NFC Championship Game 2012: Giants, 49ers Match Up Well on Defense, Offense

It's ironic that the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers are meeting one another in the NFC Championship game.

And the irony comes from each franchise's defensive fronts versus their respective offensive philosophies. To understand that fully, here's a breakdown of how each team will operate against the other.

Giants 4-3 vs. 49ers Offense

San Francisco is a run-oriented offense and rightfully so. Frank Gore is one of the better running backs in the game and Bruce Miller is a reliable fullback.

The best way to shut down a stellar rushing attack is with the 4-3 defense—especially when the front four includes guys like Chris Canty, Justin Tuck and Jason Pierre-Paul. It's not a complex scheme for New York, but neither is what San Francisco does.

The 49ers use smash-mouth football to try to win in the trenches. The idea is to wear down the opposing team and force the players to become a one-dimensional unit. With Alex Smith looking like a well-developed quarterback, the 49ers must stick to their strengths.

Although the Giants are vulnerable against the pass, their pass-rush will put the pressure on if given enough opportunities. That said, New York's front four will be responsible for taking out blockers while the linebackers fill the gaps to make tackles.

For the Giants defenders, it's simply read and react. When facing a run-first team, having four down-lineman is quite beneficial. There's no need to run blitz the linebackers or safeties, and the outside backers aren't nearly as responsible for containment as the defensive ends.

Provided at least one defensive lineman can draw a double team on every play for New York, San Francisco will have a lot of trouble running the ball. More than one linebacker will be free to make plays.

49ers 3-4 vs. Giants Offense

The Giants' strategy with the ball is almost polar opposite to San Francisco's.

New York is a passing team. Eli Manning throwing for just under 5,000 yards this season is solid evidence that he's a true gunslinger. However, that bodes well for San Francisco's 3-4 defensive front, as it has more speed on the field.

When facing a pass-oriented offense, it's all about getting quarterback pressure and playing physical coverage. The 49ers do not need to blitz safeties or roll them down to assist against the run. The front seven is dominant against that.

Plus, they need to remain in coverage—straight-man coverage across the board will not work.

To that end, expect a lot of blitzing from San Francisco on the outside. That will likely send defensive ends Justin Smith and Ray McDonald to the inside for pressure.

With quicker outside linebackers coming off the edge, Manning will have to rid the ball sooner than he wants. The biggest challenge for San Francisco though, is to use that speed and reaction against New York's offensive line.

The Giants protect Manning very well, so overloading them to account for screens and draws will be necessary. As long as the 49ers' coverage doesn't break down after 2.5 seconds, they can get consistent pressure on Eli all game long.

John Rozum on Twitter