Saturday’s game in San Francisco will be a battle of philosophy: old school vs. new school; power vs. speed; winning with defense vs. winning with offense. The 49ers have a more conventional approach. They have the best defense in the NFC, allowing just three rushing touchdowns all season, and a solid run game behind Frank Gore. They take care of the ball, sporting an NFL-best plus-28 turnover margin, and put an emphasis on special teams, with punter Andy Lee and kicker David Akers both making the Pro Bowl. San Francisco has built a team around a premise that has been successful for years.
The Saints have embraced a more radical approach built on an ability to outscore their opponent. Led by quarterback Drew Brees, who broke the record for passing yards in a single season, the Saints use the pass to set up the run. On defense, they implore the philosophy of bend but don’t break, allowing the 30th-most passing yards a game but ranking 13th in points allowed.
Two completely different approaches led to a division title and a 13-3 record.
The 49ers and Saints won’t just be playing for a berth in the NFC championship game, they will be deciding if the old-school philosophy still prevails in the playoffs in this evolving pass-friendly NFL.
– Jeffrey Tomik
