"Brandon Jacobs knows what he is up against. He knows that he will face the NFL's best run defense on Sunday, a San Francisco 49ers unit that allows just 70.8 yards on the ground. He knows that linebacker Patrick Willis will be lying in wait for him on nearly every play. And he knows he will likely be shouldering the Giants' rushing load alone.

And Jacobs can't wait.

"I want to get out there to get my opportunity to do my best to help this team win," he said Thursday.

For Jacobs, the game could serve as another chance to prove that he is still a full-time tailback. The 29-year-old has spent most of the last two years as Ahmad Bradshaw's backup, and late last month, he complained about his lack of touches. But with Bradshaw still fighting to return from a fractured right foot, Jacobs once again finds himself in the spotlight. He made his first start of the season in last week's win over the Patriots, racking up 100 total yards.

Jacobs knows he needs more performances such as that one, especially since he says he wants to play three more years. The Giants have him signed through 2012, but they could very easily cut him in March, before he receives his $500,000 roster bonus. That's a fact that Jacobs is well aware of, and he has vowed to "play hard until they ax me.""