have won three consecutive games by four or fewer points since Nov. 21 to Dec. 4, 1994, when they defeated the Houston Oilers (13-10), Redskins (21-19) and Browns (16-13), all on the road.

Follow Giants beat writer Tony Williams on Twitter @TBone8.

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