49ers and Giants gear up for Championship game rematch

There have already been a number of great games in the 2012 NFL season but arguably the biggest of the season takes place this weekend when Superbowl champions the New York Giants travel cross-country to take on the San Francisco 49ers in a rematch of last season's NFC Championship game.

The Giants emerged victorious that evening following a dramatic encounter which was finally settled when kicker Lawrence Tynes kicked a game winning Field Goal in overtime after 49ers receiver Kyle Williams had fumbled a Giants' punt.

Both sides have opened the new season in good form, the Giants have made a 3-2 start, but their hopes of winning the NFC East have been dealt an early blow after home defeats to division rivals Dallas and Philadelphia.

In spite of this Tom Coughlin's side have been extremely impressive on offense; they rank 2nd in the league in points per game and yards per game average and are among the league's best in both passing and rushing yards.

However if the Giants have made a strong start to the campaign, then the 49ers have been nothing short of spectacular.

Indeed, Jim Harbaugh's charges have already overcome two of the tougher tests in the NFL, travelling to Lambeau Field to beat the Packers in week 1, before making short work of the Detroit Lions in the Sunday night game the following week.

The men from the Bay Area suffered a shock 24-13 loss at Minnesota in week 3, however this proved to be little more and the 49ers have been utterly sensational since falling to that defeat, hammering the New York Jets 34-0 at the Met Life Stadium before dishing out similar punishment to the Buffalo Bills, who they beat by a score line of 45-3 at Candlestick Park last weekend.

Their performance against a struggling Bills defense shattered a variety of team records; they amassed a franchise record 621 total yards; became the firs team in NFL history with 300 yards rushing and 300 yards passing in the same game; won back to back games by 31 points and had a 300-yard passer (Alex Smith), a 100-yard rusher (Frank Gore) and two 100-yard receivers (Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis) for the first time since 1961.

Alex Smith's performance earned him a perfect Quarterback rating of 158.3, the 2005 first-round draft pick is now the top-rated QB in the league and his match-up with Giants' QB Eli Manning - who has already thrown for over 1500 yards - is one of a myriad of story lines which will be key to determining the outcome of Sunday's clash.

So without further adieu, here are the story lines that will decide the winner of what is undoubtedly the game of the week in the NFL.

• Alex Smith vs Eli Manning: Both of these quarterbacks have been superb throughout the first few weeks of the new term, but both face defenses that will look to bring a mountain of pressure and disrupt their offensive rhythm. Whoever can protect the football better will give his team the best chance to earn a vital win.
• Victor Cruz vs 49ers Defense: The salsa-dancing, free-spirited receiver was one of the stars of the Giants' title-winning campaign last season, and the difficulties the 49ers defense had in stopping Cruz played a key role in the NFC Championship game. If the Niners are able to clamp down on the wide-out this time around, then they will have a good chance of shutting down a potent offense.
• The Giants run game vs 49ers Defense: The Giants run game has been excellent in the early-going, and in Ahmad Bradshaw, Andre Brown and rookie David Wilson, they possess a superb trio of backs. However, the 49ers are notorious for their steeliness against the run, and Manning could be in for a difficult afternoon if the Giants are not able to penetrate the Niners' run defense.
• The return of Brandon Jacobs: Speaking of running backs, the Giants defense may come up against a familiar face if Brandon Jacobs - who has been out due to a knee-injury since pre-season after moving to San Francisco from New York - is able to play on Sunday. Jacobs is undoubtedly entering the twilight years of his career, but his presence will help take some more of the load off Frank Gore, something which could be useful as the 49ers look to cut through a run defense that is ranked just 16th in the league.
• The return of Mario Manningham: Another Superbowl-winning Giant to join the 49ers this off-season was wide receiver Mario Manningham, who played a large role in Big Blue's charge to the title. Manningham scored his first Touchdown as a Niner against the Bills, and is beginning to develop a relationship with Alex Smith. The Giants will be aware of this and they know they will have to be wary of their former team-mate as well as Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree.
• Vernon Davis vs Giants' secondary: While Manningham and Crabtree will draw attention from the Giants' defensive backs, stopping Davis will be high on their list priorities. The Tight-End has been in fantastic form early on amassing 303 receiving yards and hauling in four touchdowns. Davis caused both the Giants and the Saints no end of problems in the last year's post-season, and if the former first-round pick can replicate that form then it could be a long afternoon for Tom Coughlin's secondary.
• The battle in the trenches: The fight between the respective offensive and defensive lines is always paramount in determining who comes out on top in any NFL game, however it will be of particular importance in this one. Giants' QB Manning has been sacked just four times this season, but the Niners possess a number of quality pass rushers in their front seven, including linebacker Aldon Smith and defensive lineman Justin Smith. The New York O-Line has been excellent through the first five games, but will need to produce once more as they come up against what is arguably the best front seven int the league.
• Kyle Williams revenge?: Williams was the villain of the piece for the Niners in that heart-breaking NFC title loss, however the speedy receiver caught his first TD of the season against the Bills. Harbaugh may look to utilise his speed against the Giants' D and inspire further confidence in a player that is thought extremely highly of in the Bay Area.

No titles are won in October in the NFL, however both teams will be desperate to win in order to add further firepower to their play-off charge.

The Giants are already 0-2 in their division, and another loss against a team in their conference could do serious damage to their hopes of winning an always competitive NFC East division.

Speaking of competitive divisions, the NFC West is statistically the strongest division in the NFL, every team in the division possesses a winning record, and a victory for the 49ers could give a little breathing space ahead of tough match-ups against Seattle and Arizona respectively.

Get set for a high-tempo encounter and aggressive encounter, both these sides are expected to make the post-season, and this game could well be an early indicator as to who will have the better chance of making it to this season's showpiece finale.