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Giants rout 49ers in NFC Championship rematch

Oct 15, 2012 - 2:26 AM San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) - No overtime was needed this time around.

Antrel Rolle intercepted two passes and Prince Amukamara added another in the New York Giants' 26-3 thumping of the San Francisco 49ers in a rematch of last season's NFC Championship Game.

"I think this is our most complete game all year long," Rolle said.

Ahmad Bradshaw ran for 116 yards and a score on 27 carries for the Giants (4-2), whose 20-17 overtime win in last season's NFC Championship Game propelled them to their second title in five seasons.

It was the first 100-plus yard rusher allowed by the 49ers defense in 23 games.

Eli Manning was 15-of-28 for 193 yards and a touchdown, Victor Cruz caught six passes for 58 yards and a touchdown and the returning Hakeem Nicks hauled in three passes for 44 yards in the victory.

"The statement made is that we're here to stay," Cruz said.

Manning fired eight straight completions for 142 yards at one point during the opening half.

During last week's 45-3 rout of the Buffalo Bills, San Francisco (4-2) became the first team in NFL history with 300-plus yards passing and 300-or-more yards rushing in a game.

It tallied just 314 yards of total offense against the Giants.

Alex Smith, who came into the game with just one pick on the season, had his first three-interception game since Dec. 20, 2009, during a 27-13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

He finished with 200 yards through the air on 19-of-30 efficiency for the 49ers in the setback.

"We didn't do enough," 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said. "We put ourselves in a position we couldn't come back from, more turnovers than we're accustomed to. Plan-wise, it wasn't the right one. We'll try to figure out what the next one we'll be."

After David Akers missed a 43-yard field goal on San Francisco's opening possession of the game, its defense forced a Giants three-and-out. Akers then atoned for his miss as he capped the 49ers' ensuing 12-play, 61-yard series with a 42-yard field goal.

The 49ers forced another Giants three-and-out on their next touch, but Smith was intercepted by Amukamara on the next offensive play.

Manning found Domenik Hixon for gains of 39 and 16 yards before flipping a 6- yard score to Cruz to conclude the 7-play, 67-yard trek early in the second stanza.

Following a San Francisco punt, Manning hit Cruz and Nicks on consecutive plays for gains of 16 yards apiece, which led to a Lawrence Tynes 34-yard field goal and a 10-3 Giants advantage late in the first half.

The Giants drove the ball to the San Francisco 22-yard line on their next touch, but Tynes' 40-yard field goal attempt with 15 seconds to go in the half was blocked.

49ers backup quarterback Colin Kaepernick threw a strike to ex-Giant Mario Manningham for a 36-yard pickup on the next offensive snap, but Akers' 52-yard field goal attempt as time expired missed wide left.

David Wilson returned the opening second-half kickoff 66 yards down to the 49ers' 32-yard line and Bradshaw's leaping 1-yard score concluded the 7-play drive.

Smith was then intercepted by Rolle on consecutive possessions, which led to a pair of Tynes field goals and made it 23-3 midway through the third.

Tynes added his fourth field goal of the game, this one from 32 yards out, with two minutes remaining in the contest to conclude the scoring.

Game Notes

Manningham caught five passes for 72 yards against his former team ... It was the seventh time in Smith's career that he has thrown three interceptions ... The Giants were 5-of-15 on third down and registered 342 total yards.