Did no one on the coaching staff...

realize they had no safety net on that last onside kick attempt by the Lions? The announcers saw, I saw it, i'm sure all of you saw it. How come Harbaugh or Seeley didn't see it? Was it designed to put everyone up front? I'm not going to criticize them on that one until I get all the facts. We could have really blown that and was it designed for Kyle Williams to run back and be our only hope at recovering it? That was risky!

seems like they were more worried which direction the kick was coming from... spread out all players evenly.

I was a tad bit worried but KW bossed up that play.

I am pretty sure Harbaugh and Seeley were daring them to kick that. A lot of fans gaffe at KW for what happened against the Giants, but remember KW was on ASUs baseball team. He did a good job tracking the ball down. I think that played showed the type of confidence this staff has in KW.

KW recovered the ball. Game over.

It seemed like a calculated double bluff, to me. They dared them to do it, they did, and we recovered.

I'm not seeing the issue here. The NFL has become such a conventional league that it's tempting to suggest that the unexpected isn't rational, but that was a highly rational response to the new rules, Harbaugh forced the response that he wanted and accomplished his target result.

You could argue that he rolled this out too early, but Harbaugh likes to make statements regarding his unpredictability. I'm pretty sure he accomplished that, expect to see the rest of the league doing the same.

While it worked, I hope we don't try that again. One weird bounce and Detroit could've easily recovered that. Yes, same could happen on an onside kick, but this would've given them far better field position.

Originally posted by vaden:
While it worked, I hope we don't try that again. One weird bounce and Detroit could've easily recovered that. Yes, same could happen on an onside kick, but this would've given them far better field position.

I think you're missing the point. This took away the onside kick and placed that awkward bounce safely in our backfield. It's still a gamble, but this is a hedge on your bet. It makes a lot of sense, when you break it down.

It's not a formation that you want to run when a field goal will tie the game.

I think field conditions also have to play. We all know that Candlestick isn't the greatest field and it showed. That ball just died when it hit the turf.

If this game was in Detroit or a dome, I doubt they would have tried it.

Good point.

Originally posted by ApatheticIAm:
realize they had no safety net on that last onside kick attempt by the Lions? The announcers saw, I saw it, i'm sure all of you saw it. How come Harbaugh or Seeley didn't see it? Was it designed to put everyone up front? I'm not going to criticize them on that one until I get all the facts. We could have really blown that and was it designed for Kyle Williams to run back and be our only hope at recovering it? That was risky!

They baited them and it worked. They knew what they were doing. Kyle having the balls to dive on it made that play and brought a smile to my face. No way the lions were going to outrun them even with a lucky bounce.

Originally posted by BayArea:

Originally posted by ApatheticIAm:
realize they had no safety net on that last onside kick attempt by the Lions? The announcers saw, I saw it, i'm sure all of you saw it. How come Harbaugh or Seeley didn't see it? Was it designed to put everyone up front? I'm not going to criticize them on that one until I get all the facts. We could have really blown that and was it designed for Kyle Williams to run back and be our only hope at recovering it? That was risky!

They baited them and it worked. They knew what they were doing. Kyle having the balls to dive on it made that play and brought a smile to my face. No way the lions were going to outrun them even with a lucky bounce.

Yep, they showed the formation to the Lions. Then even took a timeout so as to give the Lions a chance to talk it over. Lions took the bait. Instead of an on-side kick the Lions wanted initially, they took what Seely had already planned for --an over the top kick. Which Kyle recovered all by his lonesome with out any traffic around him.

In Harbaugh we trust. Would not have been what i would have done, but I am not one of the best head coaches in football.

Yea i watched Harbaugh standing in on that huddle up with Seely and the the Hands Team. After the play, it looked as though Harbaugh was shocked that there was no one back there to cover up a kick over the heads. But it worked, so it's all good.

Originally posted by qnnhan7:

Yep, they showed the formation to the Lions. Then even took a timeout so as to give the Lions a chance to talk it over. Lions took the bait. Instead of an on-side kick the Lions wanted initially, they took what Seely had already planned for --an over the top kick. Which Kyle recovered all by his lonesome with out any traffic around him.

All by his lonesome? Did you not see the Lions (not just one) right by him when he recovered it? They were the reason he had to slide to recover it in the first place. I know you're trying to defend the coaching staff, but let's not make stuff up here.

I agree Bleed49ers4life. Judging by Harbaugh's reaction it didn't seem planned, but then again hard to know for sure.