NFL

Strahan gives Giants’ D-line tips for 49ers

PICK ME UP: Former Giants great Michael Strahan (inset) gave the team’s defensive line a motivational talk earlier in the week. (
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In the Giants’ NFC Championship rematch tomorrow with the bitter 49ers stoking the fires all week, their defensive line surely will be tested by physical San Francisco. And those linemen got a visit from a familiar face earlier this week, when Michael Strahan dropped in on a team meeting to give the team some tips.

Defensive end Adrian Tracy tweeted Wednesday that “@michaelstrahan came thru and dropped some KNOWLEDGE.” The meeting lasted about an hour, and though neither Linval Joseph or Markus Kuhn chose to elaborate on exactly what the former Pro Bowler said, it was supposedly motivational in nature.

He watched film with the defensive linemen, and it’s clear their pass-rush — which has produced a meager eight sacks in five games this year — has been an issue. But against the ultra-physical 49ers, they will need to stop the run first and foremost.

With defensive tackle Rocky Bernard (quadriceps) ruled out yesterday, Kuhn is expected to be back in the lineup tomorrow. The Giants have been going with the 26-year-old rookie from Germany instead of 2011 second-round pick Marvin Austin. Either way, coach Tom Coughlin said the pair will have to play the games of their lives tomorrow.

“It’s a significant injury that just takes time. [Bernard] is trying, he’s working. But he’s not to a point where he can stop and start. … It takes time,’’ Coughlin said. “The two of them have got to be big factors in the game this weekend, obviously, because of the run. So, they’re going to have to play as well as they’ve ever played. Hopefully, they’re prepared to do that.’’

They had better be, for the Giants’ sake. The 49ers — who openly have talked about how “bitter” they are over losing last season’s NFC title game, and how they’re aching for revenge — come in averaging a gaudy 6.1 yards per carry, the highest average in the NFL since 2008 according to Elias Sports Bureau.

“Every game I’m trying to have my best game possible, and I know there’s more pressure right now because they’re a really good team running the football,’’ Kuhn said. “I know my plays, I know my assignments and I know what I have to do. Since I’m getting more snaps and I’m playing more, I know obviously I have to step up my own game so I can help this team win games.’’

That may come down to slowing the 49ers on first down, where their 6.9 yard average is second-best in the NFL; and that means slowing down the downhill running of Frank Gore. The 49ers often use not only an extra tight end but try to trick defenses with an extra lineman or shifting formations, all things the Giants — and Strahan — likely went over in their film session.

But in the end, Strahan can’t make the plays for their young defensive tackles.

“They’re a very physical team and you’ve got to be physical too. Young, experienced, old, it’s still the same thing, you have to be able to come off the ball, do your job and make plays,’’ Joseph said. “[The 49ers] just execute and play smash-mouth football. I like it. I like what they do. Now everybody knows what they do and it’s up to you to stop it. Whoever’s the stronger man.’’