4. January 22, 2012, NFC Championship Game: Giants 20, 49ers 17 (OT). I knew Jim Harbaugh was a very good coach, having watched what he did at Stanford, but I expected it would take a few years. Instead the 49ers in 2011 went 13-3. In the divisional round at Candlestick they beat New Orleans 36-32 behind Alex Smith in what remains my favorite 49ers game of all time. The next day the unstoppable Packers lost to the Giants, and all of a sudden instead of having to go to Lambeau the 49ers were going to play the NFC championship right here at Candlestick. Moreover, they were going to play against a bad team that they had already beaten once that year. Then things failed to work out and somehow the game went to overtime and then Kyle Williams muffed a punt and we were treated to the excruciating spectacle of waiting for the inevitable game-ending field goal. This loss wouldn't have been quite as upsetting if it hadn't come to a team with a negative point differential for the season. The 49ers had every reason to win that game and it didn't happen.
That's underrating how good the Giants were that season and how mediocre the 49ers were on offense. Alex Smith couldn't throw the ball outside the numbers so Vernon Davis had to be their entire passing game.
