Pelicans78
01-18-2012, 11:44 PM
While the Giants caught a huge break on Sunday when Aaron Rodgers (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Aaron+Rodgers) turned into Trent Dilfer (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Trent+Dilfer) at Lambeau Field, the biggest gift came Saturday when the 49ers knocked the Saints out of Big Blue’s way. The Superdome was the one stop the Giants desperately needed to avoid on the road to Indy and thanks to the Niners, they will travel to Candlestick Park instead.
Dynamic receiver Victor Cruz (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Victor+Cruz), who earlier had a huge game against the Saints with nine catches for 157 yards and two TDs, acknowledged Monday it’s to the Giants advantage to be heading to San Francisco (http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/giants/victor-cruz-admits-ny-giants-better-facing-san-francisco-49ers-saints-nfc-championship-article-1.1007181) — not New Orleans.
“Just coming from our schedule and how it turned out and how we played against New Orleans and how we played against San Fran, it definitely works out in our favor a little bit that we’re able to get San Fran as opposed to New Orleans,” said Cruz, “just because of how we feel about them and we understand we have a good chance of winning that game.”
It was no Mardi Gras for the Giants on their last two trips to New Orleans. The Saints offense was their kryptonite, outscoring the Giants 97-51, with Drew Brees (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Drew+Brees) totaling 732 yards passing with eight touchdowns and no interceptions.
Alex Smith (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Alex+Smith+%28Quarterback%29) played great against the Saints by running for a 28-yard score with 2:11 left and then throwing the winning 14-yard TD to Vernon Davis (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Vernon+Davis) with nine seconds remaining, but he’s no Joe Montana (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Joe+Montana). He’s not Brees, either.
Cruz wasn’t dissing the 49ers — he was praising the Saints. Certainly, the 49ers were rooting for the Giants to beat the Packers, which gave them a home game rather than a trip to Lambeau Field. So this is the matchup both teams wanted.
Once again, the Giants have embraced the road warrior mentality.
“When you’re at home, you want to bring them to their feet,” safety Antrel Rolle (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Antrel+Rolle) said. “When you’re away, you want to bring them to their knees.”
It’s been a great year for the 49ers, who had not made the playoffs since 2002. Rookie coach Jim Harbaugh (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Jim+Harbaugh), a so-so quarterback in his 14 years in the NFL with four different teams, has done a great job. He’s resurrected the franchise, which has won five Super Bowls, and made something out of Smith, who had been a bust best known for being taken first overall in the 2005 draft when Rodgers was taken 24th.
The 49ers had an intense and emotional victory over the Saints. One step from the Super Bowl, the intensity level goes up even higher in this round. Can the Niners match it?
The Core 15 of the Giants that remains from the Super Bowl run four years ago provides the foundation to make sure they leave nothing on what could be a soggy field Sunday with rain in the Bay Area forecast Thursday and continuing straight through the weekend.
“We are not going to be denied. That is our mind-set,” Rolle said Monday. “I may be a little biased, but in our minds, we can’t be beaten.”
The Giants praised the Niners for playing a tough, physical defense. But San Francisco does not have a shutdown defense. The Saints offense is much more explosive when it operates in the Superdome, but Brees torched the Niners for 462 yards passing and four touchdowns at Candlestick. He had three receivers go over 100 yards.
The Saints lost 36-32 because they turned the ball over five times. The Giants have one turnover in two playoff games. They are going to be able to score on San Francisco.
Tony Romo (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Tony+Romo) and Jon Kitna (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Jon+Kitna) combined to throw for 432 yards on the 49ers. Michael Vick (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Michael+Vick) burned them for 416 yards passing and 75 yards rushing. Ben Roethlisberger (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Ben+Roethlisberger) threw for 330 yards playing on one leg. And Manning threw for 311 yards in the first meeting, although he did have two interceptions.
In the Lambeau Field visitors’ locker room after Sunday’s game, Tom Coughlin (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Tom+Coughlin), in a video posted on the Giants’ web site, called the players up around him. “Great win. We’re having fun. We got to keep it going. Next week, 6:30 Sunday. San Francisco here we come,” he shouted. “Let’s finish this thing now. Let’s finish it, Giants.” On the trip home, they can have some wine and cheese, because they will finish off the 49ers.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/giants/giants-happy-playing-49ers-orleans-saints-article-1.1007281#ixzz1jsNGNBih
Dynamic receiver Victor Cruz (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Victor+Cruz), who earlier had a huge game against the Saints with nine catches for 157 yards and two TDs, acknowledged Monday it’s to the Giants advantage to be heading to San Francisco (http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/giants/victor-cruz-admits-ny-giants-better-facing-san-francisco-49ers-saints-nfc-championship-article-1.1007181) — not New Orleans.
“Just coming from our schedule and how it turned out and how we played against New Orleans and how we played against San Fran, it definitely works out in our favor a little bit that we’re able to get San Fran as opposed to New Orleans,” said Cruz, “just because of how we feel about them and we understand we have a good chance of winning that game.”
It was no Mardi Gras for the Giants on their last two trips to New Orleans. The Saints offense was their kryptonite, outscoring the Giants 97-51, with Drew Brees (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Drew+Brees) totaling 732 yards passing with eight touchdowns and no interceptions.
Alex Smith (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Alex+Smith+%28Quarterback%29) played great against the Saints by running for a 28-yard score with 2:11 left and then throwing the winning 14-yard TD to Vernon Davis (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Vernon+Davis) with nine seconds remaining, but he’s no Joe Montana (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Joe+Montana). He’s not Brees, either.
Cruz wasn’t dissing the 49ers — he was praising the Saints. Certainly, the 49ers were rooting for the Giants to beat the Packers, which gave them a home game rather than a trip to Lambeau Field. So this is the matchup both teams wanted.
Once again, the Giants have embraced the road warrior mentality.
“When you’re at home, you want to bring them to their feet,” safety Antrel Rolle (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Antrel+Rolle) said. “When you’re away, you want to bring them to their knees.”
It’s been a great year for the 49ers, who had not made the playoffs since 2002. Rookie coach Jim Harbaugh (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Jim+Harbaugh), a so-so quarterback in his 14 years in the NFL with four different teams, has done a great job. He’s resurrected the franchise, which has won five Super Bowls, and made something out of Smith, who had been a bust best known for being taken first overall in the 2005 draft when Rodgers was taken 24th.
The 49ers had an intense and emotional victory over the Saints. One step from the Super Bowl, the intensity level goes up even higher in this round. Can the Niners match it?
The Core 15 of the Giants that remains from the Super Bowl run four years ago provides the foundation to make sure they leave nothing on what could be a soggy field Sunday with rain in the Bay Area forecast Thursday and continuing straight through the weekend.
“We are not going to be denied. That is our mind-set,” Rolle said Monday. “I may be a little biased, but in our minds, we can’t be beaten.”
The Giants praised the Niners for playing a tough, physical defense. But San Francisco does not have a shutdown defense. The Saints offense is much more explosive when it operates in the Superdome, but Brees torched the Niners for 462 yards passing and four touchdowns at Candlestick. He had three receivers go over 100 yards.
The Saints lost 36-32 because they turned the ball over five times. The Giants have one turnover in two playoff games. They are going to be able to score on San Francisco.
Tony Romo (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Tony+Romo) and Jon Kitna (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Jon+Kitna) combined to throw for 432 yards on the 49ers. Michael Vick (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Michael+Vick) burned them for 416 yards passing and 75 yards rushing. Ben Roethlisberger (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Ben+Roethlisberger) threw for 330 yards playing on one leg. And Manning threw for 311 yards in the first meeting, although he did have two interceptions.
In the Lambeau Field visitors’ locker room after Sunday’s game, Tom Coughlin (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Tom+Coughlin), in a video posted on the Giants’ web site, called the players up around him. “Great win. We’re having fun. We got to keep it going. Next week, 6:30 Sunday. San Francisco here we come,” he shouted. “Let’s finish this thing now. Let’s finish it, Giants.” On the trip home, they can have some wine and cheese, because they will finish off the 49ers.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/giants/giants-happy-playing-49ers-orleans-saints-article-1.1007281#ixzz1jsNGNBih