anyone over it yet?

[Bemular]

Yeah, when that happened, I was sayiing why take the timeout there. We needed to keep the tiimeout. IMO, losing 5 yards there would've been nothing compared to losing 40 seconds of game time. And as you said, moving it back to the 10 would've given the receivers extra room to work.

Robo, I'm going to guess you have been around this game called football for a little more than a few weeks - lol! Yeah, instinctively and at the time of the call my mind told me the timeout was the right thing to do.

However, when they reeled off two pass plays I began to think differently about taking the timeout. That is where I am at now, believing that saving the 40 seconds might have been the better strategy.

 

[Bemular]

You know you have a good point. Kaep's biggest weakness is probably really short throw accuracy under heavy pressure. Maybe taking the penalty and backing him up to the 10 yard line from the 5 would have given him some more breathing space. Fade routes to the corner to Crabs is not a high percentage call for this offense IMHO. Kaep doesn't have the best touch on those passes and Crabs is not the best receiver for those passes.

I think this is spot-on, maniax.

 

[BINGO]

....

 

[Robotech]

Robo, I'm going to guess you have been around this game called football for a little more than a few weeks - lol! Yeah, instinctively and at the time of the call my mind told me the timeout was the right thing to do.

However, when they reeled off two pass plays I began to think differently about taking the timeout. That is where I am at now, believing that saving the 40 seconds might have been the better strategy.

My first thought was "Damn, that play was gonna work" because Kaep was gonna keep it and he had blockers. Then, I thought "Oh well, 5 yard penalty is not a big deal." Then, when they said Niners called a timeout, I was like "Holy shit! Why!!!"

 

[Bemular]

My first thought was "Damn, that play was gonna work" because Kaep was gonna keep it and he had blockers. Then, I thought "Oh well, 5 yard penalty is not a big deal." Then, when they said Niners called a timeout, I was like "Holy shit! Why!!!"

I agree, the original play looked good for six. We had the frontside and inside threats blocked with only Kruger to outrun on the backside. A play we perhaps should have run again - maybe from a different formation.

 

[Yoshi]

I'm still not over the 1983 NFC Championship game or the 1990 NFC Championship game for that matter. We got robbed in 83 and we fumbled away the chance for a 3 peat in 90.

This one hurts more because not only does it tarnish the Niners SB record forever, but it's a game they clearly should have won.

A lot of pundits had picked the Niners to win the game in the trenches, yet when you look at it, Kaep was sacked more times than Flacco. Gore outrushed Rice and frankly outplayed him. Also, lots of mistackles and the offsides play on Brooks that lead to the Ravens' first TD pass to Boldin added more to the misery.

This team came unprepared in the 1st half, and they paid dearly for it.

 

[Ray_Dogg]

Honestly, Ray_Dogg that would have been a bad idea. Their blitz wasn't the problem - our protection was; and not from a man-on strategy but from a gap assignment strategy.

They rushed six with one in rush-to-cover and we had six in + Kap. What Kap needed to do or what Gore needed to realize was once Lewis came to the line that gave the Ravens an odd man advantage on the weak side.

Gore should have been re-assigned to the left side of the line. Instead, at the snap Gore leaped to his right leaving Ellerbe to come through the Left B-Gap untouched.

So, yeah, their blitz was not at all the problem even with their disguise - our protection scheme is what broke down on the final play. But that was only one of a few bad decisions/mistakes on that and the other three plays. IMO.

The protection/play was wrong for the blitz that started as a 6 man front and became worse when it evolved to a 7 man front with enough time to call timeout. In my mind the blitz is the root of the problem. Blitz doesn't take place then the other problems aren't problems. The other problems could have all been prevented with a timeout. Kap chanced it instead.

 

[Bemular]

The protection/play was wrong for the blitz that started as a 6 man front and became worse when it evolved to a 7 man front with enough time to call timeout. In my mind the blitz is the root of the problem. Blitz doesn't take place then the other problems aren't problems. The other problems could have all been prevented with a timeout. Kap chanced it instead.

I think we are saying the same thing but proposing different solutions. I agree with you, but the adjustment in protection - moving Gore to the left - didn't need a timeout to facilitate. That is all I'm saying.

 

[MHSL82]

My first thought was "Damn, that play was gonna work" because Kaep was gonna keep it and he had blockers. Then, I thought "Oh well, 5 yard penalty is not a big deal." Then, when they said Niners called a timeout, I was like "Holy shit! Why!!!"

My uncle played football in college. He doesn't speak much when watching games. After Harbaugh called the timeout, all he said was "why?" I had assumed he said that about why did Kaep take so long or something. Didn't put much thought into it. This now explains it perhaps. (He's a Bears fan though so had no dog in the fight, though he'd rather the NFC team win and he knew I was a Niners fan so he was hoping we'd win.)

 

[MHSL82]

This still is and will piss me off forever!

He has been our workhorse all year, heck all career. I just dont see how he didnt get the ball at all. Has gore been interviewed after the game? I know he is a big team guy, but he had to be pissed.

He was asked this question and you could tell he wanted the ball, but he said that he doesn't call the plays and he trusts the HC/OC to do so. He deferred to their expertise, saying that he had his assignments, too.

Edit: I found the quote:

'That's why we've got coaches,' Gore said. 'Every player wants the ball at that time. But our coaches made the decision and we tried our best to make it happen.'

 

[MHSL82]

I was having a thought similar to this. Would it have been better to kick the FG and then go for an onsides? I think with the low success for onsides kicks, I'd still rather go for the TD; but with limited TO's and within 5 points...two FG's would win it. For discussion's sake...take Akers' shakiness out of it for a moment.

No, I think the odds of scoring a TD there are much higher than the odds of recovering an onside kick.

With the refs in this game, an onside kick would have gone like this @ 3:48 (watch the rest of the video):

 

[Pharcyde]

Nope not even close.... Knbr daily has been a part of my morning commute and on the way home.... Can't get into anything sports related right now!

 

[clyde_carbon]

Well, I'll throw Harbaugh and Kaepernick in there too. Harbaugh for not calling Gores number late. Kaepernick for audibling to a fade route on 4th down. FADES DONT WORK. EVER.

Unless you have a Megatron on the outside.