Last time the Giants traveled to San Francisco to play the 49ers, it was a bigger game than the one that is scheduled on Sunday.  Everyone should remember it because it was only last season and it was arguably the biggest game in 49ers history since Steve Young was the quarterback.

At that time, the 49ers were the favorite and looked to be going to their first Super Bowl since they won in 1994.  However, the underdog Giants (a role they seem to rally around) defeated the niners 20-17 and took advantage of two crucial mistakes by San Francisco.

As both teams prepare for their week 6 game on Sunday, it is clear that these are two of the best teams in the league.  It will not only be a rematch of last year’s NFC Championship game, but it could be a preview for a potential playoff game this season.

Unlike the playoff game that was played about nine months ago, this game should go differently and the 49ers should walk away as winners.  Here are five reasons why this game will be different and the Giants will leave San Francisco with a  3-3 record.

1.  Redemption game for the 49ers: Obviously, the 49ers have been waiting for this game since they lost to the Giants back on Jan. 22.  Just ask Vernon Davis, who had a touchdown in last year’s playoff game but says the team is still “bitter” over the loss.

“We lost a game; it wasn’t our time,” Davis said to USA Today. “I’m sure my teammates as well as myself, there’s a bitter taste in our mouth because, that game, it hurt. We lost that game, and we’re still thinking about it a little bit. But we can’t jump out of our skin. We have to continue to stay focused.”

Staying focused is exactly what San Francisco has done the last two weeks.  After losing in Week 3 to the Vikings, the 49ers went on to outscore their next two opponents (the Jets & Bills respectively) 79-3.  This game won’t be like that but it is safe to say that the 49ers are a focused group right now.

Lawrence Tynes (9) celebrates after he hits the 31 yard field goal against the 49ers that sent the Giants to the Super Bowl last year. PHOTO COURTESY: DAVID J. PHILLIP/ASSOCIATED PRESS

2.  New weapons on offense:  Last year’s 49ers team was a defensive powerhouse.  The defense would keep them in every game and the offense would do just enough to win.  This year, the defense is still the focal point of the team, but the offense is significantly improved and it starts with a few new additions at their skill positions.

The 49ers realized that they needed more weapons so they went out and made a few big signings this off-season.  The team signed future Hall of Famer Randy Moss after he worked out for them in the off-season   It is obvious he is not the player that he once was, but has been a nice extra option in a much improved 49ers passing attack.

They also went on to sign a pair of former Giants in receiver Mario Manningham and running back Brandon Jacobs.  Through five games, Manningham has started three and has hauled in 19 receptions for 186 yards and a touchdown.

Jacobs has yet to play in a game this year as he has fought through an injury and with Head Coach Jim Harbaugh.  Jacobs isn’t the feature or even the back up running back on this team but the Giants know what Jacobs is capable of.  If he is given an opportunity with the 49ers, he should only help a rushing attack that is entering Sunday’s game ranked 1^st with 196.2 yards/game.

3.  A tough west coast trip:  Everyone knows that a cross country trip is never easy.  It’s even harder when you’re playing a team that is arguably the most complete team in the NFL.  Before they played in the playoff game earlier this year, the Giants traveled to San Francisco in the 2011 regular season and lost that game 27-20.

The 49ers have already had to make one long trip to the East Coast when they played the Jets but stayed in the Eastern Time Zone for the week before they played.  This helped the 49ers avoid the sluggish start that usually plagues teams that travel cross country just a few days before their game.  Hopefully the Giants took notes.

4.  Alex Smith; the no. 1 pick:  Remember when Alex Smith was a bust?  Despite all the grumblings that the organization heard over the quarterbacks first five years, the team stuck with him and is now seeing why they drafted him with the first pick in 2005.

Smith had a career year last year playing all 16 games and throwing for 3,144 yards.  He also threw for 17 touchdowns compared to five interceptions, the best ratio of his career.  This year, Smith has a much improved offense around him and he is now comfortable as the 49ers starting quarterback.  He has thrown eight touchdowns to only one interception and enters Sunday’s game with a 108.7 QB rating.

5.  Kyle Williams will not have the same impact:  49ers receiver Kyle Williams could easily be blamed for last year’s loss in the playoffs.  His inability to handle two punts caused the Giants to get two huge turnovers that led to scores.  Williams was the goat for much of the offseason but received unbelievable support from everyone within the organization which has helped him improve as a player.

So far this season, he was the punt returner for the first three games and did not fumble once.  He is now the team’s kick returner where he has a 35.7 kick return average that included a 94 yard return last week against Buffalo.  He has also been used in the passing game and got his first receiving touchdown of the year last week on a 43 yard connection.

Don’t expect Williams, or any other 49er for that matter, to be as careless with the football this time around.  The only thing to expect from this game is a hard fought match-up between two of the league’s premiere teams, as a rivalry will be renewed in San Francisco.

Follow us on Twitter – @NYSportskings

Contributor – Dave Ragazzo – @DRagazzo_Sports

Facebook