In a season of remarkable comebacks, the Giants composed one more. Five plays after the 49ers’ wide receiver Kyle Williams fumbled a punt; Lawrence Tynes kicked a game-winning 31-yard field goal in overtime, sending New York back to the Super Bowl with a 20-17 victory over San Francisco in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday.

Tynes ran laps around the wet Candlestick Park field. Giants’ holder Steve Weatherford celebrated with a slip-and-slide on his back down the soggy field. Breakout receiver Victor Cruz fell to his knees. And Eli Manning received a surprise visit from his big brother, Peyton, who greeted him with a celebratory hug. It was a fitting celebration for the improbable Giants, who reached their second Super Bowl in five years after an improbable season.

Many wrote the Giants off at the start of the season due to a series of injuries and free-agency stumbles in training camp. Then after a four-game losing streak in November, that put head coach Tom Coughlin’s job in jeopardy, the Giants were 7-7 and on the verge of missing the playoffs. They needed victories over the Jets and the Dallas Cowboys in the final-two regular-season games to stave off elimination and win the NFC East at 9-7. The resurrected Giants, with a healthy defense, peaked at the right moment. They moved on to the wild-card game and dominated the Atlanta Falcons at home before upsetting the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers last week in the divisional round to advance to the NFC championship game against the Niners.

The Giants and the 49ers share a storied rivalry. New York suffered a painful divisional round defeat to San Francisco in 2003, after blowing a 24-point lead and a botched field-goal attempt ended in a 39-38 Niners victory. 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 consecutive Super Bowl title. On Sunday, in the same dramatic fashion, it was a crucial mistake by Williams that cost the 49ers their first Super Bowl berth in 18 years.

Sunday’s victory gave the Giants a bit of revenge for a previous loss at Candlestick in the regular season. They fell to the 49ers on Nov. 13, 27-20, when Manning’s fourth-down pass in the red zone was batted down Justin Smith as San Francisco celebrated in the waning seconds. This time, Manning did not falter. Eli, who finished 32-of-58 for 316 yards passing and two touchdowns, orchestrated his seventh fourth quarter rally of the season -and his eighth game-winning drive- in what was his most important comeback thus far. Manning remained poised despite being under duress for much of the night. The 49ers defense sacked the Giants starting quarterback six times and dropped back 12 times. He found Cruz, who finished 8-of-10 for 142 yards, eight times of in the first half to set the tone early. His second touchdown pass of the game came after Williams muffed a punt in the fourth quarter. The ball grazed Williams’ knee after he decided not to field it and Giants’ wide receiver Devin Thomas recovered. The play was initially called dead but after a challenge by Coughlin, the Giants were reward the ball back at the 29. Manning threw a go-ahead 17-yard strike to Mario Manningham to give the Giants a 3-point lead with eight minutes left.

The Giants lost the fourth-quarter lead on a 49ers field goal that tied the game at 17. But in a game in which defenses dominated, Big Blue’s special-teams saved the day. New York forced four straight three-and-out San Francisco possessions in overtime. Giants’ rookie Jacquain Williams -in perhaps what was the play of the game- reached his hand into the crook of Kyle Williams elbow and forced a fumble on the Niners final punt return. Thomas recovered the ball and the rest was history. Tynes, who kicked an overtime field goal to send the Giants to the ’08 Super Bowl, booted a 31-yard field goal, off a bad snap with 7:54 to go in overtime to eliminate the 49ers.

San Francisco quarterback Alex Smith completed just 12 of 26 passes for 196 yards, connecting on only one short throw to a wide receiver. With no threats on the outside, the 49ers managed one third-down conversion, which came on the final play of regulation. The Giants pressure stifled Smith on third-down passing plays, as he was under duress or sacked 7 of 12 dropbacks Sunday. Star tight end Vernon Davis caught touchdown passes of 73 and 28 yards for the Niners to finish with three receptions for 112 yards. Frank Gore had 16 carries for 74 yards. The 49ers went from a team that won six games last season to being a contender winning 13 this season to end an eight-year playoff drought as NFC West champions. They finished the year at 14-4.

According to ESPN Stats & Information, Manning is the first quarterback in NFL history to win five road playoff games in his career. He is the first quarterback in the Super Bowl Era to have three games with 275 plus pass yards and two plus touchdowns in a single postseason. During this playoff run, he’s already outplayed Aaron Rodgers and the defending champion Packers and fellow former No. 1 pick Smith. 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh was trying to do what five other first year NFL head men have done before him. Of those five, only two coaches went on to win the whole thing. Harbaugh failed to become the third.

The Giants are the third team with a 9-7 record to make the Super Bowl. If the G-Men defeat the Patriots in the sequel to 2008’s Super Bowl, New York would be the first 9-7 team to win a NFL championship. Super Bowl XLVI will be played in Indianapolis on February 5th. (Photo)