Keep the points or take the first down?

I have no problem with taking the field goal but honestly its a 50/50 chance, but if they did accept the penalty and kicked a field goal and lost, how would everyone feel? There is no right or wrong decision, go up by 10 and give your defense a shot to win it. The offense was given a shot to win it in OT but failed. Everyone is bashing the decision the coach made but no one is talkin about Carlos Rodgers decision to gamble on the austin TD, its a team game so i say both Offense and Defense was given a shot but didnt come up big and we all know what happen. Bad decision learn from it, On to the next....

Stupid stupid newbie coach.. take the penalty!!!

Originally posted by nickbradley:
I must be the only one who understands football, because it seems like I'm the only person supporting the Harbaugh decision. People who are angry simply do not understand the calculation Harbaugh made, and Bill Belichick would have made this decision with our team.

Simply put, the odds of scoring a touchdown were lower than the chance that we miss the make-up field goal, which is about 30% for Akers with 40-49 yard attempts...probably higher outdoors and so-so turf that had caused a lot of slippage during the game.

It was a PERFECT DECISION, a rational decision, a decision that a software program with perfect information would have made. I CHALLENGE ANYONE to make the case that we were more likely to score a touchdown than miss the follow-up.

Here's backup for the pro-Harbaugh case:

1. It's two scores that matters, not 2 touchdowns

2. Gore ran for 2.4 yards per carry and Smith was sacked once every FIVE times he dropped back. Chances of scoring were very low.

3. Accepting the penalty would have put us on the 25, or a 42-yard field goal.

4. If we didn't advance down the field again, Akers would have still been required to kick a 40+ yard field goal.

5. In his career, Akers has missed 3 out of every 10 field goals between 40 and 49 yards.

6. Half of our drives went backwards or nowhere, especially in the second half.

7. Heavy pressure causes turnovers.

yes you are the only one who understands football...maybe you should find yourself a board with others who are the only ones who understand football

He made the right call. Up to that point a 10 point lead was big. You dont take points off the board in a game like that.

I still claim it was the wrong call. Taking time off the clock was more important in this situation playing Dallas on this day. How many times does an NFL team win when they get conservative and play "not to lose" instead of "playing to win"? I'd like to see that statistic. I think it sends the wrong message to your team and gives your opponent an emotional edge when they think you're playing it safe because you don't have the confidence in your own offense. To me it's a situational decision, not a statistical one. The lack of a killer instinct won't win many games in the NFL these days. There's too much parity. This game reminded me of an OT game the 49ers played against the Bears and lost when Mooch was still coaching, T.O. went off on him for playing it safe with play calls after 49ers lost that game too. I understand Harbaugh may not have the confidence in the offense to "let it rip" and "go for the jugular", but the training wheels have to come off sometime. I hope it's sooner rather than later.

Nobody knows what the hell the outcome would've been if he accepted the call. All I know is we had a chance to win in regulation, OT and we choked...

Originally posted by nickbradley:
How can someone with 53 posts be a "veteran"????

You only have to be member for 1 year to get veteran status. It's not based on the number of posts. I myself don't post too often. I have too many other things in my life besides this website that interest me even though I've been watching the 49ers for 30 years. I have friends that had season tickets from 1981 until a couple of years ago and they have no interest in this website. They're still veteran fans though.

I want to start out by saying this is not the reason we lost the game.

But it was the WRONG decision. If we dont get a first down, were still going to take 1 1/2 min off the clock, and be in GREAT position for another FG. We also have a decent shot of scoring, or picking up a first and wasting 3+ min. Unless something crazy happened we still would have scored a FG, but we would have wasted more time.

When you make this decion, your playing not to lose rather than playing to win, when you do that we all know what happes. YOU LOSE!

Saying all that, we still should have won this game.

everyday im shuffling

Ok I'm kind of torn. But I will go on record of sayin to the OP Vernon Davis must not know football either because him and half of the NFL analysts all thought it was the wrong decision . And it was exactly that. I see your position can't take points off the board in a big game .. that is a good case and point on 5 yd penalties ... A 15 yd penalty that puts u inside of the 22 with a 7 pt lead and 10 mins to go (which is way to much time to play it soft) is another story. I like how your trying to give facts but what you must have not seen from your recliner you armchair qb is the fact that We were 100% on scoring tds that game with the ball inside the 25 yd line. Worse case, u knock a few mins off the clock and put it in the hands of your veteran kicker who leads philly for career alltime points to kick a 39 or less FG .. in the process of that u knock a good 3 mins off the clock . Giving them 7 mins to score twice. It is about time We don't put everything in the hands of the D . Give the O a chance especially when momentum was already in their hands . It was a foolish call, and can't honestly blame the O or D for doin zero in OT I mean after all the coach don't have faith in u why should you.

I will go on record and say 2nd and 2 in Ot Alex can not sit and take a sack .. you have to do absolutely anything to get rid of that ball. Playing safe and putting the weight on the D has consistently put a L on the board in the last 10 yrs of history with this team. So go ahead think you know more than anyone on here but maybe its time u put the foot rest up on the barcalounger get ya a Nice cup of whatever u drink, and watch something because you have already mastered the art of watching football.


Kick off from the 50 really which David akers did put right thru the middle from 60 yds out

i think harbaugh might have been proven correct given the fact that we couldn't move the ball for the rest of the game. in hindsight it actually wasn't a bad call

Harbaugh made the right call. Without a doubt. Emotional reactions on here are clouding rationality and strategic thinking.

You don't turn down points that put you up 2 scores in the 4th quarter. Not with the way our skittish offense was playing.

Our line is playing like crap, that is the bigger concern for me. The decision to take the sure three points is a call you see from conservative coaches, got no problem with it. The defense breaking down is what cost us the game. Not having our top two receivers didn't help much either. Spencer being healthy would have helped too. We really need an upgrade at the corner position, if we had just one reliable guy back there, we would have won.

If I remember right romo was in then got knocked out then kitna was stinkin up the joint fresh off his second int and we went up by ten points in the fourth. Harbaugh figured wit a ten point lead, kitna wasn't going to beat us. Aside form that both dallas first two tds were lucky. the missed tackle on miles austin to end the half then alex gift wraps another td wit a short field int. then steps in romo with gutsy play down the stretch to save the day. we were in position to win this game but the defense faltered down the stretch or should i say romo austin and witten ruled the endgame. give credit where it is due. all i know is that we are first place in our division wit two good games under our belt going into cincy. we are lightyears ahead of last yrs 0 and 5 start

it was the right call