Happy Wednesday 49ers Faithful!

It was another amazing day of rehearsals and bonding time for the Pro Bowl Cheerleaders!

We spent six hours rehearsing today, but thankfully it was split up by a little lunch and some quick Pro Bowl souvenir shopping. After perfecting all of our routines, we had the honor of continuing the tradition of getting sized for our Pro Bowl Cheerleader rings! I would have never thought that shopping for a ring could be so emotional for me.

After ordering our rings, we were given some time to get all dolled up for the NFL Welcome Party. It was packed with plenty of food and entertainment and provided a great chance for me and my new teammates to get more acquainted. We had a great time, but didn’t forget about the early morning wake up call. So we made it an early night in order to get our beauty sleep.

Two thumbs up to another day in Hawaii!

Stay tuned for some more updates!

- Carmen

Aloha 49ers Faithful,

After a long day of traveling on Monday, we just finished a jam-packed Tuesday filled with some very exciting events.

We started out the morning with a wonderful breakfast, joined by my fellow Pro Bowl cheerleaders. We continued the day with some grueling hours of rehearsal and then topped it off with our amazing team photo that was taken during a perfect Hawaiian sunset! Now we have to call it a night and get some good rest!!!

Stayed tuned for some more updates.

- Carmen

HONOLULU – After a long flight from San Jose and a quick stop at the rental car center, 49ers.com has made it to Hawaii for a week of exclusive coverage of the 2012 Pro Bowl.

Joining myself and Scott Kegley on the flight this morning were none other than three of the team’s nine Pro Bowl representatives: five-time Pro Bowl linebacker Patrick Willis, three-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Justin Smith and first-time Pro Bowl tackle Joe Staley.

All three of the larger than life players were easily recognized as they waited for luggage at the airport baggage claim. The gracious players took turns signing autographs and posing for photos with fans, many of which complemented the players for the great season they had which ended one game short of a Super Bowl appearance.

From there, NFL superstars weren’t hard to be spotted.

At rental car pickup, Bengals rookie wideout A.J. Green and Houston Texans cornerback Jonathan Joseph stood out as noticeable guests waiting in line.

As for the 49ers trio we traveled with, they’ll be joined in the league’s annual All-Star game by three of San Francisco’s specialists: All-Pro kicker David Akers, All-Pro punter Andy Lee and long snapper Brian Jennings. Those players have been named to the Pro Bowl at the same time in years past, now they’ll play for the NFC squad as representatives of the San Francisco 49ers.

On Monday, Jennings was selected as the NFC’s need player by the Green Bay Packers coaching staff who will run NFC practices all week and coach the team on Sunday against the AFC squad at Aloha Stadium.

Jennings, the veteran specialist, became the ninth 49ers player to be named to the Pro Bowl roster this season. Jennings invite gave the team seven starters in the game which stands as the most in team history, besting the mark of six starters previously set in 1971.

Despite the large turnout from a 14-win season, running back Frank Gore and first-time Pro Bowlers, safety Dashon Goldson and cornerback Carlos Rogers, did not make the trip and will not play in the game due to injuries.

Pro Bowl practices kick off on Wednesday and we’ll be there to document the experience of the six 49ers players in town. Be sure to follow us on Twitter (@49ers) for all the latest notes and quotes from Hawaii.

Stay tuned.

The San Francisco 49ers announced they have signed C Chase Beeler, T Derek Hall, FS Mark LeGree, DB Cory Nelms, WR Kyle Nelson, TE Konrad Reuland and LB Michael Wilhoite to Reserve/Future contracts.

Beeler (6-3, 285) originally signed with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent on July 27, 2011. He spent the entire season on the 49ers practice squad.

Hall (6-5, 307) spent the entire season on the 49ers practice squad after signing with San Francisco on July 27, 2011.

LeGree (6-0, 210) was originally a fifth round draft choice (156th overall) by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2011 NFL Draft and was later released following training camp. He then was signed to the Arizona Cardinals practice squad on September 21 and later released on October 5. LeGree signed with the 49ers on November 15 and was released on November 29.

Nelms (6-0, 195) originally signed with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent on July 27, 2011. He remained on the 49ers practice squad the entire season. Nelms was awarded the Thomas Herrion Memorial Award, presented to the 49ers rookie or first-year player who best represents the dream of Thomas Herrion. The award is voted on by the coaches.

Nelson (6-3, 240) went undrafted out of New Mexico State and spent time with the New Orleans Saints and the Kansas City Chiefs this season. He played tight end for the Aggies from 2007-10 and recorded 66 receptions for 559 yards and scored two touchdowns.

Reuland (6-4, 260) originally signed with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent on July 27, 2011. He spent the entire season on the 49ers practice squad.

Wilhoite (6-0, 240) entered the NFL for the first time when he signed with the 49ers practice squad on December 14, 2011. He signed with the Omaha Nighthawks of the UFL as an undrafted free agent in 2011. Wilhoite starred collegiately at Washburn University. He played in 44 games (35 starts), registered 211 tackles and three interceptions, and was named honorable mention All-MIAA, as a senior.

The San Francisco 49ers announced that LS Brian Jennings has been named to the 2012 NFC Pro Bowl squad. Jennings was selected as this year’s need player by the Green Bay Packers coaching staff. It marks the second Pro Bowl selection for Jennings (2004). The team also announced that S Dashon Goldson and CB Carlos Rogers will not be participating in the Pro Bowl due to injury.

The 49ers now have nine representatives selected to the Pro Bowl – K David Akers, RB Frank Gore, S Dashon Goldson, P Andy Lee, CB Carlos Rogers, DT Justin Smith, T Joe Staley and LB Patrick Willis – marking the highest San Francisco delegation since the team sent 10 players following the 1995 season. In the past 60 years, the 49ers have sent five-or-more representatives to the Pro Bowl 35 times.

In 2011, Jennings played in all 16 regular season games and both postseason contests. His consistency and accuracy was vital as Akers set the NFL record for field goals made (44) and Lee set the league record for net punting average (44.0).

Congratulations to 49ers Faithful fan Jesse for winning our season-long Motorola Motopic contest with this picture of Michael Crabtree from Week 3 in Cincinnati. Jesse has won a Motorola XOOM touch screen tablet after votes were tallied on 49ers.com.

He’s been as a player and now as a head coach. And in both cases, it ended in defeat.

Even still, Jim Harbaugh comes back with plans to compete for the game’s ultimate prize: The Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Sure, it’s eluded Harbaugh during his 15 seasons playing quarterback in the National Football League and again in his first season as a head coach with the San Francisco 49ers. However, Harbaugh’s resolve remains admirable.

His perspective on reaching a conference championship for a second time (previously with the Indianapolis Colts as a player in 1994) made Harbaugh proud of what it took to get to Sunday’s game which saw the 49ers fall 20-17 in overtime to the New York Giants at Candlestick Park.

“It’s hard to get there,” Harbaugh said on a day simply known as “exit day.”

“It’s hard to get to that game,” said the 49ers leader, almost assured to win the league’s Coach of the Year honors later this offseason. “It doesn’t just happen. It’s a credit to everybody and it’ll be hard again next year.”

Players, too, felt pride in the 14 wins put together in Harbaugh’s first season in San Francisco. But unfortunately, a division championship and a few plays from making the Super Bowl for the first time since 1994 won’t suffice.

“It’s tough,” said offensive captain Frank Gore. “Playing hard all year and to get to the NFC Championship game, all the hard work and we didn’t get it done. It’s tough.

“It didn’t happen, but I know we have a bunch of great guys in this locker room, a bunch of great coaches. Hopefully next year we can get back… We have to move on.”

Fellow team captain and Pro Bowler Patrick Willis struggled with the loss from his home last night. But once he woke up, the support of friends and family members in town put things into perspective for the All-Pro linebacker, who’s about to make his fifth Pro Bowl appearance in five seasons.

“There’s a lot of things to be thankful about, considering where we’ve been in the past,” Willis said. “There’s a lot of positive that we can build from and move on to. We had the opportunity and we kind of let it get away from us.

“This morning I woke up, had my family and friends at home, we didn’t talk about the game. We just talked about life. That was a good thing.”

The next step for the 49ers is complicated on many fronts.

But first, the team met on Monday to hear from Harbaugh one last time. The players conducted exit physicals, before packing up lockers with any personal items that might be needed in the offseason.

Harbaugh said his plan is to evaluate his current team, and then to formulate plans for free agency, April’s draft as well as the team’s entire offseason schedule.

Alex Smith leads the discussion in terms of potential free agents.

“I’m sure there’s going to be a process there,” said Harbaugh, who doesn’t plan on meeting individually with any players this week because he’s used to communicating with them throughout the season.

The 49ers coach, however, said he wanted to reward “team guys.” He added, “Our players have built a lot of equity with me here.”

Defensively, Pro Bowl safety Dashon Goldson and Pro Bowl cornerback Carlos Rogers stand out as key free agents.

“I’d like to have them all back, every single last one of them,” Willis said. “The chances of that happening, who knows? I wish them all the best and they’ll forever be my brothers.”

And while no regular season roster remains intact in any NFL city from year-to-year, Harbaugh hopes his coaching staff will remain the same.

“It’s a well-coached team and our team plays with their hearts out,” he said. “I’m very pleased with those foundations of our team. I want to keep that together.”

Looking back on Sunday’s defeat to New York, Harbaugh was perhaps most pleased with the consistency in his team’s effort.

“I thought they played their hearts out,” he said. “They stand toe-to-toe in a fight every time they go on the field.

“It didn’t have the ending we wanted. The football gods had a different ending in mind for this ball game, but I’m forever proud of our players and coaches for the way they compete… I think it was an amazing season, in a lot of ways beyond description.”

That being said, nothing is given in the NFL and Harbaugh knows all about it.

In the same way he entered the NFL accepting the ultimate challenge “willingly,” Harbaugh will keep that same mentality when preparing for his sophomore year as a head coach in the league.

“It’s going to require a lot of things we last year – start from scratch. It’s going to take incredible resolve. We’re entitled to nothing.”

Notes and Quotes

Second-year receiver Kyle Williams faced the media once more on Monday to discuss the two fumbled punts that set New York up with 10 points on Sunday. Williams received tremendous support from teammates and thanked them for being by his side. “They’ve let me know that they’ve got my back and that it’s not all on me and to not think I’m about it. I’m very fortunate to have the teammates that I have,” Williams said. “It’s painful. We’re very passionate about what we do and we’re very passionate about getting to the Super Bowl. To be able to be that close and not get it done was painful, but we’re going through it as a team and we’ll be back.”

Harbaugh had this to say about his players rallying around Williams for support: “It wasn’t a surprise to me. This is a class team. They haven’t been a finger-pointing group… everyone looks at themselves first.”

All-Pro, Pro Bowl kicker David Akers was equally as moved by the solidarity of San Francisco’s locker room. “He stood in front of the media with you guys and I thought that was a great show of character. I think this will make him stronger. One or two plays did not change the outcome of that game.”

Harbaugh said the AFC Championship game was also frustrating to him with his brother’s Baltimore team losing a three-point game to the New England Patriots. “That was another painful thing. I was really pulling for the Ravens to win.”

Wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr., one of many 49ers who are in the final year of their contracts, will likely not require surgery on the knee injury which sidelined him Sunday. “Surgery? I don’t think so,” Harbaugh said.

The 49ers coach said he’ll continue to have his players compete for starting positions, including at quarterback. “It’s never an anointed position,” Harbaugh said. Rookie Colin Kaepernick will have every opportunity to compete with Smith, should the seven-year veteran resign with the 49ers. “Everything is competed for,” Harbaugh said.

Smith said himself that he wasn’t thrilled with his performance against the Giants. “There were a handful (of throws) there that I’d like to have back,” he said on a day where he completed 12-of-26 passes, two of which were touchdowns to tight end Vernon Davis. “Decisions I made or throws I’d like to have back, you don’t know how those would’ve changed the game.”

Cornerback Tarell Brown, who collided with Goldson in one of two plays which the 49ers safety made contact with a teammate right before a takeaway opportunity, was in better spirits on Monday a day after the big hit caused him to miss the end of the game. “We’re trying to make plays on the ball and I think Dashon was thinking the same thing, make a play on the ball,” Brown said. “Sometimes that happens when you get into collisions like that. It’s part of a game. It’s a rough game.”

Lastly, the silver lining on exit day might be the things found in the back of lockers. With players loading up their personal belongings all season long, certain items can be lost in the shuffle so to speak. Take rookie lineman Mike Person, who uncovered a 49ers Gameday magazine cover with the entire rookie draft class taken back in training camp. “Look at my belly,” Person said with a smirk. “(The photo was) not taken at a good angle, at all.” Meanwhile, Snyder found a few trading cards he’d lost sight of in his locker: a Joe Staley rookie card and a signed Guy McInytre playing card.

The 49ers season ended in the NFC Championship with a 20-17 overtime loss to the New York Giants. 49ers Public Relations presents the following notes and quotes from Sunday’s game.

Davis Races Into Record Books

• TE Vernon Davis notched 3 recepts. for 112 yds. and 2 TD recepts. on the day. Davis registered 10 recepts. for 292 yds. and 4 TDs in the postseason. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, his 292 rec. yds. are the most by a tight end in their first two postseason games in NFL history.
• Davis is just the fifth player in the Super Bowl era to register at least 2 receiving TDs in consecutive postseason games in the same season.
  
• Davis became just the 3rd player in franchise history to register consecutive 100-yd. receiving games in the postseason. WR Jerry Rice notched back-to-back 100-yd. games in 1988 (5-133-2 TDs at Chi. – 1/8/89; 11-215-1 TD vs. Cin. – 1/22/89) and WR Dwight Clark accomplished the feat in 1981 (5-104 vs. NYG – 1/3/82; 8-120-2 TDs vs. Dal. – 1/10/82).
• Davis was on the receiving end of a 73-yd. TD pass by QB Alex Smith in the 1^st qtr. The 73-yd. completion tied Davis’ career-long (73t  at StL – 1/3/10). It also marked the fourth longest postseason recept. in 49ers postseason history.
• Davis hauled in his second TD recept. in the 3rd qtr. on a 28-yd. catch and run by Smith down the right sideline.

Applying Pressure

• The 49ers defense recorded 6 sacks in the game, which ranks t-2^nd for the most sacks in a postseason game in franchise history (6 – four times, last vs. Den. – 1/29/90).
• McDonald  registered 2.5 sacks on the day, which ranks t-2nd in franchise history for the most sacks by a one player in a postseason game.
• LB Aldon Smith, DT Justin Smith and LB Patrick Willis each added one sack, while LB NaVorro Bowman notched 0.5 sack.

Moving Up The Charts

• K David Akers connected on 1 of 1 FGs and 2 PATs for 5 pts. Akers ranks 2nd in NFL history for FGs made (35), trailing only K Adam Vinatieri (45).
• Akers has scored at least one point in all 21 career postseason games, trailing only Vinatieri (24) for the longest scoring streak in NFL postseason history.
• With 151 career postseason points, Akers ranks 3rd in NFL history, trailing only K Gary Anderson (153) and K Adam Vinatieri (187).

Head Coach Jim Harbaugh
Press Conference – January 22, 2012
San Francisco 49ers vs. New York Giants

What do you tell WR Kyle Williams at a moment like that? Do you console him, what do you say to him?
“Keep your chin up. We all have things that we wish could have been different and we could have done better. Congratulations to the Giants. Thought they played a heck of a ball game and found a way to win. Tip of the cap to them.”

When you put him back there, what were your instructions, at least for the last punt? Did you want him to be that aggressive with the ball?
“Yeah. Play football.”

You guys really struggled on third downs. What do you attribute that mainly to?
“Yes we did. Probably a couple of things. Their coverage, their rush. Certainly you look at our execution, probably the calls at the certain times. All those things would contribute to it.”

You didn’t throw a lot in the first half. Was it because of the conditions or why?
“What do you define as a lot? What’s a lot to you?”

What was it, seven or eight times? Seems like not a lot, seven.
“It seemed like it went pretty fast in the first half. I don’t have an answer for you there. That was not part of the game plan. We were playing football.”

Did the conditions influence how you called this game? How you approached it?
“No, it didn’t. We felt like we could operate in it.”

Do you feel like you did?
“Felt like we could.”

But did you feel like the weather did impact you guys at all?
“It was the same both ways.”

What did the Giants do to take away your wide receivers in this game?
“Like I just said a couple minutes ago, a combination of those four things probably.”

Even though you didn’t reach the Super Bowl, you reached the NFC-Championship in your first year. How do you feel about that, even though you didn’t get all the way?
“I’m proud of the way our players played. I’m proud of the way they prepared, they worked. They competed. Wasn’t there for us today. In a lot of ways, we played well enough to win. We don’t come away with it. It’ll be a tough one. It’ll probably take awhile to get over. But we’ll get over it. This team’s not defeated by any stretch of the imagination. A man can be destroyed, but he can’t be defeated as long as this team knows that there’s hope.”

You had the great run by RB Kendall Hunter, remember the 18-yarder and you got into field goal range. It seemed like after that there was a lot of passing, not the last drive of regulation, but you really started to throw it and less conventional runs. What was your thinking in that?
“I really don’t resonate with the question. There’s a lot there. What are you asking? Why didn’t we throw it more? Why didn’t we throw it less?”

It seemed like you had some good things going in the run game, but late in the game there were a couple shot gun handoff type things but it wasn’t just the typical line up and run the ball. Was there a reason for that?
“Late in the game in regulation? In the two-minute drills?”

No, before that. The two times before that and then in OT.
“I’m sure it’s something we’ll consider and look at. One thing doesn’t work, you wish you would have done the other. It’s one of the probably four or five of the things that you look at when you don’t pull the game out. What could you have done differently? Yeah, something didn’t work, you probably would have rather done the other. Doing our best to try to move the ball.”

In the fourth quarter there, you want to throw the flag for a replay. They never explained to the crowd. You couldn’t throw it because the whistle had blown before the ball came out? Was that it?
“They said that they had blown it dead.”

Did you have a chance to talk to Kyle after the game?
“Yes.”

He seemed pretty obviously upset about what happened. What did you say to him?
“Don’t feel the need to share that here.”

What did you say to the defense that was on the field a lot, really did a pretty good job of trying to hold this team down? What do you say about their effort and their performance tonight?
“Great job. I say that to a lot of our players, all of our players. I said that to them after the game. Did a great job competing. They laid it out there. They played their hearts out. Disappointed that you don’t come away with the satisfaction of the win.”

On the would-be fumble down in your end. What did you see from where you were? You were pretty close to it.
“It looked like a fumble. Every play that happened in the game except that one was played out to the conclusion of the play.”

QB Alex Smith

Alex, after a season like this when it comes down to, obviously in the playoffs you have to keep winning to keep going. What’s the general feeling after something like this?
“Crappy. Yeah, overtime in the NFC Championship game. It’s a lot of work. It’s a tough road to even get here. And you get here and you’re so close. So it’s not good, not a good feeling.”

You guys had a lot of trouble on the third down, especially late in the game. What’s going on? What are you seeing or not seeing on those plays?
“Yeah, we were awful on third down. Got ourselves in a lot of third and longs and then even when we were third and manageable, didn’t convert. It was bad. I think it was the difference between us, really on offense that’s was what stands out to me. I think from really controlling that game a little bit more. Didn’t help out our defense enough, too many three and outs. Not enough plays. Convert those third downs you give yourself more plays, more chances. So many of those not converting on third down you’re limiting all of our opportunities and hurt us all night.”

Another thing, you guys weren’t able to get the ball to the wide outs. What were they doing outside?
“They were good. They mixed it up a lot today coverage wise, mixed it up a lot. There wasn’t one thing that jumps out to me. I got up, they pressed us. They played coverage. They played cover two. Mixed it up all throughout the game. We just weren’t able to get into a rhythm, get any guys going outside, so it limited us.”

How did that change maybe from the way they played you the last time, or was it pretty similar?
“I don’t know without looking at the tape. I guess I felt like the first game was a lot of single safety. A lot of playing the run and left us a lot of one-on-ones outside. And there still was that going on at times, they just mixed it up a lot more and there still was a lot of two-high in this game on first and second down. A lot on third down, especially those third and longs we couldn’t convert. Two deep, man under and couldn’t.”

What could you say about WR Kyle Williams? Not personally what you guys may have said to him, but obviously you’ve got to feel for him.
“No question, but for me I’m looking at the, what did we go, like 1 of 13 on third down? I know it’s tough for him. I’m sure he obviously will be thinking about those two punt returns for quite a while, but we didn’t lose the game there. We lost the game all across the board. Offensively we just weren’t good enough today. We didn’t get it done. On third downs the glaring one, just weren’t good enough.”

Did having WR Ted Ginn Jr. not in the lineup, did that impact you guys without that deep threat of the guy who can stretch the field?
“Yeah, it did, but all teams have to deal with injuries. So, no question he was the next guy in line and he goes down. So, the next guy to step up, Kyle stepped up. Missed some opportunities outside. It’s hard without looking at the tape. I don’t know if I missed some outside there or what. We took the shot deep there in the second quarter, missed that. Would have liked to have another opportunity.”

You made a lot of plays with your legs today. Did you come in thinking that you were going to have to be doing that to get some yardage?
“I was aware of it. Last week they played so much man, especially on third down. [Packers QB] Aaron [Rodgers] did the same thing, made a lot of plays with his feet. So, I was aware of it if it was there. Played a couple quarterback design stuff for me. And then a couple scrambles just man-to-man. Felt like even when it was that, a couple times I got out of the pocket and tried to make some plays on scrambles and we just didn’t all day. There were three or four times I felt like I got out of the pocket with some time and we weren’t able to do anything with it. Those are big play potentials and didn’t make anything happen there.”

How do you feel after something like this? Anger, frustration, disappointment? All of those emotions?
“Yeah, it’s tough to put one word on it, but yeah, all those things. Frustrated, disappointed for sure.”

How long will it take before you can sort of step back and get over the moment of what happened the entire season?
“I have no idea. Sorry. I don’t know. It’s a first for me. I don’t know. I’m sure it will be pretty crappy for a little while.”

Alex, did you talk to Kyle at all? Did you say anything to him?
“Yeah, I mean there’s not much you can say. I don’t know what I said, can’t come up with something really great, but what do you say? It’s crappy, what do you say to all of us? We all had a hand in it, but I know obviously him. We all know him, how committed he is. How much he wants to win, what a part of this team he is. So, it’s not on him. Those were two plays. Two plays of a lot that went on tonight and you can’t put it on those.”

Alex, do you still have time to re-sign here and how soon would you want to get that done?
“I’ve got no idea as far as any of the contract stuff. I’ll head in tomorrow and we’ll just go from there.”

You mentioned throwing outside, and what degree did the weather sort of affect not just physically throwing, but your decision of whether to throw?
“It was kind of off and on all night. I would actually say the wind was a little more a factor than the rain. I felt great in the first half going either the direction. Really, I think I personally struggled more with the fact that you went from soaking wet in the first half, especially with some of those runs and stuff. And then the second half dried out. And then you go to the point where your hands dry out it’s like getting out of a bath. I just kind of stayed licking the whole time in the second half trying to keep some of that tact. So, that’s where I felt like I struggled more in the second half with that stuff when it dried out.”

LB Blake Costanzo

Do you consider this year a success?
“I guess you could say it was a success on how we built our team and the bonds that we made with our teammates. Obviously the ultimate goal was to win the Super Bowl. That was our main goal and we didn’t accomplish that this year.”

WR Kyle Williams was saying how important it was for his teammates to talk to him after the game, embrace him, and say this is something you’re going to get over.
“Yeah, I love Kyle with all my heart. I wouldn’t put anybody else back there. I roll with him one hundred percent. He was just trying to make a play to help our team win, that’s all he was trying to do. Unfortunately it was wet out there and the Giants were playing tough too. You got to give them the credit, but I wouldn’t want anyone else. I love him like he’s my brother and that’s how we are on this team.”

I’m looking down at your shirt. You got the blue collar thing going on. That’s kind of how the season began, a season that nobody expected you to get to this point in the first place. As you reflect, along with the disappointment tonight, are you able to enjoy what you accomplished?
“Yeah, it’s so hard to get to this point. A lot of guys play five, six, seven, eight years and this is the first chance they got to play in the playoffs. Anytime you have a chance to get to this game, since you’re so close to the Super Bowl, it’s cool to get that feeling. Like I said, it’s just hard to be so close, yet so far. Obviously we will have another opportunity because it keeps us hungry. We now have that taste in our mouth on how close we got and we will just bring that to next year.”

WR Michael Crabtree

You’re obviously good friends with WR Kyle Williams. How do you feel about that?
“It’s football. You can’t just go crazy over that play. I know you love the game, but at the same time it’s football. Game over, there’s nothing you can do about it. It’s just how it is.”

Did you say anything to him?
“I told him just don’t do anything stupid. It’s a football game. I know it hurts, but it’s going to hurt.”

People were calling this the team of destiny. How shocking is it for it to suddenly be over?
“Defense played great. Great defense and you can’t say enough about them, they were great. Sometimes you just have to move the ball. You’ve got to make plays and give people chances to make plays.”

TE Vernon Davis

Obviously not the way you wanted the season to end. Can you put into words how you’re feeling?
“Very upset. Very upset. To me, we’re definitely a Super Bowl team. We made it this far. Everyone wanted to win it. We wanted to play in the Super Bowl, but we just didn’t get it.”

You guys started out hot, you especially getting that first touchdown [the 73-yard pass in the first quarter]. Do you feel like you left everything on the field?
“I feel like I did. I feel like my teammates did as well. I feel like we left everything on the table. We left everything. We played as hard as we possibly could. I’m proud of those guys because they worked their tails off out there tonight. We still have to look on the bright side. We’ll always have next year.”

You’ve certainly come a long way from last year.
“A long way, long way. Like I said, tonight was a great opportunity for us to play in this game and to make it this far. We still have to give thanks to God for putting us in this situation.”

This is one of the few times this season you were on the wrong side of the turnover battle [49ers lost two fumbles, the Giants none]. Obviously that didn’t help tonight.
“No, it didn’t. Whenever you get turnovers, it can hurt the team. Turnovers, penalties – all of those things. We still have to move forward and stay together as a family.”

[WR] Kyle [Williams] had a tough game. What did you guys say to him?
“Kyle did have a tough game, just like anyone can have a tough game. I just told Kyle that it’s all right, to keep your head up, stay focused and just keep fighting. I know everyone was going to be coming down on you, but I’m on his side.”

What was Coach [Jim] Harbaugh’s message?
“He just told us to keep our heads up and that we’re still in this thing. We’ve got next year. This is just a stepping stone to show everyone what we’re all about.”

One of the things that was an issue throughout the year was third down conversions and I don’t think you converted one until the last play of regulation. What do you need there to be more consistent in that situation?
“That’s just an area where we have to get better. It’s something we need to work on. It’s too late to go back into the past. We lost the game. We didn’t get all of the things we needed. We can’t really talk about it because it’s gone, but we can move forward.”

It was a tough loss, but can you talk about the journey of the season overall?
“It was an amazing journey, amazing. It’s one of the best seasons we’ve ever had. It’s an honor for me to be with this team. I’ve never seen anything like it. I’m just hungry for more. I’m sure the rest of the guys are as well. Like I said, it’s an outstanding stepping stone for us to move forward.”

Even though you lost tonight, would you call this season an absolute success?
“I would. Now that the game is over and we didn’t get it, I think it was a success. It’s a privilege to be here. We wanted to win, of course, but we played hard and didn’t come up with it.”

S Dashon Goldson

Do you guys take it personally when a guy goes off like that in the first half like Victor Cruz did?

“He did what he was support to do. They came out here and performed. We take our hats off to Eli. They came out here and played and had a great game plan. And we did too. It was a good game on both sides of the ball and on both sidelines.”

What adjustments did you guys make at halftime?
“It was just to settle down. Nothing major. Just telling guys to settle down and we got this. Keep tackling and keep the pass rush. There was nothing major that we had to change.”

Did you find any encouragement in that you did turn it around in the 2^nd half?
“It was just the mentality of the football team. We knew what was at stake and we wanted to come out here and win this football game, so everyone just rallied up and said come on lets win this game.”

RB Frank Gore

How does this rank amongst the seasons of football you’ve played?
“By far my best. It was my first time in the postseason and in the NFC Championship Game. To come down to the wire, you know a lot of people doubted me and said I wouldn’t be able to come back from my hip injury last year. It’s just tough right now. We’ve got a great group. We’ve got a great quarterback and great coaches. We have a great core group of guys.”

What do you think you’ll remember when you look back at the season?
“It was a great year. I just wish we could’ve gone to the big game, especially with all of the hard work and all of the tough times we’ve had.”

Were you playing with some injuries today?
“I feel great. I feel strong and quick. I just wanted to do whatever it took, but we fell short. I know what kind of guys we have in the locker room. I know what type of coaches we have. We’ll bounce back.”

The wide receivers weren’t involved in the mix a lot until late in the game and then barely at all. When you saw the Giants scheme, what did you see that they were taking away?
“They played a good game. But they couldn’t handle us at all. But they came in, played hard and came away with the victory. I have to give it up to them. They came into a tough environment and against a team like us, which is one of the most complete teams in the league that can run the ball, throw the ball, play great defense and great special teams. We just fell today. I know what type of guys we have in the locker room and I know we’ll bounce back. I also know what kind of coaches we have. It’s tough, but we’ll take it and hopefully next year we’ll get back on the train and get it rocking again.”

NT Ricky Jean Francois

Do you consider the season a success despite the bad end?
“From being 6-10 last season it was a successful season. We wish it would have never ended up this way. I wish it never ended but it ended.”

Describe the atmosphere in overtime?
“I probably couldn’t find one fan that was sitting down. I don’t care where you were. You were probably at your house standing up for all I know. Just to have the type of crowd like that, the energy with everyone standing up. You could just tell that there was a lot on the line.”

How well do you know Kyle Williams, how do you think he will handle this?
“He is going to need his teammates to stick with him and be with him. I understand a lot of people are going to put the blame on him. Like I told him, the blame is not on you. There were multiple times we could have ended this game. I don’t blame him at all. I said if you need anything doesn’t matter how long it takes, hell walk him to the car, take him to his house. I just don’t want him to beat himself up for it.”

Is he the type of guy you think can handle this?
“He has to. Just being in the NFL you have to be able to handle this. Having the teammates he has and plus the receiving core that he has, he will take it hard but he will have the right support around him”

Can you imagine being the guy? When the playoffs come down to the line to one player, and you are the guy.
“He wasn’t the guy. The game didn’t come down to him. The game could have been ended multiple times. Their defense did one hell of a job; our defense did one hell of a job. Our quarterback did a good job and theirs did too. But it never came down to Kyle Williams. We could have won that game multiple times. “

DT Justin Smith

Tell us how you feel?
“You know everyone feels differently. You can dwell or you can move on. That’s all there is to that.”

When your season comes down to overtime, not just regular time, in overtime on a play like that, is it just shock or is it hard to absorb?
“Life goes on. It’s not the end of the world. It’s hard to swallow, but they beat us. They were better than us today and they deserve to go to the Super Bowl. That’s just the bottom line. That’s how this game shakes out. It’s hard to swallow, but what else are you going to do?”

What did you learn about your team today?
“We got to the NFC Championship Game, that’s what I learned. It gives us something to build on and come back. Hopefully we can get back to it and win it. Go the distance.”

T Joe Staley

The way WR Kyle Williams had those two punts, does that make it more difficult that there’s one guy who had some plays like that?
“I feel bad for Kyle. There are a lot of plays in a football game. Myself, I had a third down where me and [G] Mike [Iupati] didn’t pass off a stunt late in the game and it led to a sack. There are a lot of plays that we wish we could have back. I feel bad for him because he’s been a great teammate and done a great job for us all year. I know everybody’s going to be looking at those two plays, I just feel bad for him.”

Have you ever experienced a loss like this?
“No. This is the hardest loss of my career in football, especially with it being so close, being in it the whole game. We couldn’t convert on third down today; that was big. A lot of missed opportunities on the field. We just weren’t executing on offense like we had been all season and they made one more play than we did.”

Can you attribute that to anything?
“I have no idea. I don’t know what was going on. It seemed like we weren’t clicking. I don’t know, I’ll have to watch and see the game. I was just blocking.”

TE Delanie Walker

Did they do anything in particular to limit you guys in the passing game? The receivers didn’t have very many catches today.
“They were really trying to grab us off the ball, making sure they held us up and played two-man basically. They kept safeties over the top and pressed us, trying to hold us up and not get off the ball.”

Did you expect to play that much? You played almost every snap.
“I was expecting to play. Going into the game they told me that I was going to play a lot if I could handle it. We started off the game with some run plays and I told them I was capable of handling it all. So that’s what we did.”

How do you sum up the remarkable year?
“I think we had a great year. Nobody expected us to get this far coming off a new coaching staff, new playbook, the short year, learning the whole system. So I think that we exceeded our goals and we are where we wanted to be. Nobody expected us to play in the NFC Championship Game for the Super Bowl.”

As close and hard-fought as that game was, was there ever any doubt in your mind you guys were going to pull it out in the end?
“I thought we were going to pull it out. I didn’t think this was going to happen. That’s a great team though. The Giants played great. They played great at the last minute and there’s really nothing you can do about it now.”

Have you even thought about next year already?
“This is just a glimpse of what you’re going to see next year. We’re just going to get better and better.”

WR Kyle Williams said how important it was to feel the love from his teammates after the game. Can you expound on that?
“We’re a team. We’ve always played as a team. There are 45 of us out there working hard. If we lose, we lose as a team and if we win, we win as a team. Everybody was supporting each other. We felt like we played well and we got where we wanted to be at. We were in the NFC Championship Game playing for the Super Bowl. Nobody expected that so we’re all showing each other love and trying to keep our heads up.”

S Donte Whitner

Was it a pretty vicious game on both sides?
“It was pretty vicious. You had two teams that didn’t really want to go home. We didn’t really worry about weather, we didn’t really worry about anything, but you had two football teams fighting to the bitter end. Neither team wanted to budge and it was just unfortunate that it came down to a forced turnover and a field goal. We’re going to show him [WR Kyle Williams] a lot of love, it’s not his fault. We understand that it’s just one play out of many and we have to move on now. The Giants are going to the Super Bowl and we have to move on.”

Did you or anybody say anything to WR Kyle Williams?
“I didn’t say anything to him. I’m not sure if anybody said anything to him, but there’s not really too much that you can say to the guy right now. You’ve just got to show him a lot of love. He’s a young guy, he’s a good player, second year. He’ll be alright.”

You guys got the ball from Giants RB Ahmad Bradshaw late in the game. You didn’t get the fumble call, but is that something you guys were talking about?
“That’s something that we were talking about. We thought that it at least should have been reviewed. We felt that the ball did come out and he was still up. It’s the same thing that happened to us last time when we played them; [Giants WR Victor] Cruz came across the middle, I stripped him and they did the same thing. It’s a bang-bang play, the refs made the decision, but that’s not the reason why we lost the game when we didn’t get that fumble.”

How much did it compromise the secondary when CB Tarell Brown went out? You’ve got some young guys back there.
“It compromised us. T Brown is a guy that we look forward to being out there. He’s been out there all year. So we had to bring some young guys in and we had to mix and match some coverages. But they came in and did a pretty good job. Except for the one touchdown they did a pretty good job of holding their own out there. But we really did miss him when he left the football game.”

WR Kyle Williams

Can you talk about that play from your point of view?
“It was just one of those situations where I caught the ball, tried to head up field, tried to make a play and it ended up for the worse.”

How much did the weather factor in the conditions today?
“Everyone handled the weather okay. I don’t know if that play was because of that or not, but it was just one of those situations where the guy made the play, caught me slipping and got the ball up.”

What did Coach [Jim Harbaugh] say to you?
“Keep my head up. Everybody in here shows the resolve of this team. Everyone in here told me to keep my head up and told me it’s not on me. We’ll move forward. It’s just one of those things. You hate to be the last guy that had the ball, to give it up that way in that fashion and to lose a game of this magnitude. It is what it is. We’re going to move forward as a team. Everyone has come to pat me on the back and the shoulder and say it’s not on me. I couldn’t be happier with the teammates I have in here.”

How comfortable are you in that position [returning punts] with [WR] Ted [Ginn Jr.] out?
“Very comfortable. There wasn’t any situation where I felt out of place. Throughout the game, I showed that. It’s just one of those things.”

LB Patrick Willis

How are you feeling right now, and how is the team reacting?
“You’re in disbelief. It’s like when something happens and you can’t believe it really happened. It’s one of those things that really hurts right now. It will hurt even more tomorrow and the day after. Right now it’s just disbelief, that’s about it.”

As a team, how were you prepared for today and collectively, how do you feel?
“Regardless of how the game went, in our minds, we knew that game to be ours. We were going to win that game regardless of what it took, whether we had to go 100 times in overtime or win in regulation, we knew it had to be ours. We had to win that game. Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out that way.”

Looking back on the season, what are your thoughts?
“We certainly had a lot of things to be excited about, to be happy about. But at the same time, to fight and get this far, nobody was ready to go home. We were all looking forward to the game today. We knew that if we got this one, we had to keep it going. All that hard work, you don’t want it to be for nothing. When you look back, there are a lot of things you can take from this and build.”

Did you talk to WR Kyle Williams and what did you say?
“Yes I did. I just told him that we are all in this together. I believe in him and if we had to do this all over again, he would be the guy who we put back there. Especially given this situation, [WR] Ted Ginn Jr. is out and Kyle is our next guy in line. I said if we had to do it all over again I would put him back out there again. He is a tremendous athlete and unfortunately some bad play happened to him. At the end of the day, this is a team game. We talk about it all the time, ‘the team, the team, the team.’ We’re not pointing fingers at anyone, we take it for what it is. We give credit where credit is due. New York won and they’re going to the Super Bowl.”

What was your impression on the [Giants RB Ahmad Bradshaw] fumble?
“I just felt like that was one of those plays in the game where you can’t put your finger on it. The rules are what they are and the referees call what they call. It is what it is. They say it was  forward progress and stopped, therefore it is not a fumble. That’s what we have to live with.”

Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin

Opening Statement:
“I can just say that that was a tremendous football game for those that really enjoy football in its very basic element. It was a very physical game, we knew it was going to be. We had the rain. We had the wind. We had all of those ingredients thrown in. Both defenses played superbly. It was very, very difficult for either team to muster any kind of consistency offensively. The play [QB] Eli [Manning] made on third down that gave us the touchdown that gave us the lead was just an incredible football play. And then the play at the end of the game, there were two of them. The ball that hit the return man’s knee and then the ball was stripped by [LB] Jacquian Williams and recovered by [WR] Devin Thomas, which gave us field position that we needed. We were then able to rush the ball a little bit, got it in the middle of the field, and kicked the field goal to win. Just a classic football game that seemed like no one was going to put themselves in position to win it, but we were able to do that. I’m very proud of this group, congratulating our ownership, our team, our coaches for the way that they prepared and performed here. The 49ers are a very good football team. They don’t need me to say that. They certainly have a formula that I admire. They play great defense, they don’t turn the ball over. They were able to have an outstanding season. I congratulate them for their season and we’re all excited about advancing.”

Today marks the eighth NFC Championship game held at Candlestick Park, the most out of any NFL stadium. Add to the history between the 49ers and Giants in the playoffs and this game has all the makings of a great contest.

The 49ers beat the Giants back in Week 10, but both teams have changed significantly since then. Frank Gore was banged up and held to 0 yards rushing while Bradshaw was out for New York. Both running backs are healthy this time around.

It will be interesting to see how the weather effects the game. They rolled the tarp off about 2 and a half hours before the start of the game so the field should be relatively dry when the game starts. It was pouring this morning, but as of 1:30, the rain has tapered off.

Stay tuned for the inactives and updates throughout the game.

Inactives:

49ers – QB Scott Tolzien, WR Ted Ginn, CB Shawntae Spencer, FB Moran Norris, G Daniel Kilgore, G Mike Person, NT Ian Williams

Giants – WR Ramses Barden, RB Da’Rel Scott, LB Mark Herzlich, C Jim Cordle, DE Justin Trattou, DT Jimmy Kennedy, T James Brewer

FIRST QUARTER:

Hunter fielded the short kickoff and returned it to the 23. The Giants had one the toss and deferred. The 49ers normally kickoff to start the game. Gore picked up a first down on an improvised play. He caught Smith’s pass and reversed his field to the right side and dove for the sticks. Mike Iupati had his ankle rolled up and was replaced by Rachal. Smith’s third down pass was behind Gore and the 49ers had to punt. The 49ers…as usual…had great coverage on the punt and Spillman brought down Blackmon at the 16.

Eli Manning’s first down pass was well behind Nicks and it didn’t look like it was tipped. Give that one to the weather. After missing his first two passes, Manning threw a strike to Cruz over the middle for a gain of 12 and a first down. On third and long, Manning converted once again, hitting Nicks for a gain of 10 against the coverage of Rogers. Ray McDonald ended the Giants’ success on third down, forcing a fumble by Manning. The 49ers couldn’t recover though, but the Giants lost 13 yards and had to punt. Williams returned it to the 27.

On the second play of the drive, Smith hit Vernon Davis on a go route and Davis outran everyone for a 73-yard touchdown. Davis’ foot was really close to the line and the play was reviewed, but upheld.

49ers 7 – Giants 0

Manning hit Nicks on third down. It was a low pass, but Nicks made a nice catch for the first down. Nicks was shaken up on the play though and got some attention on the sideline. On 3rd and short, Manning’s pass was incomplete for Manningham. The Giants offense stayed on the field on 4th down, but Jacobs was stopped short and the 49ers took over at their own 34.

Hunter tossed the ball to Williams on a reverse on first down. Williams couldn’t handle it, but the 49ers were fortunate to recover after a loss of 10. Smith’s pass on 3rd and 14, was well behind Williams and nearly intercepted along the left sideline. Lee didn’t get a favorable bounce on the punt as it rolled out of bounds around the 30.

Manning’s pass on first down was incomplete for Nicks who was back in. On 2nd down, Jacobs rumbles straight ahead for a gain of 4.

Standout Stat: The Giants possessed the ball for 10:07 of the first quarter, but the big play to Davis stands as the differences.

Highlight Reel: Alex Smith and Vernon Davis are clicking right now and Smith hit the speedy tight end for a 73-yard gain down the right sideline.

Put it in Perspective: While Manning has struggled with deep passes so far, Alex Smith was on target to Davis. The Giants have been very good on 3rd down so far and the 49ers defense must do a better job of getting them off the field. Manning is one of the best on third down though so that will be a stat to watch throughout the game.

SECOND QUARTER:

Manning hit Cruz who had a step on Rogers. It was thrown short which was fortunate otherwise it may have gone for a touchdown. Cruz picked up 36 on the play. Manning converted on third down once again, finding Cruz over the middle. Bear Pascoe caught Manning’s pass on 2nd down for a 6-yard touchdown.

49ers 7 – Giants 7

Kyle Williams returned the kickoff to the 22. Smith hit Williams on 3rd and 2. The Giants were called for illegal hands to the face, but Williams made the catch anyway.  The 49ers took the extra yard on the penalty and got the first down. After taking some shots down the field, the 49ers run the ball up the middle on two consecutive plays for another first down. Davis was called for a personal foul after he tried to break up Anthony Davis and Boley. The 49ers still had a first and 10, but backed up 10 yards. The 49ers gave the ball to Gore for two more carries and the bell cow moved the chains once again. Smith scrambled up the middle, but was stopped short. Harbaugh went for it on 4th and 2…but ended up just trying to draw the Giants offside. Lee came on to punt. Blackmon signaled for the fair catch, but was called for not doing it correctly and the Giants had to back up to their own 19.

The Giants moved the ball effectively to start the drive. Rogers slipped on a pass to Nicks for a first down along the right sideline. Bowman and McDonald dropped Manning on 3rd and 2 to force a punt. The 49ers took over at the 16 with 2:51 remaining in half.

The 49ers appeared content to run out the clock, waiting until the two minute warning and following it up with a Gore run. Smith scrambled on third down and the Giants had to burn two of their timeouts. Lee got off a booming punt and Grant brought down Blackmon at the 36.

Manning hit Cruz over the middle to get to the SF 49. Manning got Crux again against Rogers. Cruz ran a short slant and picked up 11. Cruz mad a circus catch for a gain of 17. It’s all Cruz on this drive as he caught yet another pass down to the 12. Tynes hit a 31-yard field goal.

Giants 10 – 49ers 7

Williams returned the kick and the first half expired.

Standout Stat: This game has come down to who can covert better on third down. The Giants are 5-9 and the 49ers are 0-4.

Highlight Reel: I can’t say there really was one for the 49ers in this quarter. The 49ers had a good drive going, but were set back after the penalty against Davis.

Put it in Perspective: The Giants will get the ball to start the second half and it will be important that the 49ers keep it at a one-score game. They need to do a better job on third downs, both on offense and on defense. Cruz has picked apart the 49ers defense and already has 125 receiving yards.

THIRD QUARTER:

After a touchback, Bradshaw broke a run out to the right side for a gain of 9 on 1st down, but lost a yard on 2nd down. Manning tried to hit Bradshaw on a screen, but he dropped the pass when he saw the defense closing. That’s a great three and out to start the half.

Smith didn’t have anyone open on first down and was dropped by Pierre-Paul and Tuck for the first sack of the game. The 49ers were aided by an illegal contact penalty which gave the 49ers a first down at the 32. Hunter got the toss and then cut back the opposite way for a gain of 14 and a first down. Smith was flushed from the pocket and tried to hit Walker, but the pass was knocked down. Lee’s punt was downed at the 7.

Guess who on first down? Curz picked up right where he left off with a gain of 6 followed by a gain of 11. On 3rd and 5, the 49ers had good coverage and Manning had to throw it away. Williams had a crease on the punt return, but slipped at the 47.

On 2nd down, the Giants secondary had turned their backs leaving Gore wide open in the flat. Smith hit him for a gain of 24 down to the 28. Smith then hit Davis down the left sideline for a 28-yard score. The ball was perfectly thrown in between the corner and the safety.

49ers 14 – Giants 10

Nicks gained 15 yards on 1st down on a crossing route over the middle. Ray McDonald got to Manning once again (2.5 today) and forced the punt.

Smith dumped the ball off to Gore on 3rd down, but he couldn’t pick up the first and the 49ers go three and out. Bowman dropped Blackmon asat the 27 as the 49ers had excellent coverage yet again.

On 3rd down, Goldson and Brown collided as they were going for the interception. They both had a shot at it and Brown stayed down after taking a brutal hit. Brown got back up and was helped to the sideline. It’s a great sign that he didn’t need the cart. Williams fair caught the punt at the 12.

Gore had a nice run up the middle to start the drive, picking up 11. Walker made his first catch since coming back from a broken jaw, gaining 77. Canty was called for a personal foul, tacking on 15 yards.

Standout Stat: Vernon Davis has two catches for 101 yards and two touchdowns.

Highlight Reel: Alex Smith is at his best when he looks for Davis. His throw was right in between the safety and corner for a 28-yard score.

Put it in Perspective: The 49ers enter the fourth quarter with a 4-point lead…15 minutes away from a ticket to the Super Bowl. The Giants are an explosive team and could certainly come back. The 49ers need to be able to pound the ball on the ground and control the ball with an efficient passing game.

FOURTH QUARTER:

Dixon was stopped for no gain on 3rd and 1. Lee’s punt hung up in the air and was fair caught at the 20.

Rogers came on a blitz, but read the screen to Bradshaw and dragged him down from behind for no gain. Aldon Smith dropped Manning on 2nd down for a loss of 5. Aldon got pressure again on third down as the 49ers rushed just three. Manning looked like he didn’t want to get hit again and quickly threw it away. Williams let the ball bounce in front of him and was downed at the 29. The Giants challenged that Williams touched the ball. The call was reversed and the Giants took over at the 29. The 49ers blitzed on third down, but it was picked up and Manning hit Nicks for a gain of 14. The Giants were backed up after a holding penalty against Baas. On 3rd and 15, Manning hit Manningham for a 17-yard touchdown.

Giants 17 – 49ers 14

That’s it for the blog as we have to run down to the field. Follow @49ers on Twitter for updates.

Familiar playoff foes clash for spot in Super Bowl XLVI.

Jim Harbaugh has been right about a lot of things in his first season as a head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. In one of his 13 regular season victories, San Francisco’s passionate leader congratulated his team with a job well done following a 27-20 home victory over the New York Giants. Circled by players and coaches who’d just put together a statement win to improve to 8-1 on the season, Harbaugh confidently said to his team of the Giants, “There’s a good chance they’ll be playing long into the playoffs, too.”

Boy was he right.

Fast forward to Sunday’s NFC Championship game, the two teams have found each other long into the playoffs as the 49ers and Giants are set to renew a storied postseason rivalry between the two franchises from opposite ends of the country. The teams will now meet in the postseason for the sixth time at Candlestick Park.
“We’re familiar with them just as they’re familiar with us,” said 49ers Pro Bowl cornerback Carlos Rogers, who recorded two of his six interceptions in a regular season win over New York. “They’ve got a good offense and defense. We’re the same. It will come down to who makes plays when they need it. To get this far, we’ve been making plays and they’ve been doing the same.”

To get this far, the 49ers pulled off a win for the ages, starring brightest amongst the team’s five other fourth-quarter comebacks on the year. It was a victory so memorable, so exhilarating; it will indelibly be remembered with the greatest triumphs in the proud franchise’s history. In a game that saw San Francisco become the first team in league history to score two lead-changing touchdowns in the final three minutes of a postseason game’s fourth quarter, Alex Smith rifled a 14-yard touchdown pass to Vernon Davis with nine seconds left in the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs. Pure jubilation ensued moments after Harbaugh and his coaching staff dialed up a post pattern play to the tight end, a concept they had worked on in practice to cap a 7-play, 85-yard scoring drive against the New Orleans Saints. Davis’ grab sealed a 36-32 playoff win, the 49ers first playoff win in nine years.

The throw to Davis, which put him past Hall of Fame tight end Kellen Winslow for the most receiving yards in a single game by a tight end in NFL postseason history with 180 yards, was originally designed to come from the right hash marks. But as the play was being decided on, quarterbacks coach Geep Chryst suggested the post pattern to Davis come from the left side of the field. Heading into the game, the 49ers recognized Saints safety Roman Harper back pedaling into the end zone on film and planned on having Davis cross his face while catching a precisely timed pass from Smith. That plan worked to perfection. “I knew it was coming,” said Davis at his postgame press conference, savoring each word less than an hour after he was visibly emotional with tears flooding his eyes from making such an impactful play. “We rehearsed it all week in practice. Alex knew right away that once I got 12, 14 yards, planted the outside foot, and looked for the ball. It was the exact same thing. It worked.”

The moment was especially sweet for Harbaugh, who became the fifth 49ers coach to win his first postseason game, joining the likes of Bill Walsh and George Seifert, the team’s two Super Bowl-winning coaches. “I can’t remember winning a game in such a spectacular fashion as this one,” Harbaugh said.

Now, the 49ers will make their first appearance in the NFC title game in 14 years, making their 13^th all-time appearance in the conference championship round, too. They’ll do it at Candlestick Park, marking the eighth time the venue has hosted a NFC championship game, most in league history.

A week removed from the team’s most recognizable home victory in recent memory, the 49ers will renew one of the NFL’s greatest postseason rivalries with the Giants. San Francisco defeated New York two times on its way to Super Bowl titles in 1982 and 1985. The 49ers also have four home postseason wins over the Giants at Candlestick Park. Further illustrating the importance of the outcome of these playoff meetings: the winners in seven of the prior games have won the Super Bowl four times.

To make a sixth appearance in the Super Bowl, San Francisco will have to defeat New York in the championship round, something no other team has accomplished in New York’s four previous Championship game outings. The 49ers, however, enter the latest chapter in this postseason rivalry with a healthier lineup and home field advantage.

When the teams met in November, Pro Bowl running back Frank Gore was hampered with a leg injury that slowed down his production. The 49ers relied on a heavy passing attack that day which saw Smith throw for 242 yards and two touchdowns against the Giants. It was one of many proud moments for Harbaugh, a former NFL signal caller who’s celebrated the contributions of his own quarterback throughout their first season working together. “You find a way to keep diminishing the guy, calling him a game manager,” Harbaugh said that day. “Alex was playing great football. We knew we had that going.”

In the second meeting between the 49ers and Giants this season, the home team enters the rematch with a sense of confidence stemming from forcing five turnovers in a win over the Saints last week and also previously matching up well in a competitive game against the Giants. “They’re similar,” Rogers said of the two teams. “But what’s different about them is they’ve got two guys they feed and run the ball. We’ll have to prepare for that and try to shut them down so we can make them one dimensional and play our style of play.”

Rushing yards were hard to come by when the San Francisco hosted New York the first time around. Gore rushed six times and picked up 0 yards, while Kendall Hunter totaled 40 yards on six carries. The Giants were without starting running back Ahmad Bradshaw, one of the two runners Rogers alluded to. The other, bruising runner Brandon Jacobs, rushed 18 times for 55 yards while shouldering New York’s rushing load.

In order to keep the season alive, the 49ers will have to limit New York’s rushing game, force turnovers and continue to play for each other. Playing as a team is something they’ve had no trouble doing all season. Following the biggest win of his seven seasons in the NFL, Smith was asked to describe the moment in his well-documented career. Instead of basking in the spotlight, the quarterback offered a glimpse into what makes him so endearing to teammates and coaches. “We’re still playing, that’s what it means.” Smith said. “It feels great. We have another week of work and I don’t want this to end. I don’t think anybody in our locker room does because it’s been such a great year. Such a great group of guys, coaches and players. I think we love coming into work every day, I know I do.”

The 49ers have two players with Super Bowl rings, wide receiver Brett Swain and center Jonathan Goodwin, who signed with San Francisco after leaving the team his new team just beat in the playoffs. The chance for everyone else to experience a World Championship is truly special and will be cherished. “It means a lot,” Rogers said, speaking on behalf of many who’ve never competed for a Vince Lombardi Trophy. “To have the opportunity to play in one game and win it to go to the Super Bowl is big. We feel good about this opportunity. One more game to get that Bowl game.”