Is Jim Harbaugh the best coach in the NFL?

Originally posted by dtg_9er:
First, Harbaugh is a bit of a nut! His intensity level and abrasiveness reminds me of a hyper Walsh...which I love but other coaches and media people won't. Fans from other teams see the brashness and are put off, so they are "offended by 9ers success"...too bad!

Have you noticed other teams using some of Harbaugh's tactics? Yesterday I saw more big guys being brought in on offense and I predict that movement will also become more popular. Harbaugh did not invent these things but he is re-popularizing them. Extra OLinemen, three TEs, DLmen in the backfield and catching balls, on and on. What a great day for the 9ers!

Is he the best coach in the NFL? I would put him on a level with the best but Belichik is a darn good coach. Can't think of another I would put with those two.

Edit: One of my criteria to be considered a great coach is being able to attract great assistants and Harbaugh has done that.

Teams don't do some of the things we do (play more power) because everyone is geared toward the pass nowadays. We're a minority in the league in terms of some of the things we do... The league moves through stages, and I wouldn't be surprised if passing begins to wane a bit in the coming seasons when teams have more success winning games like we do.

I truly believe the NFL moves in stages. For instance, a few years ago, when big, physical WRs like TO began appearing, teams wanted bigger cornerbacks to contend with them. When teams started moving to more wide-open, spread offenses... the speedier, quicker, though smaller CBs became more in-demand. Nowadays, teams have both types on their team because one week you'll have to deal with Wes Welker, and then another week, you'll have Calvin Johnson.

The same thing will happen. Teams are passing a lot now, but we're showing that "the old ways" of methodical offense with a running game and a strong defense can win you the game.

The only thing that keeps me from saying yes is that he's only 9 games into his career.

But I'll say this...I can't think of a game so far where he hasn't won the coaching battle handily. To me, this sorta thing shows up in the form of blown coverages, drawing teams offsides on 3rd & short, hitting guys like Staley & Sop with wide open passes that defense never saw coming, etc. But most importantly, he's incredibly creative in the running game with all the shifting, wham blocks, and counters.

Come on... best coach in the NFL? Coach of the Year without question but to be the best coach in the league he has to win a SB or two.

I will say this... he is the best Harbaugh coaching and I wouldnt trade him for any other coach right now.

Belicheck

Originally posted by dtg_9er:
First, Harbaugh is a bit of a nut! His intensity level and abrasiveness reminds me of a hyper Walsh...which I love but other coaches and media people won't. Fans from other teams see the brashness and are put off, so they are "offended by 9ers success"...too bad!

Have you noticed other teams using some of Harbaugh's tactics? Yesterday I saw more big guys being brought in on offense and I predict that movement will also become more popular. Harbaugh did not invent these things but he is re-popularizing them. Extra OLinemen, three TEs, DLmen in the backfield and catching balls, on and on. What a great day for the 9ers!

Is he the best coach in the NFL? I would put him on a level with the best but Belichik is a darn good coach. Can't think of another I would put with those two.

Edit: One of my criteria to be considered a great coach is being able to attract great assistants and Harbaugh has done that.

really agree about being able to put together a competent staff this is a huge difference between this year and previous years

Harbaugh AND STAFF have been excellent getting this team through the half way point. NOW, they have to be aware of the energy of the team on two fronts:

1. Beating the Giants might make the team relax a litte with a play-off lock looking so easy. He has done an amazing job keeping the team focused so far, so I wouldn't expect this to be a major issue.
2. Keeping the team fresh in the second half. Now he needs to keep a close pulse on the energy of his key players - Justin Smith, Gore, Willis, and even Rogers -- to make sure they aren't worn down at the end of the season or in January!

Wow, we actually have to think about January seriously this year!! LOL. nice.

Lots of coaches have had great seasons.

Coaches who win year in and year out (see NE, Pit, GB) probably deserve this title right now.

Originally posted by wailers15:
Not the best in the league. He needs to make some postseason splashes first. He's a Damn great coach but what seperates him from the others is his coaching staff. He has surrounded himself with football coaches, not just people with names. Every coach on this team has a say

Agree with this.

Belichick has 3 Super Bowl wins, which only Bill Walsh and Joe Gibbs have. Chuck Knoll has the record with 4 wins. So you have to put Belichick among the top four greatest NFL coaches of all time, and he's still active.

I want Harbaugh to stay 10+ years and builds a true lasting New Dynasty and gets 3 or more championships... but let's finish this season first before we talk about "best coach in the NFL."

Take Belichick out of the equation though, and everyone else has only 1 or 0 Super Bowl appearances (except Mike Tomlin, who is 1-1). So getting to 2nd best coach in the NFL is within reach in the next couple of years. :)

All I can say is.. so far so good!!

It's a question that's too early to answer, as most here have said.

BUT he sure is doing one hell of a job!! He's out coached all but one opponent this year and even that one was close, but he made a decision to give the ball back to a surging Romo in the game of the dudes life and payed the price. Put in the exact same position a few weeks later, Harbaugh showed he learned from that error and took the points off the board and kept the ball. So even that one mistake only served to make him better for it.

Any way you slice it... Only time will vet this one out. I will say this much, I wouldn't trade him for ANY other coach in the league

If he can somehow coach this team to a playoff victory over the Packers, that would make him the best coach in my mind.

Best coach in the NFL? I love the guy, and what he has done so far. But only a SB title and being at the top for several years can you say that. Nine games doesn't make him the best coach in the NFL. It may make him the coach of the year yes at seasons end. There have been others that have succeeded one year then plummet the next. So let us hope and just give him our support.

The thing is, very few people saw JH and the niners coming. After one year they will adjust after having a full years of tape. Then it will be up to Roman and JH to be twixt the schemes to baffle the other side to cover whatever weakness the opponents may have disected. He does that then he can make a run. Right now, Bellichick, McCarthy, Tomlin can make a claim cause they have won superbowls and been at the top.

Let's win a Super Bowl first then we can open back up this thread

Ask me again after we win the Super Bowl this year

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:
Come on... best coach in the NFL? Coach of the Year without question but to be the best coach in the league he has to win a SB or two.

I will say this... he is the best Harbaugh coaching and I wouldnt trade him for any other coach right now.

I agree with that.

Originally posted by Youngb:
What's your deal?

The replay on this shows that Harbaugh was saying "get outta my face" to Schwartz... haha so awesome.
Sorry, so Harbawesome.