The 49ers have not received the credit they deserve. This is because they play in the weak NFC West division, where any half decent team will win. Yet the play an old school football game: A rock hard defense and a pounding running game. They are what the Jets want to be.
Over on the other side, the Giants of New York are white hot right now. Eli Manning has played fantastic in the last few games and his defense are looking stronger and stronger. Quite the turn around when just six weeks ago they were likely to not make the playoffs, but like they say, you need to peak at the right time.
The Green Bay Packers, the team who were ranked first and now lie bloodied on their frozen tundra after being destroyed by Manning and crew.
The Packers had lost one game all season long, and their downfall: Peaking too early. They rested their star players on week 17 and had a bye week. The 21 day layoff for Aaron Rodgers from Christmas Day to the second round of the playoffs brought in some rust, because the Packers looked like the wobbly Giants, while the Giants looked like a team who were ranked number one.
Should we get excited that the Giants could win and then face the Patriots for a re-match of the 2008 Super Bowl? Not yet...Despite smashing the Packers in all aspects last week, this still the Giants. So they could always implode, but that Eli Manning does seem to step things up when it matters. Plus they may feel so confident about their Packer-slaying that the 49ers might just surprise them.
The 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh will no doubt be hoping for a win and then to face off against his brother's team, the Ravens in the Super Bowl, where Jim and his boys from Baltimore were victorious in their regular season matchup.
Yet for now they are looking at one game at a time. The 49ers have gone un-noticed, in part because their passing game is not spectacular. Alex Smith has played well this year, but he will always be in the shadow when so many other QBs have had record breaking seasons: Brees, Brady, Rodgers, Newton, Manning and Tebow have taken the limelight...and rightly so, but now Alex Smith has the opportunity to have the last laugh, especially if he can defeat superstars, Brees, Manning and then possibly Brady.
The 49ers beat the Saints last week in what has to be one of the best endings to any NFL game. Three touchdowns in two minutes. No one would have thought the 49ers could match the Saints in a shootout, but they did. The last TD came from Vernon Davis, who promptly cried, knowing that his score has sent his team to the NFC Championship. Finally the 49ers are getting the best out of this talented TE and the Giants better watch out.
The Giants are unpredictable and more organised than they have been all season with a bruising running game and outstanding receivers, but I think their showing last week against the Packers will have drained them for a road game. But this will be a close game. Home field advantage is a good thing and the Giants have a long way to travel.
I predict 49ers win. 23-20
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