NFC preview: Giants’ defense poised to give 49ers fits

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Jason Pierre-Paul (90) and the Giants’ D-line have been bowling opponents over. | Jeff Zelevansky~Getty Images

Updated: February 23, 2012 8:16AM

SAN FRANCISCO — Lovie Smith’s coaching tree isn’t much more than a stump right now. Ron Rivera is the only former assistant to become a head coach in the NFL — and his big break was that Smith fired him.

Among coaches who actually parlayed their time on Smith’s coaching staff into a better gig, New York Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell stands alone. Fewell coached defensive backs for Smith in 2005 — he was chosen over Leslie Frazier, the current Minnesota Vikings head coach — and was hired by former Bears coach Dick Jauron as the defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills the following season.

Fewell was named interim head coach when Jauron was fired in 2009, lost the full-time job to Chan Gailey but was hired by Tom Coughlin as the Giants’ defensive coordinator before the 2010 season — after turning down Smith for the same job with the Bears.

Now he’s one step from the Super Bowl and getting his share of the credit for a Giants resurgence that is reminiscent of their 2007 run to the Super Bowl championship.

While Eli Manning has emerged as one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks this season, it’s the Giants’ defense, particularly their front four, that has sparked the late-season drive to the NFC Championship Game against the upstart San Francisco 49ers on Sunday at Candlestick Park (5:30 p.m., Fox-32).

After getting torched by Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and Tony Romo in consecutive weeks (allowing 12 touchdown passes with only one interception) during a 1-5 stretch that dropped the Giants to 7-7, Fewell’s defense has stepped up.

The Giants sacked Mark Sanchez five times and Romo six times in back-to-back victories that won the NFC East. They shut out Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons’ offense in a 24-2 victory in a wild-card playoff game. And they harassed Rodgers to the second-worst postseason passer rating of his career — 78.5 — in a 37-20 upset of the 15-1 Green Bay Packers in the divisional round last week at Lambeau Field.

Linebacker Michael Bolley led the Giants against the Packers with nine tackles, two sacks and two quarterback hurries. But as was the case in 2007, it all starts with the defensive line, anchored by ends Jason Pierre Paul (16.5 sacks), Osi Umenyiora (nine sacks in nine games) and Justin Tuck (five sacks). Tackles Chris Canty and Linval Joseph are the run-stoppers in the middle.

‘‘That’s where our energy comes from,’’ Fewell said. ‘‘That’s where our confidence comes from. That’s where our swagger comes from. Unlike most teams, they set the tone for us. They are the catalysts for what we do and how we do it.’’

The return of Umenyiora in Week 17 after missing four games with an ankle injury has provided a boost. But the Giants are healthy and rejuvenated throughout their defense, which they hope will make the difference after losing to the 49ers
27-20 at Candlestick on Nov. 13.

‘‘Healthier is the biggest thing,’’ 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said. ‘‘That [linebacker] group has played at a high level and much different that the team we played earlier. The defensive line was strong when we played them and now they’re stronger — one of the best in the [NFL].’’

The challenge for the Giants’ defense will be to adjust to a more ground-oriented attack against running back Frank Gore after facing the Packers’ pass-oriented offense. The Giants held Gore go zero yards on six carries before he suffered a knee injury. Gore struggled the rest of the regular season but gained 89 yards on 13 carries against the Saints last week.

‘‘Frank was dinged the last time we played,’’ Fewell said, ‘‘but I don’t expect a whole lot of changes because they’re good at what they do.

‘‘Smash-mouth football is what they do,’’ Umenyiora said. ‘‘They have a very good defense, so they don’t take very many chances [on offense]. The quarterback is good and they have a good offensive line. They’re a good team.’’