Windy and rainy conditions accompanied the end
of the 49ers’ Super Bowl bid at Candlestick Park – 14 years ago.
That 23-10 defeat to the Green Bay Packers marked the last time the
49ers hosted a NFC Championship game. Could the same scenario play
out Sunday, albeit against the New York Giants, now that winter
finally has made its wet arrival in the Bay Area?
Windy and rainy conditions accompanied the end
of the 49ers’ Super Bowl bid at Candlestick Park – 14 years
ago.
That 23-10 defeat to the Green Bay Packers
marked the last time the 49ers hosted a NFC Championship game.
Could the same scenario play out Sunday, albeit
against the New York Giants, now that winter finally has made its
wet arrival in the Bay Area?
“I don’t think any team can control the weather,
so it’s going to be what it’s going to be,” 49ers defensive lineman
Justin Smith said.
But what if Candlestick’s six-week-old sod turns
sloppy?
“It’s no different,” Smith responded. “The field
conditions, this and that, the tide, it really doesn’t matter.”
Ah yes, San Francisco Bay’s tide and the
stadium’s sea-level position. Remember back when folks wondered how
those factors might impact the grass in a pivotal playoff game? Up
until their 36-32 comeback win Saturday over the New Orleans
Saints, the 49ers hadn’t been to the playoffs in nine years.
The only talk of tides this season has come from
one of coach Jim Harbaugh’s favorite expressions: “A rising tide
lifts all ships.” Maybe that’s positive karma.
The 49ers (14-3) have encountered ideal weather
throughout most of this breakthrough season. In their one rainy
game, they rolled past the Arizona Cardinals 23-7 and forced five
turnovers along the way.
Getting the Giants to cough up the ball is the
similar goal for the 49ers, who are 19-1 in playoff games when they
win the turnover battle.
“I’m fine throwing it in the rain,” Giants
quarterback Eli Manning told New York reporters.
Manning is enjoying more than a fine stretch. He
has thrown 10 touchdown passes and only two interceptions in the
Giants’ current four-game win streak. But he did have two passes
intercepted by Carlos Rogers in the 49ers’ 27-20 win over New York
on a sun-splashed day at Candlestick in November.
Although the 49ers practiced in mostly dry
conditions Friday, a light rain fell during practice Thursday at
their Santa Clara facility.
“Physically, the nice thing is we got some
weather yesterday,” 49ers quarterback Alex Smith said.
Nice, because he got practice handling a wet
football. Smith cited his most memorable rainy games as those from
his college days at Utah and a 2006 triumph over the host Seattle
Seahawks.
Smith’s bigger concern Sunday will be what he
called the deepest corps of pass rushers the 49ers have seen this
season, or at least seen again this season. Smith got sacked twice
in the Nov. 13 meeting.
League rules assure Candlestick’s field of being
covered during inclement weather before Sunday’s action. But if it
gets muddy during the game, that could help quell the Giants’ pass
rush.
“It will slow the pass-rush down a little bit.
No question,” 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman said.
Such conditions, Roman added, could favor wide
receivers. The Giants have a dangerous trio in Hakeem Nicks, Victor
Cruz and Mario Manningham.
“The only thing we have to fear,” Harbaugh said,
“is being unprepared.”
Thanks to recent days, the 49ers are prepared
for wet weather, whether it arrives or not. As for the Giants,
defensive tackle Chris Canty is prepared for a different type of
nasty conditions.
“This is not going to be a cute football game.
It’s not going to be for the meek and mild,” Canty told the New
York Daily News. “This is going to be a bloodbath.”
“I don’t know about a blood bath,” 49ers safety
Donte Whitner responded, “but you can expect a really physical
football game. … Only one of us can reach that ultimate goal, and
that’s the Super Bowl.”
49ers bring confidence, but not
guarantees
The 49ers are brimming with confidence, just as
Harbaugh demands for Sunday’s NFC Championship game.
“You damn sure have to be confident,” Harbaugh
said Friday, “and all these guys are. Both teams are coming into
this game with a great deal of confidence.”
But what did Harbaugh think when one of his
players was listed as host for a postgame party Sunday night at a
San Francisco club?
“What our guys say and do, I trust,” Harbaugh
responded.
Tight end Vernon Davis withdrew his name Friday
as host of that party, which still will be held at Manor West.
Earlier Friday, several media outlets, including New York tabloids
and a Giants-related website, wrote about Davis’ planned party,
which is being sponsored by several high-end car dealerships.
No 49ers player has gone so far this week as to
make any vow of victory. Giants safety Antrel Rolle said Monday,
however, that his team “can’t be beat.”
Harbaugh was so confident as a senior
quarterback at Michigan that he guaranteed a win over Ohio State,
and Michigan prevailed 26-24. Coach Bo Schembechler’s response upon
hearing of Harbaugh’s prediction was: “I would worry more if he
predicted defeat.”
– Wide receiver/return specialist Ted Ginn Jr.
was the only 49er who did not practice Friday, and he hasn’t all
week because of a right knee injury. He’s listed as questionable
for Sunday’s game. Harbaugh said Ginn did some work Friday but
apparently not in practice.
If Ginn can’t play, Kyle Williams would likely
start at wide receiver and return punts. He and Kendall Hunter also
would be candidates to return kickoffs.
Ginn had an 11-yard reception, a 3-yard run and
two punt returns for 23 yards before getting hurt in the third
quarter of Saturday’s 36-32, playoff-opening win over the New
Orleans Saints.
– Linebacker Patrick Willis, who missed
Thursday’s practice with a knee injury, says he is fine and ready
to play. He is listed as questionable, as are center Jonathan
Goodwin (calf), cornerback Tarell Brown (thigh), safety Dashon
Goldson (ankle) and tight end Delanie Walker (jaw).
– The 49ers’ preparation process is constantly
evolving, and quarterback Alex Smith echoed a Harbaugh phrase in
noting: “The hay is not in the barn.”
Smith, however, sensed that his teammates have
settled into a familiar routine. “All the guys feel better this
week even more than last week,” Smith said. “(With) the bye week
and the first playoff game, maybe a little more anxiety was there
than this week.”
– Parking lots open at 11:30 a.m., and
Candlestick Park gates at 12:30 p.m. Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m. Fans
are encouraged to use public transportation and beware of
counterfeit tickets.
– “Rock The Stick” rally towels will be
distributed to fans. Also, stadium concession stands will offer up
to a 50 percent discount between 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., for food
and nonalcoholic beverage purchases.
– Country music star Brad Paisley will perform
at halftime; Bay Area rapper Bailey during pregame. Singer and
actress Kristen Chenoweth will sing the national anthem.
