Jim Harbaugh: 49ers coach not buying Coughlin's rhetoric

Even if San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh may not openly admit it, the NFC Championship loss the 49ers suffered to the New York Giants last season certainly still leaves a bitter taste in his team's mouth. Heading into the game this weekend, Harbaugh wants his team to prove that even if they were not the better team on the field in that title game, they are the better team now.

"You're not better than somebody unless you go out and prove it," Harbaugh said. "The winner can say they were the best team that day, that's how it works. That's how I understand it."

In the title game last year, the 49ers were able to sack quarterback Eli Manning six times, but that was not enough to stop Manning and the Giants from winning the game. Harbaugh has immense respect for Manning.

"He is a magician. The things that he gets out of, gets into, throws that he makes, things that he sees and the way that he's able to execute. That's one of the words I would use to describe him, " Harbaugh said. "Also, just a football player. That's pretty much the highest compliment you can give a football player."

This week Giants coach Tom Coughlin stated that no one believed the Giants could beat the 49ers this week. Harbaugh certainly does not agree.: 49ers

"I think that's probably an exaggeration," Harbaugh said. "A big one."

While Harbaugh tried to say it was only one game out of 16, he could not help but admit it was an important game.

"We have to take care of our business," Harbaugh said. "It's already started, in the preparation to play this game, this most important game. That's what we believe in and that's how we approach it."