Saturday, January 21, 2012

NFC Championship Preview: San Francisco 49ers vs. New York Giants


By Cameron van de Graaf

            The San Francisco 49ers will play the New York Giants this Sunday in the NFC Championship game, with the winner earning a ticket to the Super Bowl. Both teams won exciting games last week, as the Giants took down the Green Bay Packers 37-20 while the 49ers went blow for blow against the high-flying New Orleans Saints, resulting in a final score of 36-32. The upcoming game, which will be broadcast on FOX at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, promises to be equally as exciting. Both offense and defense will be essential in the contest, as the two teams are perhaps the most balanced left in the playoffs. From an offensive perspective, I would give a slight edge to the Giants, as they possess both an excellent receiving corps and an elite quarterback in Eli Manning. Wide receivers Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks have been particularly effective this season, especially in big play situations. The 49ers have a better running game, which could work in their favor if it rains come Sunday. On the other side of the ball, the 49ers have an undeniable advantage against the Giants. DT Justin Smith and linebacker Patrick Willis have contributed to a defense that has only allowed 14.3 points per game all season, second in the NFL. On the other hand, the Giants have improved drastically during the playoffs, with Jason Pierre-Paul and Antrel Rolle leading the charge. No matter what the outcome, the game should be a close one, as befits the hard-hitting mentality of both teams.

Game prediction:
Though it’s a toss-up, I’m giving the edge to the Giants for their more dynamic offense and high level of momentum going into the game.

Giants Quarterback Eli Manning
Photo courtesy of NY Post

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