Is Harbaugh Too Conservative?

First I more than appreciate Harbaugh rescuing us from the three headed monster of Erickson, Nolan and Dingletary. In spite of that I believe his conservatism is going to cost us an important game down the road. Over the years too many times opponents have got back in games they should not have or we had to sweat a tight finish.. Typical example of being too conservative in my eyes 3 and 7 at about our 15 late against the Eagles last weekend leading by 5 about 1:45 left and a first down clinches it. We run the ball up the middle, might have well had Kap take a knee. There are plenty of safe plays that had a better chance of getting 7 yards than that one. What about a roll out pass or a screen pass? If it isn't there Kap just lays down in bounds. Losing 5 yards isn't going to effect Andy Lee. Another thing something that would never happen with Harbaugh is beating a better team in a big game due to taking a big risk that paid off, like Sean Peyton's unexpected onside kick in the Super Bowl against the Colts.

yes, he should show a little cleavage every now and then.

Yes he is a bit too conservative for me. You don't go with Kap over Alex and then play it safe. We lost two NFCCGs born of conservatism. I love Harbaugh and the winning he's brought us but we missed at least one Super Bowl being conservative in the NFCCG. 2011 one for thirteen on 3rd down. 2013 we play it safe and kick a FG a couple plays after Aldon Smith forced a TO to put us practically in the redzone. This stuff cost us a trip or trips to the big one

He could have done a naked bootleg or some other kinda designed roll out for CK, much the same way we clinched the game against the Seahawks in Candlestick last year.

A part of me thought it *might* have been worthwhile to take a safety in that scenario if we could have pinned the Eagles back far on the free kick.

The risk is they would only be up 26-23, and would have to hold for an FG.

We held on and it was ok, but there's gotta be 2 or 3 plays kept in a playbook that you unleash in do or die situations. I remember that bootleg TD Alex threw to VD against the Steelers on MNF a few years back.

Something like a misdirection run or maybe just a simple roll out.

Compare this line of thinking to Belichick's 4th and 2 a few years back in Patriots/Colts....lol.

He needs to become more liberal.

I wouldn't say Conservative ...likes to Run the Ball hard yes ..but not conservative

these days offensive systems are geared towards read option/ and the speed freak stuff Chip Kelly uses, when a team uses a FB & TE together the majority of the time, they are usually considered "old school" and "conservative" ...but don't count out Harbs going pass heavy when Kaeperknick develops chemistry with Johnson, Lloyd and Ellington, when Kaep and all of his weapons are on the same page, Harbaugh could change his offensive philosophy a bit to accommodate all the effective playmakers ...a good problem to have

Originally posted by English:

He needs to become more liberal.

Exactly, his stances on gun control and the estate tax are really bringing this team down!

Yes. Wasn't it announced he only spends $10 on Walmart khakis?

Primarily when we get a lead.

He is the Rush Limbaugh of the NFL

Look who his idol is, Bo Shembelcher. Woody Hayes and Shembelcher started relying on the pass when they were ready for Medicare. Coach Harbaugh is one play short in his 49er tenure. If he can find that play when the team needs it maybe we win it all.

Originally posted by 16to87:
He is the Rush Limbaugh of the NFL

He'd have to be a lot more talkative in front of the cameras to earn that title.

all i know is we don't EVER blow anyone out.... and we have one of the most talented rosters.

Yes. That being said he is the best coach we've had since Mariucci or Seifert. Hopefully he can develop a killer instinct.

Talked about this with a very football knowledgeable friend of mine last night. We played ball together and coached together and we were talking about teams letting up when they get a lead. We've seen multiple coaches who let off the gas when the game is in hand and we both speculated why they do so. We agreed that we would both go for the throat if we were the ones in charge. While I think many coaches do this to be a good sport, I think letting off reverses the "killer" mindset that we want as coaches. I want my players going hard all 60 minutes. I want point added every possession in 7's and not 3's. And I want my defense applying heat and not bleeding yards late in game. Harbs and gang have made games out of blowouts doing this for the past few years but they are not along. Not sure why. Maybe they think its being gentleman-like but as a coach your job is to win by all means necessary. I once heard a story where one coaching staff jokingly asking another head coach who was very good to "go easy on them". He replied that it wasn't his job to "go easy" on them. Playing down to an opponent is a recipe for disaster.