I have heard for a while that San Francisco's running back, Frank Gore is a beast with the football in his hands.   So, I looked up his game-by-game stats to see where No. 21 has most of his success.

And I was a bit shocked what I found:  Will the real Frank Gore please stand up?

At the beginning of the 2011 season 49er fans were clamoring for another big year from running back Frank Gore.   He was the heart and soul of this Niners team, yet another year of uncertainty loomed.

Yes, another year of uncertainty with a new head coach, a new offensive coordinator and the same old unproductive QB.  How quickly things can change in the NFL.

 The NY Giants Mission:  Stop Frank Gore! Make Quarterback Alex Smith throw the ball.

Nineteen weeks into the season and the team is thriving, and Frank Gore is receiving a lot of credit for their success.  But is it really a team driven by Frank Gore?

  • The first three games Gore didn't show up—108 yards (2.5 yards a game)
  • The next five games Gore was spectacular—634 yards (126 yards a game)
  • In Week 10 (vs. NYG) through Week 16, Frank Gore just dropped off the grid. (53 yards a game)
  • His production at receiving has also has seen a steady decline.

The Big Blue D will step up and stop Frank Gore.  The Giants' coaching staff knows the "key" to winning playoff games starts up front with stuffing the run. This type of play upfront allows Perry Fewell, the Giants defensive coordinator to run a ton of different looks.

And what better way to do that than with 941 pounds of bulk.  The unsung heroes of the Giants defense:  Chris Canty, Linval Joseph and Rocky Bernard.Canty, Joseph and Bernard had an excellent year and should be commented.  Their play has allowed Tuck, Osi, JPP and Kiwi to make an impact on the outside.  

Canty a free-agent signing from Dallas in 2009 had his finest year in the pros where he racked up 47 tackles and four sacks. 

Linval Joseph, in his first full year of starting in the trenches for the Giants had 49 tackles and two  sacks.  Is he Barry Cofield...NO, but he gets the job done, and he's very young.  Plenty of time to grow into his skin.

Bernard, mostly a backup, saw plenty of action in 2011 throwing in 30 tackles.

It's time the Giants brought the 49ers back down to earth, and it starts with stopping Frank Gore.