NFC Divisional Round Saints (14-3) at 49ers (13-3)
When » Saturday, 4:30 p.m. Where » Candlestick Park, San Francisco TV » Fox
Storylines
1 The other passing attack » While most of the focus surrounds Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who set the record for passing yards in a single season, facing the NFC’s top-ranked defense, the 49ers’ passing game could play a critical role. San Francisco quarterback Alex Smith wasn’t asked to do much. The 49ers had the fewest pass attempts in the NFC. But Smith was one of the most efficient quarterbacks this year with a 90.7 passer rating, 17 touchdowns and just five interceptions. Coming off a bye and facing the 30th-ranked pass defense, will the 49ers expand the playbook and allow Smith to air it out?
2 Turnover problems »During their Super Bowl season in 2009, the Saints’ defense forced 39 turnovers. But this year, New Orleans had an NFC-worst 16 takeaways. The Saints had two interceptions in the wild-card round against the Lions, but the 49ers’ offense will be much tougher to force into a mistake. With just 10 turnovers all year, the 49ers tied last year’s Patriots with the fewest giveaways by a team in a single season. The 49ers have prided themselves on being fundamentally sound and mistake free. They don’t miss tackles, have the best special teams in the league and take care of the football.
Key matchup
Saints RBs vs. 49ers LBs
Led by two of the best inside linebackers in the league — Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman — the 49ers had the top-ranked run defense (77.2 yards a game) and allowed just three rushing touchdowns all year. But all three scores were in the final two weeks of the season, and Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch ran for 107 yards and a touchdown vs. the 49ers in Week 16. The Saints quietly had the sixth-best rushing attack this season. With Chris Ivory, Darren Sproles and Pierre Thomas, New Orleans can attack a defense a lot of different ways.
By the Numbers
7 Players who had more than 400 yards receiving this year for the Saints. Only two 49ers reached that mark.
44 Field goals made this season by 49ers kicker David Akers, four more than any other kicker in NFL history.
Last meeting
Saints 25, 49ers 22 (Sept. 20, 2010) » Frank Gore scored a touchdown and Vernon Davis caught a two-point conversion to tie the game at 22-22 with a little more than a minute left. Saints kicker Garrett Hartley connected on a 37-yard field goal as time expired for the victory. San Francisco had four turnovers in last year’s Week 2 loss — just six fewer times than San Francisco turned the ball over the entire 2011 season.
Examiner predicts …
49ers 24, Saints 21
These teams used two completely different philosophies to get to this point. Away from the Superdome, the Saints will adapt more to the 49ers’ style than the other way around. New Orleans will find some success against the NFC’s best defense, but the mistake-free, clock-controlling 49ers will frustrate the Saints enough to prevail in the end.
