Originally posted by WINiner:
Harbaugh doesn't only challenge when he thinks he will win. His reactions during different challenges over the last 2 seasons proves that. Sometimes he flips out like the Douglas catch or the intentional grounding for a safety against stl. Other times he barely even grimaces. Those times he knew when he threw the flag that he was going to lose the challenge, I am absolutely convinced.
The Niners have smartly figured out that a challenge is a much longer timeout than a normal timeout and Harbaugh likes to use the challenge to let his team recover from a big play/call against with the extended time out. Plus the added chance that the challenge may go their way and not use a timeout is a bonus.
I would LOVE to see a stat that compiles the total amount of "time out" a team has when a timeout is charged, challenge or otherwise.
To sum it up, the win/loss ratio of challenges is in no way shape or form an indication of Harbaughs miss management of challenges unless you assume he is trying to win them all which I do not believe he is.
Not that I have ever had a huge problem with Jim Harbaugh's challenge strategy, because I don't see it as a big issue, but I had never thought of the point you (and others) have made with regards to using the challange as an extra (or at least lengthened) timeout to get the team regrouped. It's a very good strategy on the part of Jim Harbaugh.
