Niners turn corner in close games

The 49ers were 3-11 in games decided by a touchdown or less in 2009 and '10, and lost their first one-possession game this season against Dallas. Since, as part of the three-game winning streak they'll ride into Detroit on Sunday, they've won two such games.

And San Francisco general manager Trent Baalke doesn't think it's any mistake, either, that the change in fortune in those situations is coming on Jim Harbaugh's watch.

"The players are buying in to what's being taught, how they're being prepared," Baalke said on Tuesday night, from his office. "They know if you keep chopping wood, you're gonna figure a way to come out on top at the end of the day. Jim was like that as a player. He was like at (the University of San Diego) and Stanford. He has a unique ability to keep his guys grinding. There's no quit.

"Coach ran a very difficult camp and preseason with the understanding that, at some point, it's gonna pay off. The players bought in, and they bought in early. Sometimes there's a feeling-out process. That didn't happen here. They bought it, because coach is one of them."

The payoff, Baalke believes, is coming late in games.

Here's the idea: When exhaustion sets in, and pressure mounts, the chances rise of a player getting away from what made his team competitive for the previous 50 or 55 minutes of the game. But if he truly buys into what he's been taught, the chances of that happening aren't as great.

"We had confidence going in not just in the coaches to be able to prepare the guys, but we had confidence in the guys in that locker room," Baalke said. "Go back the last few years, we played a lot of those close games, but we haven't been able to finish."

This year, they have been. And beyond the players buying into the play-calling and fundamentals, they're also adhering to Harbaugh's all-in message: "53 men on 49th Street." He can sell it properly to players, again, because when you've led as a player you have a pretty good view of what might work for a coach.

"He's exactly like a player," rising young linebacker Navorro Bowman told me. "His coaching style, it's like we're being coached by a player. He gets everyone on the same page, gets us excited to play, and he coaches like that on the sideline. We love him being here."

Easy to say these things, of course, when you're 4-1. But Harbaugh's team is already proving to be pretty tough under duress, too. Which is a big reason why they're separating quickly from a mediocre NFC West pack.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82317f83/article/despite-success-internationally-nfl-still-has-long-way-to-go

Nice read P!

Thank you God for bringing Jim Harbaugh to the 49ers!

There are alot of former players who r coaching. But I think it really helps Harbaugh that he didnt play 20 plus years ago. he was a player in modern day football. I also believe it helps dramatically that he is very hands on. the guy was a great catch and I really believe he can be a great coach in the nfl. he has done something that the previous 3 coaches have failed to do. improve this football team

Sean Payton was a steal for the Saints, plus he and their GM had a great eye for talent, much of it coming from Dallas where Payton had left. Harbaugh, coming from college, and hugely successful, also has that Qb experience from the Colts, and it sure does make a fine match of talent choice , who goes where( neither noln nor BM could ever figure out which guy played best where, esp on OL), and as coach of both a qB and a hi end Offense at Stanford, is a cracker jack play caller, both O and D.

What we needed all along was a guy who was an OC, & a former HC, but also a guy who had coached lots of other positions also, very much like our last great coach here. All the signs are there. Now the question is just how far can he make this team go. With alex, he basically just coached up an OL, playcalled so we no longer have to worry about the box 8( our 6 yr nemesis under noln and BM), and somehow, figures out which guys go where. DBs, and Ss, one of our huge weaknesses along with the OL, have suddenly become strengths. Also his reclamation work with alex has been a Godsend. W or L in Detroit, I expect us to be in game to the end. And if we can do that, the finish that Baalke was talking about , can help us win it. Who would have believed the Lions could have improved this much this quick. One thing for sure, our coach is going to really be challenged by an equal on Sun. Based on what we have seen so far, we have a shot with Harbaugh. The guy is exceptionally prepared and thotful, esp calling the games.

Originally posted by Baugh_Area:
Thank you God for bringing Jim Harbaugh to the 49ers!

Not trying to turn this into a religion thread but have you ever stopped and though just maybe god had nothing to do with it? how about thanking the person who actually hired him....Jed York.

Thank you JED YORK for bringing Jim Harbaugh to the 49ers!

People need to stop thanking "god" for other (real) peoples hard work.

Originally posted by THEB:

Originally posted by Baugh_Area:
Thank you God for bringing Jim Harbaugh to the 49ers!

Not trying to turn this into a religion thread but have you ever stopped and though just maybe god had nothing to do with it? how about thanking the person who actually hired him....Jed York.

Thank you JED YORK for bringing Jim Harbaugh to the 49ers!

People need to stop thanking "god" for other (real) peoples hard work.

what else do people need to stop doing? are you my judge?

Originally posted by MertonHanksneck:
what else do people need to stop doing? are you my judge?

Nope, i didnt go to law school.

People need to stop doing a lot of things. that list is way too big. Just saying give credit where credit is due, and not where it isnt (aka on some fantasy guy in the sky)

Originally posted by THEB:

Originally posted by MertonHanksneck:

what else do people need to stop doing? are you my judge?

Nope, i didnt go to law school.

People need to stop doing a lot of things. that list is way too big. Just saying give credit where credit is due, and not where it isnt (aka on some fantasy guy in the sky)

gimme a break.

It's an expression, and people can thank who they want without your permission. Go to the PL with that crap.

Can't wait to see what Harbaugh can do with a full off-season, OTA's, Mini-camps and a real free agency.

Originally posted by Kolohe:
Can't wait to see what Harbaugh can do with a full off-season, OTA's, Mini-camps and a real free agency.

"he's going to be the next great coach."

Walsh on Harbaugh...

Thank you Walsh. You were right again.

Originally posted by Baugh_Area:
Thank you God for bringing Jim Harbaugh to the 49ers!

Why are you thanking god? Thank Jim Harbaugh, he made the decision. Or thank the York family and whoever else helped persuade him.

Originally posted by AXEGRINDER:

gimme a break.

It's an expression, and people can thank who they want without your permission. Go to the PL with that crap.

Man I am stoked for this Lions game. I think we finally got a coach that can possible walk next to Bill Walsh.

Originally posted by Young2Rice:

Originally posted by Kolohe:
Can't wait to see what Harbaugh can do with a full off-season, OTA's, Mini-camps and a real free agency.

"he's going to be the next great coach."

Walsh on Harbaugh...

Thank you Walsh. You were right again.

seriously. Walsh's influence is probably the only reason he came to the 9ers to begin with.
helping from beyond the grave