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A few thoughts wrapping up Ben Roethlisberger's comments regarding the San Francisco 49ers possibly targeting his ankle, following my "NFL Live" conversation with Trey Wingo:

• Roethlisberger would be in better position to know than any of us watching the game from safer vantage points. Watching every play on video in no way replicates what Roethlisberger experienced staring down Justin Smith, Aldon Smith and the San Francisco defense.
• Nothing stood out as unusual when I re-watched every play, including some key plays from the coaches' tape featuring wider camera angles.
• The 49ers sent four or fewer pass-rushers 80 percent of the time, consistent with their averages for the season, according to Keith Hawkins of ESPN Stats & Information. They did not appear to be going out of their way to pressure Roethlisberger. They trusted their four-man rush.
• The Steelers used shotgun formations 77 percent of the time, up from 35 percent earlier in the season. That took pressure off Roethlisberger's injured ankle. It also gave Roethlisberger a better chance to protect himself.
• The comments Roethlisberger made were pretty harmless. The current climate regarding player safety threatens to distort. Of course the 49ers wanted to test Roethlisberger's injured ankle. That doesn't necessarily mean they did anything outside the rules.

Case closed? I don't see much more ground to cover from this game, at least.

First impressions on the San Francisco 49ers' performance in the 2012 NFL draft:

What I liked: The 49ers, having already kept together one of the NFL's most dominant defenses in free agency, made a concerted effort to improve on offense. Their first three picks went for a receiver (A.J. Jenkins), a running back (LaMichael James) and a guard (Joe Looney). The team is now in better position to succeed with quarterback Alex Smith and running back Frank Gore. Likewise, if Smith struggles and age catches up to Gore, the 49ers are in better position to succeed offensively with younger players at their positions. The team also fared well in trading back to acquire additional picks, including for next year.

Question marks: It's quite possible none of the 49ers' draft choices will win a starting job this year. A roster without many holes is partly responsible. The 49ers' low standing in the draft order was another factor. Whether Looney bounces back from a foot injury well enough to challenge for the starting job at right guard could be a key variable. Mostly, I'm interested in seeing what the 49ers saw in Jenkins, a relatively low-profile player who has nonetheless received high marks from personnel evaluators I've polled on other teams.

Trending: The 49ers have drafted only one defensive lineman over the past three years if we count 2011 first-rounder Aldon Smith as an outside linebacker. That is understandable given how well Justin Smith and Ray McDonald are playing. But with Smith turning 33 this season, McDonald having overcome serious knee injuries and 2008 first-rounder Kentwan Balmer long gone, the time is coming for San Francisco to address the position. The 49ers did find promising prospects in 2011 undrafted free agents Ian Williams and Demarcus Dobbs, taking off some of the pressure.

Veteran put on alert: Gore would be the logical choice here. He turns 29 in May, past the age when teams start looking for replacements. The 49ers have now drafted four running backs over the past three seasons, including 2012 second-rounder LaMichael James and 2011 fourth-rounder Kendall Hunter. San Francisco also signed veteran Brandon Jacobs in free agency. Gore started 15 games last season and topped 1,200 yards, but he peaked in November. This position has gotten more competitive.

What's going on: Our eight divisional bloggers are participating in an ongoing mock draft Monday. Each blogger can make selections or trade picks for the four teams in his division.

The latest: I selected North Alabama cornerback Janoris Jenkins for the San Francisco 49ers with the 30th overall choice.

My rationale: The 49ers have a strong head coach, a strong locker room and one of the best defenses in the NFL. Justin Smith and Patrick Willis give the 49ers impeccably strong leadership. This team appears to be in good position to take a chance on a player with clear off-field concerns, particularly if scouts are right about Jenkins' raw talent. I considered Stanford tight end Coby Fleener, but the 49ers love their current tight ends. They could easily extend Delanie Walker's contract, knowing he fits in their offense and brings great additional value on special teams. The 49ers could have taken a guard in this slot, but that's a position they should be able to fill later in the draft, or with Daniel Kilgore. Cornerback is a more valuable position. The 49ers face a long list of top quarterbacks in 2012. Jenkins gives them needed depth. Scouts say he can play man or zone well.

What's next for the NFC West: The Seattle Seahawks hold the 31st overall choice.

Facebook friend Jonathan makes a simple request of the San Francisco 49ers: get Mike Wallace.

"How valuable could the 30th pick be?" he asks.

This is the most enticing argument for chasing after a young, talented restricted free agent such as Wallace, who might qualify as the best deep-threat receiver in the NFL. NFC West fans might remember Wallace's 95-yard touchdown reception against Arizona last season, or his 53-yard reception against Seattle, or his 46-yarder against St. Louis.

Wallace would give the 49ers the deep-threat wideout their rotation has been lacking.

A few considerations:

• Price: The 49ers would have to pay Wallace enough for two things to happen. One, Wallace would have to sign an offer sheet, forcing the 49ers to outbid any other suitors. Two, the deal would need to be structured so that Pittsburgh would not match it. The 49ers would then have to send their first-round choice, 30th overall, to the Steelers.
• Fit: The 49ers have carefully identified which players in their locker room to hold up as leaders. Patrick Willis, Joe Staley and Vernon Davis have gotten lucrative long-term deals. Justin Smith and Frank Gore have also been highly paid. Smith is the perfect example of a free agent from another team who was worth the investment. The 49ers would have to feel good about how Wallace would react to a payday. Signing him affects dynamics at the position, putting Wallace over Michael Crabtree and the other receivers.
• The pick: It's easy to discount the value of that 30th choice because so many draft choices fail to pan out. But that is why teams employ personnel departments. The 2009 first round was largely disappointing, but the Green Bay Packers nonetheless landed B.J. Raji and Clay Matthews. Tennessee stood pat at No. 30 and drafted Kenny Britt, who averaged 17.5 yards per reception with 15 touchdowns before suffering a season-ending knee injury early last season. Niner fans will point to the 2004 draft, when San Francisco took receiver Rashaun Woods at No. 31. But a look at receivers drafted from the 28th through 32nd picks since 2001 shows Woods was more exception than rule. Hakeem Nicks, Britt, Craig Davis, Anthony Gonzalez, Michael Jenkins and Reggie Wayne were the other receivers in that group.
• The offense: Would the 49ers maximize their investment in a deep-threat receiver? Would Wallace open up their offense, taking them to another level? Or would the nature of the 49ers' approach and potential limitations at quarterback leave us wondering why Wallace's production had failed to carry over?

I'd have a hard time criticizing the 49ers if they made a strong play for Wallace. They need help at the position. Wallace is only 25 years old. Wallace is established and ascending.

It's true that receivers often disappoint, but very few in Wallace's position hit the market. The new labor agreement gives the best restricted free agents more freedom. This would seem to be a relatively low-risk proposition for the 49ers as long as Wallace's personality and work ethic checked out.

A reminder as NFL teams name franchise players: Teams can withdraw the designations if players decide against signing the corresponding one-year offers.

That came to mind Friday upon reading Matt Maiocco's report suggesting Dashon Goldson had no immediate plans to sign the San Francisco 49ers' one-year franchise offer worth an estimated $6.2 million.

Teams rarely withdraw franchise designations, but plans can change. Leroy Hill found out the hard way back in 2009, when the Seattle Seahawks used a first-round choice for Aaron Curry, then withdrew an $8.3 million franchise offer from Hill, who was suddenly scrambling as a free agent after the draft.

We all saw what happened to Goldson last offseason. He found nothing palatable in free agency, then re-signed with the 49ers for one year and $2 million. The lockout made for unusual circumstances. Goldson might find the market more favorable this year.

But I see no advantage for Goldson in withholding his signature. Any team signing him to an offer would face losing two first-round draft choices if the 49ers declined to match. Teams simply do not trade two first-round choices for the right to pay good safeties.

Signing the franchise offer makes the money guaranteed. Not signing the offer means it could disappear if circumstances changed.

Goldson has a Pro Bowl on his resume, so he is more accomplished than Seattle's Hill was back in 2009. But neither was a player the team absolutely had to keep. The Seahawks, like the 49ers now, had more options than the player.

The 49ers appear unlikely to withdraw the tag, but they will get by just fine this offseason with or without Goldson under contract. Goldson has more at stake.

I see less reason for Arizona's Calais Campbell to sign the Cardinals' franchise offer, which has been projected to be around $10.6 million. There is virtually no chance the Cardinals would withdraw the tag, and if they did, Campbell would command big money from teams hungry for young defensive linemen of his caliber.

In Seattle, meanwhile, the Seahawks are expected to use the franchise designation on Marshawn Lynch if a long-term deal remains elusive. The deadline for naming franchise players is Monday.

Certain former San Francisco 49ers coaches thought Ahmad Brooks the linebacker could not learn their defense.

"A few coaches said that and told me that personally," Brooks said Tuesday. "That has always been a lie."

Brooks would not name the coaches Tuesday, and the story was not about them, anyway. The story was about the 49ers' new staff liking Brooks enough to sign him through 2017.

"I feel like this is where I should be," Brooks said. "These are the people that gave me a chance to go out there and get this contract."

Brooks had been a situational pass-rusher under the previous staff. He grew into that role and performed it well, but it was not clear whether Brooks would remain effective if asked to become an every-down player. The current staff, led by defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, was obviously happy with the results after Brooks collected seven sacks in 16 starts.

"I just feel comfortable playing in this system," Brooks said. "(Fangio) doesn't ask for a lot. It is just easy to me."

That is a sign of good coaching. To suggest that Brooks hasn't changed would be unfair to his previous coaches, however. If Brooks is like most people, he's more mature now, at age 27, than he was in his early 20s. Still, there is some risk in handing millions to a player with Brooks' history. He was kicked off the team at Virginia after two failed drug tests, entered the supplemental draft and lasted only two seasons with Cincinnati.

The Bengals released Brooks in 2008.

"I felt like a girl broke up with me and broke my heart," he said. "It can also be a blessing in disguise. I didn't see it at the time. It paid off. I continued to work, came in here and worked hard."

The 49ers claimed Brooks off waivers, released him when they needed room on the roster for a receiver, then brought him back. Brooks made an immediate impact as a situational pass-rusher, tackling Minnesota's Percy Harvin for an 8-yard loss in Brooks' first game with the 49ers. He had a three-sack game against Arizona on "Monday Night Football" later in that 2009 season. He became a full-time starter for the first time last season.

Playing with some of the most talented defensive players in the NFL has helped, of course. Brooks took note of that.

"When you are (with) guys like Ray McDonald, I can roam around," Brooks said. "I can mess up, but Ray can make me look good, like I didn't mess up. That lets me do things I could not do if with another team."

Brooks' deal, announced by the team, firms up the left side of the 49ers' defense. It comes about seven months after the 49ers signed McDonald to a five-year deal that signaled McDonald's ascension into the starting lineup at left defensive end.

Brooks and McDonald will be playing together for some time, it appears.

"Me and Ray communicate on every play, especially when it is third down," Brooks said.

We spent probably too much time over the second half of the season debating the NFL's MVP award, which Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is expected to win during a televised ceremony Saturday night. But what about arguably the NFL's second-most prestigious annual award? Will Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen win NFL Defensive Player of the Year?

We here in the NFC North are no strangers to the DPOY. Packers cornerback Charles Woodson won in 2009, beating down East Coast support for New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis, and Packers linebacker Clay Matthews finished a close second last season to Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu.

Allen led the NFL with 22 sacks this season, one shy of breaking Michael Strahan's single-season record. He said late in the season that the Vikings' poor season would probably eliminate him from DPOY consideration, but I'm not sure if that will be the case.

This season, at least, I wouldn't say there is an obvious or runaway winner for the award. We discussed maybe a half-dozen credible names Wednesday morning over on Twitter. Below are four of them, for which I've identified some pros and cons.

Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Ware
Pros: Wasn't far behind Allen in the sack department with 19.5, a number that would catch anyone's attention.
Cons: Could be viewed as a one-dimensional pass-rusher. Forced two fumbles and defended two passes as an outside linebacker.

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs
Pros: Career-high 14 sacks and seven forced fumbles. Took over leadership role of a dominant defense when middle linebacker Ray Lewis was injured.
Cons: Perception, fair or otherwise, that Suggs is a secondary player to Lewis and safety Ed Reed on the Ravens' defense.

San Francisco defensive lineman Justin Smith
Pros: Tremendous production for a 3-4 defensive end with 7.5 sacks, and his intensity set a tone for one of the NFL's best defenses.
Cons: Smith might not be the best defensive player on his own team. Linebacker Patrick Willis is one of the NFL's top overall players, but he missed three games and was limited in others by injury

New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul
Pros: Recorded 16.5 sacks, anchoring one of the NFL's most disruptive defensive lines.
Cons: Is only in his second season, and critics could point out the Giants' defensive line is too talented for offensive lines to double-team Pierre-Paul often.

Justin Smith, Patrick Willis, Steven Jackson, Adrian Wilson and Larry Fitzgerald were among the current NFC West players I considered best qualified the ESPN.com/ESPN The Magazine's NFL Any Era team.

There were other less-accomplished players I felt fit the mold, including Chris Clemons, Chris Long, James Laurinaitis, etc.

But when ESPN shared with me an advance copy of the list, Smith's exclusion bothered me the most. Willis made it at No. 7, and rightly so. The top four positions have not yet been revealed, but No. 94 for the 49ers is not among them.

"If I could exchange myself today and give it to somebody else, I would give it to Justin and I would be off of it," Willis said of his Any Era selection. "Because honestly, he is who makes me who I am. This guy, he really makes my world a lot easier."

Anyone watching the 49ers closely during their recent postseason run got to see how Smith plays every week. Smith had 10 tackles, two sacks and nine quarterback hits in those games. He drove both opponents' left tackles straight backward into their quarterbacks, dragging down Drew Brees and mauling Eli Manning.

"He is no prima donna d-tackle," Willis said. "This guy is the real deal. He is not 400-and-some pounds and just sitting there like a big glob. He is not 270 pounds where he is just trying to swim a gap. This man is 300 pounds on the money and he is going to go right through you."

Smith has started 171 consecutive regular-season games. The way Smith's neck and head fill his helmet creates an old-school look.

"Those are the types of guys I want to play with," Willis said. "Hard-nosed guys. You get guys that just want to be pass rushers or you get guys who don't want to move. I don’t think you are a complete guy. Justin is a very complete d-tackle to me. Man, I’ll tell you what, he has been the heart and soul of this defense."

SAN FRANCISCO -- Surely it could not end this way for the San Francisco 49ers.

A fumble during a punt return, in overtime? The New York Giants recovering the ball and kicking a gift 31-yard field goal to reach Super Bowl XLVI against New England?

Never in a hundred years could Jim Harbaugh's mighty men let it end this way: 20-17 at Candlestick Park, their usually impeccable special teams letting them down twice.

"It's tough, real tough," running back Frank Gore said.

Imagine how Kyle Williams feels. The 49ers' second-year backup receiver muffed one punt before his killer fumble. Those mistakes led to 10 points for the Giants.

"You hate to be the last guy that had the ball, to give it up that way in that fashion and to lose a game of this magnitude," Williams said. "It is what it is."

Coach Jim Harbaugh used the word "cruel" to describe the Giants last week. The adjective applies more succinctly to the postseason rivalry between these teams.

Roger Craig's late fumble doomed the 49ers to a 15-13 defeat in the NFC title game 21 years ago. More than a decade passed before Trey Junkin's unfortunate field-goal snap for the Giants delivered a 39-38 victory to the 49ers in the wild-card round. And now, Williams.

Cruel, indeed.

"It's hard to swallow," 49ers defensive end Justin Smith said, "but what else are you going to do?"

Upgrade at wide receiver, for starters.

Williams, Michael Crabtree, Ginn and Brett Swain combined to catch eight passes for 51 yards on 29 targets in two playoff games. That is unacceptable.

Williams and Swain get a pass. They're young. They're backups. Ginn gets a pass. He was injured. That leaves Crabtree, the 10th player chosen in the 2009 draft. He was invisible in two playoff games, erased completely on Sunday by Giants cornerback Corey Webster.

It's tough to blame quarterback Alex Smith for Crabtree's irrelevance when Smith was completing game-changing passes to tight end Vernon Davis throughout the playoffs.

Smith targeted Crabtree 10 times in the divisional round against New Orleans. Crabtree turned those chances into four receptions for 25 yards. He lost at the ball more than once.

Crabtree caught one pass for 3 yards Sunday. A postgame interview wasn't productive, either.

"Sometimes you just gotta move the ball, man," Crabtree said. "You gotta make plays. You gotta give people a chance to make plays. You gotta make plays."

Give people a chance to make plays? Crabtree did not appear to be running wide open through the secondary in either of these playoff games.

Smith had problems, too. After completing 2 of 7 passes for 79 yards in the rain-soaked first half, he struggled with windy conditions thereafter.

"I felt great in the first half going either direction," Smith said. "I personally struggled with going from soaking wet in the first half and then in the second half, it dried out and your hands dried out and you're licking them the whole time in the second half, trying to get some of that tack."

Mother Nature wasn't the only one mixing it up on Smith. When these teams played in Week 10, the Giants gave the 49ers opportunities downfield by playing single-high safety looks designed to stop the run. That led to more one-on-one matchups outside.

"They just mixed it up a lot more, played a lot of two-high (safety) this game on first and second down, a lot of third down, especially those third-and-longs that we could not convert," Smith said.

On the surface, this season would end how it began, with the 49ers realizing just how much Ted Ginn Jr. meant to them. Ginn's two return touchdowns in Week 1 held off a late Seattle rally only days after the team had pressured him into accepting a pay reduction. Ginn's injury-related absence Sunday forced the less accomplished, less seasoned Williams into punt-return duty.

The results were disastrous, the lessons simple.

The 49ers were horrible on third down most of the season. They were worse against the Giants, converting one time in 13 chances. Touchdown passes to Davis covering 73 and 28 yards should have been enough on a day when the 49ers held Eli Manning and the Giants to 3.9 yards per play -- the lowest figure for a Giants offense since a Dec. 14, 2008 meeting with Dallas, a span of 52 games, counting playoffs.

Under less cruel and less unusual circumstances, the 49ers would have made up for their third-down issues by hawking the ball and forcing turnovers. But a secondary that had picked off 24 passes in 17 games fell all over itself trying to collect passes Manning threw right to them. Dashon Goldson collided with Carlos Rogers to foil one sure pick. Goldson and Tarell Brown collided to wreck another freebie.

Even when the 49ers appeared to force and recover an Ahmad Bradshaw fumble, head linesman Mark Hittner ruled San Francisco had stopped Bradshaw's forward progress before the ball came out.

"Every play that happened in the game, except that one, was played out to the completion of the play," Harbaugh said.

That was as close as the 49ers came to complaining about factors beyond their control. They lost this one more than the Giants won it. That is what hurt them the most.

A successful first season under Harbaugh guarantees nothing for the future. The rest of the NFC West appears to be gaining. The offseason will give the 49ers' future opponents time to figure out what this coaching staff sprung on the NFL so impressively this season.

The 49ers are unlikely to encounter a lower Super Bowl bar than the one they tripped over Sunday. All they had to do was beat a 9-7 team at home.

Pregame talk casting the Giants as a red-hot team amounted to nothing. The 49ers jumped to a 7-0 lead in the first nine minutes. They led 14-10 late in the third quarter and tied it late in the fourth without making a third-down conversion until the final play of regulation. The Giants did little to win the game late until forcing that fumble and centering the ball for Lawrence Tynes' winning kick.

"This is the hardest loss of my career in football, especially with it being so close, being in it the whole game," left tackle Joe Staley said. "A lot of missed opportunities."

Thoughts on the San Francisco 49ers' 20-17 defeat to the New York Giants in the NFC Championship Game at Candlestick Park:

What it means: The 49ers missed a chance to represent the NFC in Super Bowl XLVI thanks largely to two critical miscues in the return game, both by second-year backup punt returner Kyle Williams. Their defense played heroically at times but was unable to capitalize on several opportunities to force turnovers. With the offense struggling on third down, the 49ers simply couldn't persevere. This game will haunt the 49ers for years. How many times will San Francisco get to play a 9-7 team at home for a berth in the Super Bowl?

What I liked: Vernon Davis got open early for a 73-yard touchdown reception even though the Giants knew he was the one player most likely to beat them deep. Davis came through again in the third quarter with a go-ahead 28-yard scoring reception after a slick outside-in move to find a hole in the coverage. …

Frank Gore found running room. The 49ers’ coaching staff supplemented the ground game effectively with designed runs for Alex Smith. And the misdirection run to spring Kendall Hunter for a 14-yard gain was beautifully conceived. …

San Francisco’s pass rush improved in the second half, playing a big role in the team’s ability to take the lead and hold it heading into the fourth quarter. Aldon Smith and Justin Smith started getting to Eli Manning, allowing the 49ers to stay in the game even though their offense wasn’t sustaining drives. …

Williams’ 40-yard kickoff return midway through the fourth quarter gave the 49ers good field position and gave the 49ers a needed jolt. Smith followed with a 17-yard scramble. Delanie Walker's block on Kenny Phillips to help spring Hunter to the 5-yard line was reminiscent of the block Joe Staley threw for Smith last week. ...

The 49ers' defense stepped up repeatedly late in the game, especially when Smith sacked Manning.

What I didn’t like: The 49ers were miserable on third down, asking too many favors from their defense. They did not succeed on a third-down conversion until the final play of regulation. ...

Williams’ indecision on a punt return cost the 49ers when the ball bounced off his knee with San Francisco holding a 14-10 lead and 11:06 remaining in the fourth quarter. Williams, subbing for injured veteran Ted Ginn Jr., couldn’t get out of the way after deciding at the last moment to bail on the return. The Giants took over at the San Francisco 28-yard line, then scored the go-ahead touchdown on third-and-15 from the 17. …

Then, after the 49ers' defense held in overtime, Williams fumbled during a punt return. The Giants recovered and kicked the winning 31-yard field goal.

Early in the game, the 49ers couldn’t get pressure on third down, giving Manning ample time to find open receivers and sustain drives. Manning completed eight passes for 125 yards to Victor Cruz in the first half. …

San Francisco played conservatively on offense shortly before halftime, letting the clock run down and settling for predictable runs. The Giants got the ball back and scored a field goal to take a 10-7 lead heading into halftime. …

The 49ers had no third-down conversions in the first three quarters. Their wide receivers were generally poor to invisible. …

The 49ers’ usually hard-hitting secondary struggled to get clear shots on the Giants’ receivers. That made it tougher for San Francisco to force turnovers. When the pass-rush improved in the second half, the 49ers missed an opportunity to pick off a pass when defenders collided, injuring cornerback Tarell Brown.

“X” factor a no-show: Those figuring the 49ers might need receiver Michael Crabtree to step up kept waiting and waiting, without results. Giants cornerback Corey Webster shut down Crabtree. The 49ers have been thin at wide receiver without Josh Morgan (injured reserve), Braylon Edwards (released) or Ginn (inactive due to injury). Crabtree, an occasional force for the 49ers late in the regular season, did not make an impact in the passing game.

Controversial call: Referee Ed Hochuli and crew ruled that Ahmad Bradshaw's forward progress was stopped before the 49ers forced him to fumble and recovered deep in Giants territory. That play could not be reviewed. A 49ers recovery in that situation -- tie game, a little more than two minutes remaining -- would have been huge. The head linesman threw his bean bag and made the ruling decisively. The question was whether the ruling was made hastily.

Interesting decision: The 49ers opted to punt on fourth-and-inches from the Giants’ 47-yard line while holding a 14-10 lead early in the fourth quarter. They were running the ball well, but their defense was also gaining the upper hand at that point in the game. Punting and playing for field position showed the 49ers thought their punting and defense could hold. The decision paid off for the 49ers when Aldon Smith’s sack helped limit the Giants to a three-and-out. But the defensive stop also precipitated Williams’ muffed punt.

Injuries of note: The 49ers lost left guard Mike Iupati to an ankle injury early in the game. Iupati returned, but was limping around at times. A knee injury kept Ginn from playing. Brown was down on the field for an extended period after colliding with safety Dashon Goldson. Medical personnel brought out a stretcher board, but Brown walked off slowly, with assistance. Brown suffered thigh and head injuries, according to the 49ers. Walker played for the first time since suffering a broken jaw at Seattle in Week 16.

What’s next: The 49ers head toward the draft needing help at wide receiver in particular.

The dictionary lists intimidation, pressure, bullying and browbeating as synonyms for duress.

For a quarterback, duress could describe the feeling associated with seeing the San Francisco 49ers' Justin Smith carrying your 315-pound Pro Bowl left tackle toward you with bad intentions. That happened memorably Saturday when Smith drove the New Orleans Saints' Jermon Bushrod right into quarterback Drew Brees.

Smith even managed to grab Brees by the collar and yank him down.

The 49ers need more plays like that one when they face the New York Giants' Eli Manning in the NFC Championship Game at Candlestick Park on Sunday. San Francisco recorded just one sack and three quarterback hits during a 27-20 victory over the Giants in Week 10. That might not be good enough this time because the Giants are healthier at wide receiver and more dangerous in their passing game.

The chart shows Manning's numbers when under duress against Green Bay in the divisional round. ESPN Stats & Information defines duress as any play where the quarterback had to move or alter his throw due to pressure.

The 49ers sacked Brees three times and recorded 11 quarterback hits against him.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Thoughts after the San Francisco 49ers' 36-32 divisional playoff victory over the New Orleans Saints on Saturday at Candlestick Park:

What it means: The 49ers are headed to the NFC title game against the winner of the New York Giants-Green Bay Packers game Sunday. They will play at home if the Giants win. They will visit Green Bay if the Packers win. Alex Smith and Vernon Davis showed their playoff mettle in leading the 49ers back from fourth-quarter deficits not once, but twice. This will go down as one of the great games in 49ers history and in NFL postseason history.

What I liked: Smith's winning 14-yard touchdown pass to Davis showed the 49ers were playing to win, not for overtime. On the 49ers' previous drive, Smith's 37-yard strike to Davis up the left sideline and 28-yard touchdown run on a beautifully executed keeper put the 49ers ahead with 2:11 remaining. The 49ers played the game on their terms early, delivering punishing hits while hawking the ball. They forced three first-quarter turnovers and built a 17-3 lead. Dashon Goldson outfoxed Drew Brees to pick off one pass. Tarell Brown made an athletic play for another interception. Smith capitalized on the turnovers, finding Davis for a 49-yard touchdown and Michael Crabtree for a 4-yarder that showed San Francisco has indeed made progress in the red zone recently. Donte Whitner in particular roughed up the Saints, knocking out running back Pierre Thomas with a concussion and pounding tight end Jimmy Graham. The defense held firm after the 49ers suffered their first turnover in six games, right before halftime.

What I didn't like: The 49ers' defense, ranked fourth overall in yards allowed per game during the regular season, gave up go-ahead pass plays covering 44 and 66 yards in the final five minutes. The 49ers forced four first-half turnovers and still led by only three. Smith paid for the aggressive offensive plan, taking third-down sacks, including one that led to the 49ers' first turnover since a Week 12 game at Baltimore. Crabtree, after making his scoring grab, had trouble holding onto the ball on contested throws. The 49ers needed him to win those battles. Goldson went for the big hit on Marques Colston, but Brees led Colston away from trouble, producing a 31-yard gain when the 49ers led by only six points in the third quarter. Frank Gore had seven drops during the season and had a hard time throwing in this game, sending one back to Smith on a hop to sap the potential from a trick play. The 49ers' defense cracked with the game on the line, allowing Darren Sproles' go-ahead 44-yard touchdown reception.

Play calling raised eyebrows: The 49ers' aggressiveness on offense led them away from the ground game. The early passing helped the 49ers take a 14-0 lead with scoring passes to Davis and Crabtree. Pass plays continued outnumbering runs as the game progressed, however, and the 49ers did not get into a rhythm on the ground. The 49ers had 29 pass attempts and 15 rushes through three quarters. They also had taken four sacks to that point, widening the disparity. The strategy was easy to question because the 49ers' wide receivers were not playing at a high level.

Defensive player of the year: It would be tough to argue against the 49ers' Justin Smith, the team's most consistent and consistently dominant player. Smith's brute power won out when he sacked Brees on third down when the 49ers absolutely needed a stop in the third quarter. Later, with 49ers up only three, Smith drove Pro Bowl left tackle Jermon Bushrod into Brees for a sack. These were Reggie White-type plays at critical moments.

Injury notes: The 49ers got receiver Ted Ginn Jr. back from injury, but Ginn spent as much time on the exercise bike as on the field, it seemed. His knee was a problem. Ginn had trouble getting much traction in the return game and was called for pass interference late in the third quarter. Officials flagged receiver Kyle Williams for offensive interference on the next play. Both calls appeared straightforward. The Saints declined both.

What's next: The NFC title game.

Denver long snapper Lonie Paxson missed his second straight day of practice because of what Denver coach John Fox described as a family matter.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family,” Fox told reporters in Denver. “He’ll be day to day just like all of our injuries.”

Guard Russ Hochstein would likely be the long snapper for Saturday night’s divisional playoff game at New England if Paxson can’t play, especially if the weather is bad.

Meanwhile, as expected, safety Brian Dawkins (neck) and receiver Eric Decker (knee) did not practice Thursday. It would be a surprise if either player plays Saturday night. Denver pass-rusher Elvis Dumervil was limited for the second straight day with an ankle injury.

In other AFC West news:

Kansas City coach Romeo Crennel said on Sirius radio with Rich Gannon that he will not relinquish his defensive play-calling duties. That has been expected.

Chris Sprow thinks the 49ers’ Justin Smith would be a good fit in San Diego. In an Insider piece, Scouts Inc. thinks Oklahoma pass-rusher Ronnel Lewis could fit with the Chargers. San Diego is sure to try to add a pass-rusher this offseason.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Aldon Smith, the San Francisco 49ers' 14-sack rookie pass-rusher, expects his playing time to increase Saturday against the New Orleans Saints' record-setting offense.

This makes sense on the surface because the Saints are such a prolific passing team. Smith plays on passing downs.

Case closed, right? Not quite.

The Saints' ground game is also strong. New Orleans uses quite a few tighter formations featuring fewer than three wide receivers. And so I wondered whether the Saints might limit Smith's snaps by playing with fewer than three wide receivers on the field at a time. For a team with strong receiving options at running back and tight end, this can be a good way to keep the ground game viable without sacrificing much in the passing game.

Smith played not quite half of the 49ers' snaps this season, coming onto the field against pass-oriented personnel. He'll be on the field automatically if the Saints play three or more wideouts. He generally would not play as much against heavier personnel.

New Orleans, armed with a dynamic receiving tight end in Jimmy Graham, used fewer than three wide receivers on 57 percent of offensive snaps this season. That was the eighth-highest percentage in the NFL, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

The 49ers rarely strayed from base personnel when opponents played with fewer than three wide receivers this season. They did so only 25 of 422 times outside short-yardage situations. That included nine of 46 times against Dallas in Week 2.

The Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens are the only 49ers opponents to date showing up on the chart ranking teams by highest percentage of plays featuring fewer than three wideouts. Smith hit season lows for snaps (16) and playing time (27.1 percent) against Baltimore. He played 25 snaps (35.7 percent) against the Cowboys, before he had established himself as a pass-rushing force.

The Saints rushed for 2,041 yards during the regular season, the sixth-highest total in the NFL. They gained 1,489 of that with fewer than three wide receivers on the field and about 80 percent of the 1,489 against base defenses.

It's impossible to know in advance what wrinkles these teams will unveil Saturday. The 49ers will want to pressure Drew Brees up the middle whether or not Smith is on the field. As defensive lineman Justin Smith put it Wednesday, the Saints quarterback loves stepping up in the pocket after outside pass-rushers have flown past him.

How frequently might Aldon Smith be one of them?

The San Francisco 49ers opened their 13-3 season with a mostly dominant defensive performance against the Seattle Seahawks.

Ray McDonald's performance that day -- six tackles, including three for losses, plus a sack -- served notice the team had made the right call in paying starter money to the former backup defensive lineman. McDonald finished the season with career highs for starts (15) and sacks (5.5). He forced two fumbles, both in the final five weeks of the season.

Pete Prisco from CBSSports.com singled out McDonald as an under-the-radar player to watch for the 49ers against New Orleans in the divisional playoff round Saturday. This is a good call among several possibilities. Cornerback Carlos Rogers and free safety Dashon Goldson aren't quite under-the-radar players -- both are headed to the Pro Bowl -- but neither commands as much attention as established stars Patrick Willis or Justin Smith.

Rogers and Goldson showed a big-play flair during the regular season. Rogers set a career single-season high with six interceptions, only two fewer than he collected during six previous NFL seasons. Goldson's six interceptions were also a career high. He had five in four seasons previously.

K.C. Joyner, who made friends on the NFC West blog by calling them potential playoff pretenders two months ago, thinks the 49ers will have ample opportunities to force turnovers against the Saints. A little pressure from McDonald and friends would help Rogers, Goldson and the secondary, of course.

Joyner, writing for Insider subscribers , cites evidence suggesting Drew Brees' willingness to take chances could cost him against the 49ers' defense. Counter to intuition, he says the 49ers might be best served getting into a higher-scoring game with New Orleans.

Joyner notes that the 49ers scored at least 20 points in every home game this season. He says the Saints usually gave up that many or more on the road, and turnovers have often played a role. Brees has a 7-25 starting record when the Saints give up at least 20 points and lose the turnover battle. San Francisco tied an NFL record with only 10 turnovers this season.

I was also interested in a historical reference Joyner made in tying the Saints to other teams that set offensive records during the regular season. They run counter to the idea that New Orleans would automatically benefit from a wide-open game.