SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants boasted a physical, intimidating defense with athletic linebackers and stout linemen capable of stifling the NFL’s most productive offenses. San Francisco featured a high-powered passing attack led by an eventual Hall of Fame quarterback in his prime with receivers capable of turning short passes into big gains.

When the San Francisco 49ers host the New York Giants in the NFC championship game Sunday for a shot at the Super Bowl, the matchup conjures memories from a previous era of this great rivalry — even if the roles are somewhat reversed.

The elite quarterback now is New York’s Eli Manning, who connects on big plays to Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz in a similar fashion to how Joe Montana and Jerry Rice did for the dominant Niners in the 1980s.

San Francisco’s current front seven led by relentless defensive lineman Justin Smith, rookie pass-rushing specialist Aldon Smith and fierce linebackers Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman resembles that old Giants group featuring Hall of Famers Lawrence Taylor and Harry Carson.

And who could have predicted this surprising pairing?

The Giants (11-7) toppled defending champion Green Bay 37-20 last Sunday when everybody figured the road to the Super Bowl would go through Lambeau Field. Instead, New York is traveling West to San Francisco to face the upstart 49ers (14-3) in a meeting of franchises with so many fresh faces on the big stage.

Jim Harbaugh’s “mighty men” as he calls them stunned Drew Brees and the favored Saints 36-32 when Alex Smith hit Vernon Davis for the game-winning 14-yard touchdown with 9 seconds remaining.

Smith knows both the 49ers and Giants showed it’s anybody’s game come playoff time.

“Look at last week, I think everybody thought the road was going to go through Lambeau. I think everybody assumed the NFC championship game was going to get played there and look what happens,” Smith said. “These teams at this point, everybody’s as good as each other and it’s all going to come down to how you execute on that day. We’re all capable of beating each other, that’s for sure.”

Smith and Manning each orchestrated five fourth-quarter comebacks during the regular season, yet Manning missed in a 27-20 loss at San Francisco on Nov. 13 when Justin Smith batted away his last-ditch pass attempt on fourth down in the waning moments.

“This is about the NFC championship. It’s an opportunity to get this win and go on to the Super Bowl,” Manning said. “We played them once before. We know they’re a good team. There’s no denying that. They’re playing great football. They’re playing with great confidence. It’s going to be exciting going out there and having another shot and seeing what we can do.”

Niners long snapper Brian Jennings is the only one left on either side from San Francisco’s last trip to the playoffs in January 2003, when the 49ers rallied for a stunning 39-38 comeback victory against the Giants at Candlestick Park. San Francisco also had beaten New York during the regular season that year.

It’s sold out for Sunday’s game with rain in the forecast as the 49ers look for their first trip to the NFC title game since the 1997 season. Former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. will serve as honorary captain after team president and nephew, Jed York, called him immediately after beating the Saints with the thoughtful invite.

Fittingly, DeBartolo owned the team from 1977-98, when the 49ers won five Super Bowls. He was affectionately known as “Mr. D” to his players and coaches.

The only other time these two franchises faced off in the conference championship the game finished in memorable fashion. On Jan. 20, 1991, Roger Craig fumbled with the 49ers leading 13-12 late in the fourth quarter and the Giants went on to win 15-13 to deny San Francisco a chance at a third straight Super Bowl title. New York then beat the Bills to capture its second Super Bowl.

These teams met six times in the playoffs between the 1981 and ’94 seasons with the winner going on to win the Super Bowl four times.

There shouldn’t be too many elements of surprise Sunday considering how recently they last played, though Harbaugh is always good for a few tricks.

“That first game has nothing to do with what happens Sunday night,” Giants safety Antrel Rolle said.

Davis had a career day against New Orleans with seven catches for 180 yards — the most yards receiving by a tight end in a playoff game — so the Giants certainly will try to neutralize him and put constant pressure on a never-more-confident Smith.

Harbaugh has used the phrase “don’t overcook it” with his players as a reference to sticking with what got them this far in a remarkable turnaround season.

“Burnt meat, stale bread doesn’t taste real good,” Harbaugh said. “Like to get it just right. Not undercooked, not overcooked.”

In that November game, the 49ers won their seventh straight and did so without relying on star running back Frank Gore, whose franchise-record streak of five straight games with 100 yards rushing ended with a knee injury and his first career game with zero yards.

Forget about it. He’s ready to roll this weekend.

“He makes a big difference and there is not a question about that,” Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. “If you look at the way he is utilized and how much they put on the runners when they come in, how much emphasis they put on the run game, he is certainly someone you must pay attention to.”

New York is riding its own impressive roll.

Manning threw for 330 yards and three touchdowns against the Packers as the surging Giants won their fourth straight game. He’d love to win another Super Bowl ring to go with the one he has for the 2007 season.

“The Giants, we saw them earlier in the season and they’re playing at a much higher level, especially these last four or five games they’ve played, done an outstanding job, and we are too, you know?” San Francisco left tackle Joe Staley said. “I think we’re a different team than we were earlier in the season, playing a lot better, with a lot more confidence.”

In fact, the 49ers have already more than exceeded expectations for Harbaugh’s first season. They won the NFC West to end an eight-year playoff drought and the same stretch without a winning record. On top of that, they earned the NFC’s No. 2 seed and home-field advantage. That proved huge in eliminating New Orleans.

“Nobody really gave us an opportunity to be in this position, nobody gave us an opportunity to beat the Saints. Nobody thought we would,” said safety Donte Whitner. “Now we’re sitting here with a home game, home-field advantage, you have the Giants traveling here and if you win you go to the Super Bowl. It’s hard not to think about that. I would be lying if I said we weren’t thinking that one win gets us in.”

Next up

NFC championship, New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers

• When: Sunday, 3:30 p.m. • TV: Fox

NEW YORK GIANTS (11-7) At SAN FRANCISCO (14-3)

Sunday, 3:30 p.m., Fox

OPENING LINE — 49ers by 2

RECORD VS. SPREAD — New York 10-8; San Francisco 12-4-1

SERIES RECORD — 49ers lead 18-17

LAST MEETING — 49ers beat Giants 27-20, Nov. 13, 2011

LAST WEEK — Giants beat Packers 37-20; 49ers beat Saints 36-32

GIANTS’ OFFENSE — OVERALL (8), RUSH (32), PASS (5)

GIANTS’ DEFENSE — OVERALL (27), RUSH (19), PASS (29)

49ERS’ OFFENSE — OVERALL (26), RUSH (8), PASS (29)

49ERS’ DEFENSE — OVERALL (4), RUSH (1), PASS (16)

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — Teams have met seven times in postseason, with 49ers winning four. … Giants won only previous NFC championship meeting 15-13 in January 1991. … Sixth conference championship game since 1996 season to feature two teams that missed playoffs in previous season. … New York QB Eli Manning and San Francisco QB Alex Smith tied for NFL lead with five fourth-quarter comeback wins in regular season. Smith added sixth last week against Saints. … Marks second time two former No. 1 picks at quarterback faced off in conference championship game. Denver’s John Elway faced Vinny Testaverde of Jets in 1998 AFC championship, with Elway getting win. … Manning set NFL record with 15 TD passes in fourth quarter this season. He has added two more in playoffs and has 113.6 passer rating in fourth quarter. … Manning has thrown three TD passes in three straight games for first time in career. … Manning has won six of his past seven playoff games, with five coming on road, including Super Bowl in 2008 vs. New England. Manning’s four road playoff wins tied for most ever. … Giants averaging 112.7 yards rushing per game over past seven contests after averaging 82.3 in first 11. … New York’s Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks one of only two wide receiving duos to each top 1,000 yards with Cruz finishing third in NFL with 1,536 (Nicks had 1,192). … Giants coach Tom Coughlin can tie Tom Landry for most road playoff wins by winning seventh this week. … Giants finished tied for third in NFL with 48 sacks in regular season and have 17 over past four games. … 49ers allowed 44 sacks in regular season, most for any playoff team. … Vernon Davis had 180 yards receiving last week against New Orleans, setting postseason record for tight ends. … San Francisco led NFL with plus-28 turnover margin in regular season and were plus-4 last week against Saints, getting five turnovers and giving it away once. … Smith has gone 201 straight passes without an interception. … San Francisco WRs had seven catches for 48 yards last week. … 49ers RB Frank Gore had 13 carries for 89 yards last week after averaging 3.5 yards per carry over final eight regular season games. … Rookie Aldon Smith has 7 1/2 sacks over past six games for 49ers, including one last week against Drew Brees.

BALTIMORE (13-4) At NEW ENGLAND (14-3)

Sunday, noon, CBS

OPENING LINE — Patriots by 7 1⁄2

RECORD VS. SPREAD — Baltimore 8-8-1; New England 10-7

SERIES RECORD — Patriots lead 6-1

LAST MEETING — Patriots beat Ravens 23-20 OT, Oct. 17, 2010

LAST WEEK — Ravens beat Texans 20-13; Patriots beat Broncos 45-10

RAVENS’ OFFENSE — OVERALL (15), RUSH (10), PASS (19)

RAVENS’ DEFENSE — OVERALL (3), RUSH (2), PASS (4)

PATRIOTS’ OFFENSE — OVERALL (2), RUSH (20), PASS (2)

PATRIOTS’ DEFENSE — OVERALL (31), RUSH (17), PASS (31)

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — In only previous playoff game between teams, Ravens won 33-14 Jan. 10, 2010 after building 24-0 first-quarter lead. … Joe Flacco threw 10 passes in that game and Tom Brady had three first-quarter turnovers. … Flacco only quarterback since 1970 NFL-AFL merger to reach playoffs in each of first four seasons. Brady made it in two of first four. … Baltimore in AFC championship game for second time in four seasons but has been in one Super Bowl, beating New York Giants 34-7 to cap 2000 season. … Last weekend, Ravens outgained by Texans 315 yards to 227 but had four takeaways. … Ravens 7-0 against playoff teams this season, including postseason victory over Texans. They are 4-4 on road. … RB Ray Rice led NFL with 129.3 total yards from scrimmage per game. In three games against Patriots, his average is 145.7. … LB Terrell Suggs’ 14 sacks were most in AFC. … Baltimore 12-4 for second consecutive season but won AFC North title for first time since 2006. … Baltimore’s perennially dominant defense led AFC with 48 sacks and has NFL-high 32 postseason interceptions since 2000. … Ravens have won seven of past eight games, including postseason. … Patriots win would put them in Super Bowl for seventh time and fifth in 11 years. They’ve won three. … Brady tied NFL postseason record with six touchdown passes last weekend. He shares it with Steve Young and Daryle Lamonica. He also has thrown touchdown pass in 18 straight postseason games, two behind Brett Favre’s league record. … If Brady throws for 195 yards, he’ll pass John Elway’s total of 4,964 for fourth most postseason passing yards in NFL history. … Wes Welker has 40 catches in five playoff games. He missed postseason game against Ravens after injuring knee in regular-season finale. … Rob Gronkowski caught three touchdown passes from Brady in playoff game against Denver after setting NFL regular-season record for tight ends with 17 touchdown receptions. … WR Deion Branch had 85 yards receiving against Broncos, setting team career postseason record of 773. Troy Brown held mark of 694. … New England 3-0 at home in AFC championship games. … Patriots have won past nine games.

— The Associated Press

NFL Conference Championship Capsules