NFL Playoff Predictions: Hakeem Nicks Is the Key to a New York Giants Win

New York Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks had an excellent season considering that he played through a bruised and hyper-extended left knee for a portion of the year. He finished the regular season with 76 catches for 1,192 yards and seven touchdowns. 

Nicks has continued that success in the postseason, racking up six catches for 115 yards and two touchdowns in the Wild Card Round against the Atlanta Falcons and adding seven catches for 165 yards and two more scores in New York's Divisional Round upset of the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. 

While fellow receiver Victor Cruz posted better numbers this season, with 82 catches for 1,536 yards and nine touchdowns, Nicks still has to be considered the Giants' top receiver. 

This weekend, the Giants face a San Francisco defense that held Nicks to just two catches and 41 yards in the 49ers' 27-20 win in Week 10. Nicks did have a touchdown in that game, but cornerback Carlos Rogers intercepted quarterback Eli Manning twice on that day. 

For New York to come away with a win on Sunday, the team's top receiver has to have a much bigger impact on the game. If Nicks can break free for some big plays, it will almost ensure the Giants of a Super Bowl berth. 

The Giants finished the 2011 regular season with the NFL's fifth-ranked passing offense, averaging 295.9 yards per game. Manning has been rolling of late, and Nicks is a big part of that success. New York has won four straight games, and in that time, Nicks has totaled 19 catches for 376 yards and five touchdowns. 

The 49ers secondary has to figure out a way to shut Nicks down or it will be a long day for that unit on Sunday, and San Francisco will likely end up sitting at home on Super Bowl Sunday.