SAN FRANCISCO -- Just four weeks after sustaining a fractured jaw, 49ers tight end Delanie Walker returned to the playing field on Sunday in the NFC Championship Game.
With third receiver Ted Ginn out of action with a knee injury, the 49ers relied a lot on their second tight end. The 49ers did not give much playing time to third receiver Brett Swain."Going into the game, they told me I'd play a lot if I could handle it," Walker said. "We started off the game with some run plays and told them I was capable of handling it all. That's what we did."
Walker played approximately 40 of the 49ers' 57 offensive plays after being out of action since Christmas Eve, when he sustained a fractured jaw in two places against the Seattle Seahawks. He was cleared to return to action last week.
Walker caught two passes for 36 yards in the 49ers' 20-17 overtime loss to the Giants.
The 49ers had a difficult time getting anything going on offense other than Alex Smith's touchdown passes to tight end Vernon Davis, covering 73 and 28 yards.
Top wideout Michael Crabtree caught one pass for 3 yards. That was the only 49ers' reception from a wide receiver, Kyle Williams was held without an official reception. He caught a 4-yard pass in the second quarter, but the 49ers accepted a penalty on the play instead."They were really trying to grab us off the ball, make sure they held us up," Walker said of the Giants' defense. "They kept safeties over the top and pressed up to try to hold us up."
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