Jim Corbett

USA TODAY Sports

Wideout produced game-high 136 receiving yards in win over Panthers

Boldin is only 49er with shot at two Super Bowl rings in past two seasons

His physical style is sure to lend another compelling element to Sunday%27s rematch in Seattle

CHARLOTTE — San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick stepped to the post-game lectern inside a cramped interview room following Sunday's 23-10 divisional-round win against the Carolina Panthers when a familiar voice raised the first question.

"Why didn't you throw to Anquan (Boldin) earlier?" the rugged 49ers receiver deadpanned.

Kaepernick cracked back, "Because you were talking about my mama."

After Boldin was held without a first-quarter catch, he proceeded to burnish his legacy with one of the best playoff showings of his 11-year career. The titanium-tough veteran responded with a game-high eight receptions for 136 yards to key San Francisco's advancement to a third consecutive NFC Championship Game.

"We knew it would be a tough environment," Boldin said.

That is the exact type of stage that inspires Boldin's best. He drew a pass-interference penalty against cornerback Drayton Florence in the end zone. Kaepernick found tight end Vernon Davis for a back-corner touchdown two plays later. Seven of Boldin's catches went for first downs while five of them, including a 45-yarder in the third quarter that put the Niners on the Carolina 2-yard line and led to a Kaepernick TD two plays later, sustained a pair of touchdown drives.

"Amazing competitor," 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said of Boldin.

Indeed, his relentless, in-your-face trash talk seemed to detract from Carolina's focus.

"We don't back down from anyone," said Boldin. "Guys played smart. We played right up to their edge. We saw their guys taking swings. That was stupid."

Panthers coach Ron Rivera agreed that the inexperienced Panthers learned some tough lessons from Boldin and the battle-tested 49ers.

"We lost our composure a couple of times and (they) got inside our head," said Rivera.

Don't be surprised if Boldin and Co. try to use some intimidation against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday with the winner of the archrivals' rubber match heading to Super Bowl XLVIII.

Owed $6 million for the 2013 season, Boldin balked at a proposed $2 million paycut last offseason from his previous employers, the Baltimore Ravens, whom he helped win the Super Bowl last season with several clutch showing in the playoffs. He was summarily dealt to San Francisco for a sixth-round pick in March.

How did that work out for the Ravens, who finished 8-8 in 2013 and missed postseason for the first time since 2007 while their former No. 1 receiver was leading the Niners with 85 receptions for 1,179 yards with seven touchdowns?

"He's worth a first-round pick, and I think the Baltimore Ravens are really kicking themselves," 49ers guard Alex Boone said. "He could play offensive line, or at least tight end."

Boldin has four 100-yard performances in his last seven postseason games, including six catches for 104 yards with a score in Baltimore's 34-31 Super Bowl XLVII win against the 49ers. Last postseason, he had 22 receptions, including 19 for first downs worth 380 yards. Boldin caught four of Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco's 11 playoff touchdowns a year ago.

"One of the toughest guys in the National Football League," said hard-hitting San Francisco safety Donte Whitner.

No doubt.

A former high school quarterback who converted to receiver at Florida State, the 6-1, 220-pound Boldin has a rare combination of vise-grip hands and tenacious will. While playing for the Arizona Cardinals In 2008, he absorbed a vicious hit against the New York Jets that required seven titanium facial plates and 40 titanium screws to repair multiple facial injuries.

Boldin missed all of two games.

But first he called Jets safety Eric Smith, the man who leveled Boldin, and told him not to let the helmet-to-helmet hit haunt him, that it was just football.

Boldin credited double coverage the Panthers rolled toward teammate Michael Crabtree for freeing him up. Crabtree, who returned Dec. 1 from a torn Achilles, had eight receptions for 125 yards in San Francisco's 23-20 wild-card win against the Green Bay Packers on Jan. 5.

"Crab had a good game last week in Green Bay, so I guess they thought they were going to try to take him out of the game," Boldin said. "That's the good part of our offense. ... We have weapons all around.

"You take one guy out, we still have two, three guys left that can make big plays."

Though Crabtree was limited to three catches for 26 yards, Boldin stepped up. Now he'll look to do it again in Sunday's clash against the Seattle Seahawks by atoning for a one-catch, 7-yard performance in a 29-3 Week 2 loss at CenturyLink Field in Seattle. Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman frustrated Boldin that day, though he responded with six grabs for 93 yards in the rematch on Dec. 8 in San Francisco, a game the Niners won.

Flacco conceded this summer that the one trait that made Boldin so good was the receiver's confidence that he was never covered, given his strength to ward off cornerbacks who try to drape themselves all over him.

"One of the biggest things about Anquan is that he knew he was the man," Flacco said. "So when we went out there, he didn't care what happened.

"You don't realize how much that helps out your play and your team's play."

Kaepernick sure knows now.

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