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NFC Championship Game 2013: 49ers Preview

What and who to watch on this 2012 San Francisco 49ers squad as they head into the NFC Championship against the Atlanta Falcons.

Kevin C. Cox

49ers

  • The 49ers have won an NFL-best 16 division titles since 1980.
  • Jim Harbaugh is the 8th head coach since 1970 to win division title in each of his first two NFL seasons.
  • The 49ers had only 16 giveaways in 2012, tied for second fewest in NFL.
  • The 49ers led the NFC in total defense (294.4 yards per game) and pass defense (200.2). They ranked second in run defense (94.2).
  • Last week, the 49ers set the single-game franchise postseason record with 579 total net yards and 323 rush yards.
  • 49ers led NFL with nine players selected to Pro Bowl: LB NAVORRO BOWMAN (1st), S DASHON GOLDSON (2nd), RB FRANK GORE (4th), G MIKE IUPATI (1st), LB ALDON SMITH (1st), DT JUSTIN SMITH (4th), T JOE STALEY (2nd), S DONTE WHITNER (1st) and LB PATRICK WILLIS (6th)
  • QB Colin Kaepernick is 6-2 (.750) as starter (incl. playoffs). In those 8 starts, has 98.7 passer rating with 12 TDs vs. 4 INTs & 419 rush yards with 4 TDs.
  • In his first career playoff start, Kaepernick passed for 263 yards with 2 TDs and rushed for 181 yards with 2 TDs.
  • Kaepernick's 181 rush yards in Divisional game are most ever by a QB in any NFL game.
  • RB Frank Gore rushed for 1,214 yards this season, his team-record sixth 1,000-yard season.
  • Gore is the franchise leader with 8,839 career rush yards and 51 career rush TDs.
  • Gore rushed for 119 yards and a TD last week.
  • WR Michael Crabtree had a career-high 85 catches, 1,105 yards and 9 TDs this season.
  • Crabtree had 9 catches for 119 yards and 2 TDs in Divisional game.
  • In his past four games (incl. playoffs), Crabtree has 28 catches for 463 yards (115.8 per game) and 6 TDs.
  • TE Vernon Davis has 11 catches for 336 yards (112 per game) and 4 TDs in three career playoff games.
  • WR Randy Moss has 10 receiving TDs in his playoff career, tied for 3rd most in NFL postseason history. He needs two receiving TDs in the playoffs to tie HOFer John Stallworth for second most.
  • In his past three games vs. Atlanta, Moss has 24 catches for 331 yards (110.3 per game) and 2 TDs.
  • LB Aldon Smith's 33.5 sacks are most by any player in their first two seasons. He led the NFC with team-record 19.5 sacks.
  • Smith has 15 sacks in past 11 games (incl. playoffs).
  • LB Navarro Bowman led the team in 2012 with 144 tackles.
  • Bowman has 30 tackles in his past three playoff games.
  • DT Justin Smith has a sack in two of his past three playoff games.
  • CB Tarell Brown aims for his third game in a row (incl. playoffs) with an INT. He has an INT in 2 of his past 3 postseason games.