EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Lawrence Taylor says the San Francisco 49ers play the kind of offense he prefers to avoid.
Unfortunately for the All-Pro outside linebacker, he has to play against San Francisco for the seventh time Sunday when the 49ers visit the New York Giants in the NFC playoffs.
Taylor says the 49ers' reluctance to gamble has troubled him.
'I hate playing the 49ers because they play a short drop, ball-control offense and they really don't take a lot of chances,' he said after practice Tuesday. 'That's when you can hurt a team, when they take a gamble.
'It makes it difficult to play when you're high-strung and ready to go and forced to play patiently.'
Taylor's best game against the 49ers came in last season's playoffs when he had 10 tackles and a sack in the Giants' 17-3 victory.
But the Giants' 21-17 victory Dec. 1 in San Francisco is more typical of the way the 49ers have handled Taylor. Although Taylor is having his best season, he was held to two solo tackles and two assists and had none of his NFL-high 20 sacks against the 49ers.
The 49ers have successfully used left guard John Ayers to block Taylor, but Ayers probably will miss Sunday's game with a knee injury. Guy McIntyre will replace him.
Taylor has been frustrated by the combination of a pulling guard and the short drops and quick release of San Francisco quarterback Joe Montana.
'I really haven't had any good hits on Joe,' Taylor said. 'I've sacked him a few times but they really werent good hits.'
Taylor said banging heads with Ayers is less of a problem than the 49ers' patient attack.
'I look forward to going against Ayers because he's such a good player and so is (left tackle) Bubba Paris,' he said. 'I know even if I don't get to the quarterback, it will be a physical game. There's not going to be a lot of trickery out there.'
Without Ayers, 49ers Coach Bill Walsh might decide to mix his blocking schemes. San Francisco certainly will use at least one lineman on Taylor, but it might not always be McIntyre.
'He's real unusual,' 49ers right guard Randy Cross said of Taylor. 'It's not fair to just put a back on him -- and he can beat most linemen. You have to catch him at the right place at the right time.
'But I think he's made it a little easier on opposing teams because he's lining up all over the field. You really can't devise a blocking scheme for him so you play more of your base offense.'
Said McIntyre: 'He's everything they say he is and more. It will be a time for me to grow up and see what Guy is made of.'
