49ers' tackling skills are a can't-miss advantage NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME Sure-handed tackling is a key to Niners' success

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In the first quarter of the Giants' divisional-playoff win at Green Bay last week, New York wide receiver Hakeem Nicks caught a post at midfield, bounced off a missed tackle by Packers safety Charlie Peprah and sprinted to the end zone for a 66-yard touchdown.

In his attempt to make the tackle, Peprah launched his right shoulder into Nick's chest, but failed to wrap him up with his arms, allowing the slippery wideout to spin away.

Niners cornerback Carlos Rogers says it happens constantly in the NFL.

"A lot of people will be there, but they'll just hit a guy," Rogers said. "You're not going to bring too many guys down by just hitting them and not wrapping up."

Added safety Donte Whitner: "You have so many other guys around the National Football League that are sloppy tackling, or missing a lot of tackles and guys are running through the secondary."

As members of what is statistically the NFL's best tackling defense, Rogers and Whitner can pass judgment on their less-fundamentally-sound peers across the league. According to Pro Football Focus, the 49ers had the fewest missed tackles (61) in the NFL during the regular season.

Inside linebacker Patrick Willis had two missed tackles. Defensive tackle Justin Smith? He missed one tackle in 16 games.

Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, a 25-year NFL veteran who coached a legendary group of linebackers in New Orleans in the 1980s, says his latest unit ranks rather high when it comes to bringing the opponent down.

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) is sacked by San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis (52) in the third quarter of an NFL football game in San Francisco, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2011. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) less New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) is sacked by San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis (52) in the third quarter of an NFL football game in San Francisco, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2011. (AP ... more Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez, Associated Press Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez, Associated Press Image 1 of / 13 Caption Close 49ers' tackling skills are a can't-miss advantage 1 / 13 Back to Gallery

"It's definitely one of the best I've been associated with," Fangio said. "It's hard to go back 25 years and run all that through my mind, but we've done a good job with tackling."

The Niners' skill will be tested Sunday against the visiting Giants in the NFC Championship Game. New York's high-powered passing attack is keyed by a pair of hard-to-corral wideouts in Nicks (1,192 yards) and Victor Cruz (1,536 yards).

Among wide receivers, Cruz ranked second in the NFL in yards after catch (595) and Nicks was 14th (362). Their 957 combined yards after catch was the most of any wide receiver tandem in the NFL.

In a win against the Jets this season, Cruz caught a short pass at New York's 10-yard line, zipped through two missed tackles and raced 90 yards down the right sideline for a 99-yard touchdown.

Cruz recognizes his yards after catch might not come so easily against the Niners.

"Due to this offense, we are able to hopefully catch the ball and catch it in space and be able to do the things we like to do with the ball in our hands," Cruz said. "That'll be a test for us. We understand their secondary is really good at coming downhill and making good tackles. It'll be a challenge for us."

Smith and special-teams star Blake Costanzo believe the 49ers' excellent tackling is a reflection of their ruggedness.

"I think tackling," Costanzo said, "is all about want-to and effort and desire and toughness."

In addition to toughness, however, it also involves technique.

At least twice a week, San Francisco incorporates a non-contact drill in practice which emphasizes proper form tackling. Cones are set up about 10 yards apart and a skill-position player runs toward a defender and attempts to juke him.

The defenders focus on taking proper angles, bending their knees and lightly wrapping up the ball carrier.

"There's no end to the tackling thing," secondary coach Ed Donatell said. "It's something that you've got to work on every week."

Said Fangio: "You can't assume that players know how to tackle, or will tackle correctly. You just have to keep emphasizing it."

Practice hasn't made the 49ers perfect.

But it might have helped make them the best in the NFL.

SFGate poll

Vernon Davis' game-winning touchdown catch needs a name - and quite a few have been suggested. Should it be The Dagger? The Catch III? Vernon Post, or just The Post? Weigh in at sfgate.com/ZLGI.

-- Another opinion: The Chronicle's Mike Wolcott says Davis' catch should be numbered - but it's IV not III. B8

Special section

Then and now: A look at 49ers past and present as they prepare for their first NFC Championship Game since 1998. Coming Sunday

Finishing the job The 49ers had the fewest missed tackles in the NFL during the regular season. And the Giants weren't bad, either. Here are the teams with the fewest missed tackles this season, according to Pro Football Focus: 1. 49ers: 61 2. Texans: 65 3. Bills: 68 4. Steelers: 69 5. Cowboys: 70 T6. Browns: 75 T6. Giants: 75 T6. Chargers: 75 9. Raiders: 76 T10. Ravens: 77 T10. Seahawks: 77