Game Preview: Saints at 49ers

New Orleans (14-3) at San Francisco (13-3), Saturday, 4:30 (New Orleans -3.5)

Storylines: Second-seeded 49ers making first postseason appearance since 2002, while NFC South champion Saints enter contest on nine-game win streak following last Saturday's 45-28 vanquishing of Detroit in playoffs' opening round...New Orleans scored 35 second-half points and rolled up NFL postseason-record 626 total yards against Lions, with star quarterback Drew Brees amassing 466 passing yards and throwing for three touchdowns, and also established new league standards for both total offense (7,474 yards) and passing yards (5,347) during regular season...San Francisco led NFC in total defense (308.2 ypg) and yielded league-low 77.3 rushing yards per game while finishing second overall in fewest points allowed (14.3 ppg)...Saints have prevailed in last six encounters with Niners, including a 25-22 overtime triumph at Candlestick Park last season, but are 0-4 all-time on the road in playoffs and were dealt 41-36 upset defeat at 2010 NFC West winner Seattle in First-Round clash the previous January...San Francisco posted 7-1 home record during regular season, with New Orleans going 5-3 as visitor...Wide receiver Lance Moore (groin), safety Roman Harper (ankle) and tight end John Gilmore (toe) all questionable for Saints after sitting out last weekend's victory, while tight end Delanie Walker (broken jaw) ruled out for 49ers...San Francisco wide receivers Ted Ginn Jr. (ankle) and Kyle Williams (concussion) both probable, however...Niners had NFL- low 10 giveaways and produced league-best plus-28 turnover margin during 13-win campaign, with quarterback Alex Smith responsible for just three miscues in team's eight home games...San Francisco center Jonathan Goodwin spent five years with New Orleans (2006-10) before joining 49ers during offseason, while Saints defensive tackle Aubrayo Franklin was four-year starter for Niners from 2007-10.

Fast Fact: 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh and Saints counterpart Sean Payton were both quarterbacks for the 1987 Chicago Bears, though the two weren't actually teammates. Harbaugh was the club's first-round pick that season, while Payton was on the roster for three weeks as a replacement player during that year's strike.