When San Francisco and New York met in January with a Super Bowl berth on the line, the 49ers committed crucial turnovers and their offense couldn't do much against the Giants' stingy defense.

A similar performance seems unlikely in Sunday's NFC championship game rematch, considering Alex Smith and the 49ers are coming off one of the most impressive offensive showings in NFL history and the Giants are struggling defensively.

San Francisco (4-1) has been eagerly awaiting this game after New York won 20-17 in overtime at Candlestick Park on Jan. 22, costing the 49ers a trip to the Super Bowl. The loss was especially disheartening given that Kyle Williams muffed two punt returns - one in the fourth quarter leading to a touchdown and another in OT setting up the Giants' winning field goal - and Michael Crabtree 's catch for three yards was the lone reception by a San Francisco receiver.

"Of course after what happened last year I definitely want to get back at these guys," Williams said. "We look at it as if they have something that we should have had. We're going to make sure we don't leave anything on the field again."

San Francisco hasn't had that problem lately, outscoring its last two opponents 79-3.

The 49ers are tied for third in the NFL in scoring with an average of 29.8 points, and they became the first team in league history with 300 yards passing and 300 yards rushing in the same game while gaining a franchise-record 621 yards in last Sunday's 45-3 win over Buffalo.

"The talent level has been upgraded," coach Jim Harbaugh said.

Smith, who sprained his middle finger against the Bills but said it wasn't an issue, has the league's best passer rating at 108.7. The receiving corps, with a boost from offseason additions Randy Moss and former Giant Mario Manningham , is averaging 11.8 catches.

"We had a whole offseason to work together," Williams said. "I think we're more polished than anything. We have more weapons. We added a few guys and they have helped us tremendously this year."

The Giants (3-2) have been just as impressive offensively, ranking second in both total yards with an average of 429.2 and scoring with 30.4 points per game. They've amassed 1,877 yards in the last four weeks - their most over a four-game stretch in franchise history - and in last Sunday's 41-27 win over Cleveland, Ahmad Bradshaw and Victor Cruz became the first teammates to rush for 200 yards and catch three TD passes in a game since 1960.

"The Giants are an outstanding team," Harbaugh said. "They've got an explosive offense. They're very balanced."

One thing they don't have right now is a reliable defense.

In last season's playoffs, New York held Green Bay (the NFL's No. 1 scoring offense), New England (No. 3), Atlanta (No. 7) and San Francisco to an average of 14.0 points. It is yielding an average of 22.2 points this year and has allowed 24 plays of at least 20 yards, sixth-worst in the NFL entering Week 6.

"We've definitely got to continue to get better as a unit," middle linebacker Chase Blackburn said. "There is no doubt we have to be better this week. We have a challenge."

New York's offense, although firing on all cylinders over the last few weeks, also seems like it will have its hands full against a San Francisco team that is allowing a league-low 13.6 points per game.

The 49ers thoroughly frustrated Eli Manning in last season's championship game, sacking him six times and hitting him on six other pass attempts, and the Giants haven't forgotten.

"That game was certainly something that we thought about all (offseason) even though we won the Super Bowl and we beat them in that game," guard Chris Snee said. "We still walked away saying that we didn't play well, we didn't do our job up front. That can motivate you though the offseason."

That has seemed to work, as Manning has been sacked just five times, giving him time to pick apart defenses.

Manning enters Week 6 second in the NFL with 1,579 yards and has 10 touchdowns. His favorite target, Cruz, has 37 receptions - the fourth-most in the NFL - and had 10 catches for 142 yards in last season's championship game.

His other go-to receiver also could be on his way back. Hakeem Nicks , who had the second-highest total of receiving yards (444) in postseason history during New York's latest Super Bowl run, practiced on a limited basis Thursday after missing the past three games with swelling in his left knee and pain in his right foot.

There's a chance he could play Sunday, but Nicks is wary of aggravating the injuries and missing more time.

The Giants finally got their ground game going last Sunday, as Bradshaw rushed for a career-best 200 yards after totaling 133 in his first three contests. New York is 9-0 when Bradshaw runs for at least 100 yards, but the Niners have allowed just one 100-yard rusher - Seattle's Marshawn Lynch last December - in their last 43 games.

Bradshaw's former teammate, running back Brandon Jacobs (knee), is questionable to make his 49ers debut against the team he spent his first seven seasons with in the NFL.

Top Niners running back Frank Gore has totaled 434 rushing yards, and his 5.5 yards per attempt ranks among the best in the league.

Giants force 3 INTs, rout 49ers 26-3

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Antrel Rolle and the New York Giants studied Alex Smith so much they practically knew what was coming.

On one play in the third quarter, even running back Ahmad Bradshaw screamed from the sideline: "Trail. He's watching you." Rolle responded, pretended he was playing the deep ball and then sliced in front of Kyle Williams on a short hook.

"He threw the ball right to me," Rolle said.

After a slow start this season, New York's defense saved its best for the 49ers yet again.

Rolle intercepted two passes by Smith, Prince Amukamara picked off another and the Giants shut down San Francisco in a 26-3 victory Sunday in a rematch of last season's NFC championship game.

"I think this is our most complete game all year long," Rolle said.

After outscoring the Bills and Jets by a combined 79-3 the last two weeks, the 49ers (4-2) met their match again. No overtime needed this time, and not much of Eli Manning , either.

Manning threw for 193 yards and one touchdown, Bradshaw ran for 116 yards and a score and New York (4-2) rode that dominant defense and four field goals by Lawrence Tynes to hand outspoken 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh the most lopsided loss of his tenure.

The 49ers had not allowed a 100-yard rusher in the previous 22 home games. The last one was Tennessee's Chris Johnson , who ran for 135 yards on Nov. 8, 2009

What a San Francisco treat.

"We were just waiting for them to play like we know they can play," Manning said of New York's defense. "They played outstanding. They played really well, flying around."

The Giants grinded out a 20-17 overtime win at rain-soaked Candlestick Park on Jan. 22, capitalizing on two fumbles punts by Williams en route to another Super Bowl title over the Patriots. All week, some San Francisco players talked about "unfinished business," and Harbaugh added to the hype when he fired back a strongly worded statement criticizing Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, who had said All-Pro defensive end Justin Smith often "gets away with murder" holding linemen.

For all the hoopla, the rematch was never close.

Amukamara's interception in the second quarter started a surge of New York offense. Smith, who wore tape around his sprained middle finger that he said wasn't an issue, lofted the pass too high and allowed Amukamara to leap underneath the ball before tight end Delanie Walker even had a chance at the Giants 33.

At one point in the first half, Manning completed eight consecutive passes for 142 yards and had the usually stout San Francisco defense out of sorts. Domenik Hixon tip-toed the sideline to catch passes of 39 and 16 yards on consecutive third downs, and Victor Cruz followed with a 6-yard touchdown reception and his usual salsa dance in the end zone for a 7-3 lead.

"The statement made," Cruz said, "is that we're here to stay."

Tynes kicked a 34-yard field goal for a 10-3 lead and Tarell Brown blocked a 40-yard attempt by Tynes, which led to David Akers ' miss wide left from 52 yards as the half expired.

Akers, who tied the NFL record with a 63-yard field goal in a Week 1 win at Green Bay, also hooked a 43-yarder wide right on San Francisco's first drive. He made a 42-yarder from the same right hash mark. The All-Pro kicker is 11 of 16 this season.

"It wasn't a great day for any of us," Harbaugh said.

Once the break was over, the Giants sent San Francisco spiraling down and out in a New York minute.

David Wilson returned the second-half kickoff 66 yards to set up Bradshaw's 1-yard TD run. That quieted the Candlestick crowd - except for the Giants fans that sprinkled the stands blue on a sun-splashed day along the bay.

On San Francisco's next two possessions, Rolle intercepted Smith's passes. The first came on an overthrown pass intended for former Giant Mario Manningham that Rolle returned 20 yards to the San Francisco 12. On the second, he stepped in front of a pass to Williams and ran 22 yards to the San Francisco 5.

"I could tell, at times, we had him a little rattled," Rolle said.

"It's tough to speak about any other facet," Smith said. "We made it tough on the defense."

The only downside for New York is it settled for field goals both times. Then again, not many points were needed.

The Giants sacked Smith six times and had him under constant pressure, made worse when left tackle Joe Staley left with a concussion in the third quarter. Smith finished 19 of 30 for 200 yards, and the 49ers were held to 80 yards rushing.

"The nice thing was the pounding away of the pencil on the defensive line," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "I think the defensive line finally decided they were going to come out and play today and they did."

The 49ers were coming off a 45-3 home romp against Buffalo, racking up a franchise-record 621 yards and becoming the first team in NFL history with 300 yards passing and 300 yards rushing in the same game. This time, they were smashed.

"Coaches always let us know that we're not the kings of the NFL, the Giants are," 49ers cornerback Carlos Rogers said. "They won a title last year and they're still that team to beat until somebody wins the Super Bowl."

NOTES: San Francisco's 16-6 loss at John Harbaugh's Baltimore Ravens last Thanksgiving night had been the most lopsided defeat the last two seasons. ... It was the seventh time in Smith's career the 2005 No. 1 overall pick threw three interceptions and first since a 27-13 loss at Philadelphia on Dec. 20, 2009. ... 49ers RB Brandon Jacobs , who was inactive again, was in the Giants locker room handing out hugs and handshakes after the game to his former teammates.

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