NFL 49ers need to recover quickly

After losing Monday to the Rams, San Francisco must prepare for the playoffs.
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Steve Mariucci knows his San Francisco 49ers can't dwell on their collapse against the St. Louis Rams.
The New York Giants are waiting in the wings, and the 49ers have to be prepared to win a game that actually matters.
"On we go to the playoffs," Mariucci said Monday night after the 49ers blew two 17-point leads, allowed 28 fourth-quarter points and lost 31-20 to the Rams. "We have a quick turnaround to shake this one off quickly. You need to get your mind right for the Giants."
The 49ers (10-6) will take on the Giants (10-6) in Sunday's NFC wild-card game at San Francisco.
Victory slipped away
Though the Rams had long been eliminated from postseason contention and the 49ers' playoff seed was already determined by the time the teams squared off, San Francisco watched a victory -- and perhaps some pre-playoff momentum -- slip away.
"Nobody enjoys losing, especially when you're out in front," Mariucci said, noting his locker room's ranks of "temporarily discouraged fellows."
"I mentioned to them that we need to get our minds right quickly on the Giants game and know that the season starts over with a six-team playoff," he said. "We all start from scratch."
Still, many 49ers lamented failing to close out their sweep this season of the NFC West, though Mariucci played quarterback Jeff Garcia just one series and rested many of his other regulars.
It's a setback
San Francisco players were frustrated about failing to knock off the defending NFC champions -- the last team to go unbeaten in the West, finishing 8-0 in 1999.
"It's never easy for me to put a loss away," safety Jason Moore said. "We came out strong, but we have to finish strong. If that were to happen next week, I don't believe we would be able to do that good."
San Francisco defensive tackle Bryant Young sought the silver lining.
"We have another game to look forward to," he said. "It was unfortunate that we lost this game -- we wanted to win it. The most important thing, though, is that we came out healthy."
With more help on the way.
Expected back
Offensive lineman Ron Stone and Derrick Deese, both having missed Monday night's game with minor ankle injuries, are expected back against the Giants. So is Pro Bowl wide receiver Terrell Owens, who sat out the last two games with a groin injury.
San Francisco already has beaten the Giants this season, 16-13 in the Meadowlands in the season opener. But, much like many 49ers after watching the Rams' relentless rally, most New York players felt they gave away their game to San Francisco.
"We're going to be up for this one," offensive lineman Scott Gragg said. "It would have been good to beat the Rams and sweep our division, but the game meant nothing and it's time for us to start our new season."