>> i mean the guy is now timed -- looks good. and you know what, joe fonzi has been in the locker room, it is always a pleasant thing when you have a game like this, joe has himself another guest. >> joe? >> all right, number one, this guy is my favorite voice on the entire 49ers team, the rookie, francois, we said early on in the week a lot of pressure in the game would be on the 49ers down lineman on defense, to bring pressure up through the middle and get in drew brees' face, get him off his mark, i think you said early in the week, do you guys feel like you have success doing that. >> with drew brees in the pocket, that is his best place, once you get him moving around, then you got a ballgame going, and you got to get rid of their offensive line, their d-line, all started with the trenches, that is the type of game you

will get. >> i guess this is what playoff games are supposed to be about. what is amazing towards the 49ers, so many guys in that locker room, their first time, not once did they -- nobody hesitated. you guys acted like you have been doing this your whole career. >> the guys to be in this spot, this is a one chance in a lifetime. not many things like this, you get to go in a matchup like this. so we tell the rookies, enjoy this, enjoy this memory, this type of game right here, for a memory, once monday, tuesday comes back up, let's get back to work. and and took part in an instant classic, didn't you? >> great to be a part of the classic, i can sit back on the couch, say look at this, it is pride to play the quarterback for the new orleans saints, drew brees is one of the best,

at the end of one of the best quarterbacks in the world prevailed, and that was alex smith. >> the congratulations, good thing you get to do that for another sunday, in the nfc championship game -- rookie, john francois, back to you. >> reporter: got a nice ring to it, you know -- nfc championship game. and vernon davis, man, he became a -- a national name today, you're a tight end from way back. what does it take to come to the top like he has. >> you know to be able to make big plays and big games when it matters, and this is it. you know in the playoffs, he finally made that big catch, puts you at another level. >> speaking of that, he is on the podium. you were on the field -- >> he had a great week of practice, showed the pro that he is, and -- man, i just i

don't remember -- i remember telling him on the side lines, how proud i was, how much i loved him. for -- making it you know, just pulling out what he did, and not only for this team, but for me as individuals, you know i don't know how it would have taken this game if it had been the other way around, you know, and i'm just thankful that -- to have a chance. >> last one guys -- >> you guys did a great job, covering for a short yard -- were you frustrated to let him get away, or does that just happen? >> you know it is just one of the things you have to play for 60 minutes against him, however many snap shots on defense you have to play, i mean our guys did, he is a play maker, he is a football player as well. and he just made a play against the defense, and -- that is the way it was, but what matters most at the end is we get to go on and play another game.

so -- that is all that matters. >> thank you -- obviously that was patrick willis, not vernon davis, i didn't notice any problem after coming back from the hamstring, he looked a lot healthier today. >> yeah, you know that extra week off was huge for him, patrick willis, all over the field covering for jim graham. >> all right, we have to believe what is in my ear, they tell me that vernon davis is really on the podium right now, let's listen. >> i had confidence in myself and alex. and confidence in the play, pretty much. >> were you really emotional -- describe what was going through your mind. >> history, history going through my mind, it was up

against history, that is all i could say. us against -- against no, against can't, and we managed to pull it off, a very emotional game, like a roller coaster, very stressful for me, and if i can imagine, it was stressful for my it seems to mes, especially the defense on the blast play, but -- last play, but i know right away, i had to jump up and be a factor, just help out -- and i did it. big time players make big time plays and games, that is all i could think about, i just kept telling myself over and over. vernon, you have to step up. >> did you talk to the team at half time -- >> i did, it was very

emotional, one shot. that was the message, one shot, we only get one shot, we don't take advantage of it, we go home, that was a -- you're supposed to step up and lead the team -- were we down -- i can't think. >> vernon davis, brent, football is an emotional game, and nice to see the emotion there. >> yeah, that is a great time to have the emotion -- catch the big catch on a big-time

throw, and reception, what a way to go. >> we have a complete second half of highlights to show, we are continuing live from candlestick park, where the 49ers are packed up, headed for the championship game, we're coming back on the point after next

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. >> to be able to hit a guy like that, keep him out of the end zone, have him fumble, they recover, that was laying down the candlestick park law early. >> and he is standing by with fonzi -- you guys always when you win, never saw you coming, did you feel like you really set the tone -- >> well, whenever you have a defensive player, that can hit

somebody and force a fumble and making a big hit, the crowd involved, get the teammates involved, it changes the momentum, they're marching, going for a touchdown, at least a field goal, big for our team, it was big,. >> this was an interesting game, the saints were a road favorite coming here, early on, the game kind of went to form, the way the people thought the 49ers could win, doing what you did all along -- then again, they changed that. >> changed that we got a lot of turnovers -- priding ourselves on doing turnovers, drew brees is number one, there is not a fluke, you can't hone in on what they're doing, so we did the best they could do, we wanted to be physical when they

caught the ball, a few big plays, we ended up getting out with a win, that is always good. >> we were also talking a couple of minutes ago, who would have thought, they were not predicting for the 49ers. the odds makers didn't predict the 49ers would win the game, you guys are in the nfc championship, that is a mistake on their part. hopefully we keep getting wins, talking about how people don't really respect us. we have a couple of more things to earn that respect, and that is what we plan on doing. >> just one more in the super bowl -- congratulations on this one, keep it going -- >> all right, thank you, 49ers safety -- >> hey, i don't know about you, but i don't think the 49ers are going to sneak up on anybody from here on out. >> not anymore, not with what went on today.

as we take a look at what happened in the third quarter after half time, the 49ers remember, led throughout the game, although the momentum seemed to shift in the second quarter. the 49ers forced a punt as it seemed like they were doing most of the second half, and it is darrin spruells, he got hit, coughed it up. it has been one of the hall marks of this season, the team, and they have played great, darn if they were not down there on, -- you talk about the problems they have had with regard to that, david acres, mr. reliable coming through, a 14-0 lead, at the same time you couldn't help but think they needed a touchdown. >> yeah, you really wanted to

think touchdown at that point, settling for field goals, you had the feeling that the saints would figure it out. get hot and score touchdowns. >> so that field goal, was the only point scored in the third quarter. as we go to the 4th quarter, i don't know about you, i had no idea we would have anything remotely like the explosives we thought. >> none whatsoever, 20-14 when it started. all of a sudden the niners came through, frank gore busted through, created a huge play. >> 42 yards, you think finally, they have a big offensive play, took it to the 22. but again, they wind up with only a field goal. it was nice to see frank bust loose like that. >> yeah, it really was, frank had hard yards to that, those three points at the time were significant. there you go, and again, just a field goal, and they will at this point take it with the way the defense was going,

having given up only 14 points, i tell you what, the explosives in the last four minutes were seldom something you see, particularly, the way the game goes, we'll show you how it ended here at candlestick park, and like i said early, we'll show you the good percentage of the people walking out of here, the best game they ever saw, we're coming back with more 49ers, going to the nfc championship, the point after continues i want a baby.

a baby? but we were gonna see the northern lights in alaska. and go spelunking with the guys. yeah, i said it-- spelunking. [ whirring ] and i still haven't built one of those fighting robots. come on. it's pretty awesome. okay. just a few things we need to do first. [ laughs ] [ announcer ] before you make your leap, make a list. then get going in the completely redesigned cr-v. all new, from honda. ♪ first you take the jumbo jack, then♪ waddya get? jumbaco! ♪ jumbaco!

♪ jumbaco! jumbaco! jumba-jum- jack, i don't know why you keep pushing the jumbaco. research shows normal people like the jumbo deal. your classic jumbo jack made with 100% beef, two tacos, fries and a drink for just $4.29. it's all their favorites in one meal. they killed my jumbaco idea? i tried. . all right, the play of the game, you can pick out about 15 or 20 of them. >> the last biggest of the 49ers, the biggest. >> we'll take it, alex smith, the rocket over the middle, the touchdown to vernon davis, he hangs on, as he went to the sidelines, a very emotional

vernon davis, certainly the hero along with many 49ers today. >> many 49ers, certainly vernon was one, i love smith's throw, he threw the ball before vernon even turned his head. that is confidence for this young man, what a game by alex smith, and what a game for vernon, so many on the offense, what a game -- >> reporter: couple of touchdowns for vernon davis, and 1920 yards, -- 190 yards on seven catches, let's put it in reverse, show you how it set up with the 49ers, a bleak position early in the 4th quarter, this guy, darrin spreulls, all over the place, and the 49ers couldn't take care of him. and you see frank gore, with a nice run there that set up a 49ers field goal. and then let's get to this kid, the former charger -- >> he is just so darn shifty, you saw him in the open field. we have done such a great job, our defense of containing him. he got loose, and all of a

sudden, he is moving to the second, i thought holy cow, tackle him. he was off to the races. i thought wow. >> all right, jimmy graham, their big tight end, along the way to help free him up. and there, you have alex smith with one -- one of the great plays that he made. everybody on the third and about eight yards, figuring he has to throw it. he just takes it around -- >> holy cow, he looks like steve young, look at the wheels on that kid, he can throw and run. he turned the corner, and he was just rolling. i don't think anybody, especially nobody on the saints defensive side thought that was coming. and what a play by alex smith, other than i was a little nervous -- >> too much time. >> too much time for the saints offense, it was 29-24, because they missed the two-point conversion. as you said, too much time for the saint's offense, they can

explode. the beautiful catch by the big tight end, jimmy graham, all of a sudden sending off the defender, 66 yards. >> wow, i'm telling you, what a weapon. patrick willis had done a spectacular job on him all day. drew brees just threw the ball up, made the play, a few guys ran into each other, you see the guy there on great coverage, guys run into each other, he is off to the end zone, and i thought you have to be kidding me. after all this, the saints will end up winning the game -- >> took the air out of the stadium, alex brings it back, a big completion, took him down into scoring position, and there is the game winner. they were going to take one shot at it. they had to go to the tying field goal -- >> i thought all along, here comes overtime. you heard vernon talk on the stage about taking the one shot, that was the shot. they would have to bring acres on it. what a shot it was, heard around the bay area.

and the niners, this place was going crazy. i can't imagine it getting any louder. >> it certainly was as loud as anything we have heard in year's past. and nice to see a new generation of fans get a taste of what being a 49ers fan is really all about. >> amen to that. >> all right, we're going to come back with more here at the stick. 36-32. couldn't get more exciting for 49ers fans as they beat the favored saints to move on, either against the green bay packers in green bay, or one week from tomorrow they could be hosting the nfc championship game against the new york giants. the point after continues right after this blamee

. we welcome you back to the stick, and if you're out and about and missed a classic, 49ers win it, 36-32 over the saints. there are so many aspects of this game to talk about. but tell me a little bit about, because you have been in the locker room when you have been favored, you have been there when you have been an under dog, the strength of this 49ers team, they were not counted on to win this game or to get anywhere near this type of a playoff position. and then in the final moments, you think all right, it came to roost. they put up a good fight. but they still wouldn't be knocked down. >> you know we talked to the pre-game show about the environment that jim harbaugh brought to the team. he changed it, changed the culture. and all of the guys now expect to win. it is such a different dynamic. there is probably nobody on that sideline, every guy on that sideline thought we can do this. the offense got in the huddle.

and to see, feel the plays being made right before your eyes, this is a special team, they have not had that for nine years. it is obvious. but to do what they did today really vaults them into a different level. they have confidence here. whether they play next week or go to green bay, this team is going to have a shot and good shot. and in their minds they expect to be at the super bowl. which is something that is a miracle -- if you go back one year. >> yeah, even back to august. >> yeah, absolutely. >> you know what. they're a touch bunch, you're a tough bunch, somebody your mom is going brent where is your coat? >> absolutely, she would say that. >> i don't blame her, let's get in the locker room, joe fonzi has thoughts about the ballgame and his perspective on where he saw it, how he looked at it from his viewpoint. >> yeah, what i think is fun guys, the guys to a man are saying this is a classic, we were a part of it. they will talk about this game forever, this is not where they want it to stop, but you know

another game we have not talked about much on this post-game show is justin smith. he had a sack of drew brees. and brent i was sitting next to you when justin smith bench pressed a tackle back into drew brees. he didn't get a sack, but we talked about how the guys needed to get a push up the middle. the 49ers did a better job in the second half on drew brees. you can't let him stand on there. obviously he is going to get his opportunities and connected. when they needed the rush, they got it. justin smith, another guy that comes into that category of a guy that just keeping that motor going and was a big reason why the 49ers defense came up with big plays. you're right, anybody who under estimates the team, that is a mistake. who would have thought they would play the nfc championship. three a game away from -- they're a game away from being in the super bowl. >> everybody is looking at the stat line, 462 yards passing, he threw the ball 63 times,

which is unbelievable, but he did commit a couple of turnovers through that big pick to goldson. >> he had a pick, prior to the military of the 4th quarter, we had so many great efforts, there were so many times when drew brees had to hang on to the ball. you see deshawn goldson, and the secondary had the receivers for the saints blanketed for almost the whole game. up until the last 10 minutes, and then all of a sudden all heck broke loose on both sides of the ball. but to be able to see that, and then a guy like michael crabtree coming into the game, making a touchdown early, and makes big catches throughout the game, it is so important to have these guys do it in a playoff game because that is where they have not done it yet. so a lot of confidence. >> all right, brent, a pleasure working for you, go get a coat on for goodness sake. >> brent jones, who by the way

should have his number 84 flying in the rafters, retired, and joe fonzi, i'm mark ibanez, 36-32, the final score again, the 49ers, taking on the giants either here next week or going to green bay. either way they're a happy group right now, thank you for joining us everybody. good night, turning into candlestick park weather out here