NFL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES:THE NEW York Giants have enjoyed plenty of play-off success on the road, but their good fortunes will be tested in tomorrow's NFC title game (live on Sky Sports 2 from 11.15pm) against a San Francisco 49ers team that has lost just once at home all season.
There are many ways to get to the Super Bowl and the Giants are once again taking a long and winding road, but it is a path they are familiar with having followed a similar route to the NFL’s title game four years ago.
That year, the Giants won an NFL record 11 straight road games and became just the third team to post three consecutive road play-off victories capped by a Super Bowl upset of the unbeaten New England Patriots.
The Giants launched this post-season at home with a win over the Atlanta Falcons, then headed to frosty Lambeau Field last week and eliminated the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers to set up tomorrow’s showdown with the hard-hitting 49ers.
As comfortable as the Giants are on the road, Candlestick Park has been a fortress for the 49ers, whose only loss this season was a 27-24 overtime defeat to Dallas in September. Among the 49ers eight home victories, including play-offs, was a 27-20 victory over the Giants in November.
“They (Giants) are a healthier team than when we played them, this is a Super Bowl contending team,” said San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh. “That’s who they are. They are a class team, a cruel team.”
A Giants win would give Eli Manning five career road play-off victories, the most of any NFL quarterback, and put Tom Coughlin into a tie for the most by a coach with seven. But the real prize is a spot in the February 5th title game against the winner of the AFC showdown between the Patriots and Baltimore Ravens.
“I don’t think it has anything to do with being comfortable on the road,” said Giants safety Antrel Rolle. “It has to do with mindset, how we approach, how we attack the game.”
Tomorrow’s AFC championship game between the high-powered Patriots and ferocious Ravens (live on Sky Sports 2 from 7.30pm) is more than just a clash between two rivals battling for a place in the Super Bowl.
It is a classic showdown between teams with opposing styles. A match-up that has been played all over North American fields for generations and has the ingredients for an intriguing battle that will be decided as much by wits as athleticism.
The Patriots, led by their three-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady, are all attack, boasting one of the most impressive offences in the NFL. When they get it right, few teams can contain them, and the crowds love it, whooping and hollering as they pile on the touchdowns against overmatched opponents.
Last week, in the divisional play-offs, the Denver Broncos were on the receiving end of a 45-10 thrashing, during which Brady tied a play-off record with six touchdown passes.
But Baltimore presents New England with a different challenge. The Ravens are all defence.
Two years ago, the Ravens beat the Patriots 33-14 in the wild-card round, the only time they have met in the play-offs. Then, like now, it was a battle between offence and defence.
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SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
NFC titles: 5 (1981, 84, 88, 89, 94).
Super Bowl titles: 5 (1981, 84, 88, 89, 94).
Head coach: Jim Harbaugh.
Starting quarterback: Alex Smith.
Regular season record: 13-3.
NEW YORK GIANTS
NFC titles: 4 (1986, 90, 2000, 07).
Super Bowl titles: 3 (1986, 90, 07).
Head coach: Tom Coughlin.
Starting quarterback: Eli Manning.
Regular season record: 9-7.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
AFC titles: 6 (1985, 96, 2001, 03, 04, 07).
Super Bowl titles: 3 (2001, 03, 04).
Head coach: Bill Belichick.
Starting quarterback: Tom Brady.
2011 regular season record: 13-3.
BALTIMORE RAVENS
AFC titles: 1 (2000).
Super Bowl titles: 1 (2000).
Head coach: John Harbaugh.
Starting quarterback: Joe Flacco.
Regular season record: 12-4.
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