Declining the safety

Originally posted by communist:
I dont get how one can defend Harbaugh on that one unless he REALLY didnt realize that the safety would give us a 2possession-lead...Even if they tried and won an onside-kick, who cares? Send the 2nd-string unit out there, period.

Easy.

49ers win.

Defense rests.

The spread? For real?

I believe Harbaugh miscalculated when he declined the safety. I'm sure he thought that the lead would be 8points and not 9. I don't think avoiding the "bang-bang" play of an onside free kick from Seattle was really in his mind when he declined the penalty. He wanted to end the game yes, he wanted to avoid injury for his team, always but I don't think he was thinking as calmly or as clearly as he might like the press to accept now.

Interestingly for me was that he declined the safety for the measurement and he couldn't reverse that decision. If the measurement had shown the Seahawks made the first down then the drive would have been sustained with the Niners up by 7. When you think about for a second then you realise that the explanation being peddled by the front office of trying to avoid the onside free kick and end the game is an excuse crafted with hindsight to mask the embarrasment of a head coach (and sideline assistants) that can't think clearly in the bedlam of the game and know the answer to 15 minus 6.

I'll admit I wasn't pleased when he made that decision. I was thinking that making it a two score game with less than a minute to run would mean Seattle would realise that the game was over and that Seattle wouldn't risk injury to their own players but trying a suicidal onside free kick. I guess we'll never know what Seattle would have done if the safety had been accepted.

As for the point about spread betting, you forget that for every winner there is a loser by declining the safety Harbaugh made a few punters happy I am sure. My main point though is that you never ever ever want a game to be played with the 'spread' in mind. That really is the road to ruin for the entire sport.

Should have taken the -7 spread that was out there right up until a few hours before kick-off (like I did )

To suggest the coach keep the point spread in mind is maybe the dumbest thing I've heard in a while on here (saying a lot)

Secondly, you take the safety and it means your players have to play in at least one more play. Why risk injury when you can end the game on the spot? What's the benefit?

There is a 0.0001% chance of a fumble and TD on a kneel down. The Seahawks would have had just as good odds recovering the safety punt, scoring, recovering the onside kick, kicking a field goal.

Thank God (or whatever you believe in) the OP is not our head coach...and hopefully not even calling plays during Madden

Originally posted by lordfangio:
Oh, right, because botched snaps NEVER happen...YOU gtfo if you can't be civil.

Botched snaps on a kneel down...LITERALLY NEVER HAPPEN IN THE NFL.

LITERALLY

You obviously lost money last night. Should have taken it when it was -7 or bought a point.

Excellent call you are wrong on both points. He was obviously prepared for this scenario.

It was a perfectly sound and easily defended strategy to decline the safety and take the kneel downs.

Originally posted by Canadian49er:
Should have taken the -7 spread that was out there right up until a few hours before kick-off (like I did )

To suggest the coach keep the point spread in mind is maybe the dumbest thing I've heard in a while on here (saying a lot)

Secondly, you take the safety and it means your players have to play in at least one more play. Why risk injury when you can end the game on the spot? What's the benefit?

There is a 0.0001% chance of a fumble and TD on a kneel down. The Seahawks would have had just as good odds recovering the safety punt, scoring, recovering the onside kick, kicking a field goal.

Thank God (or whatever you believe in) the OP is not our head coach...and hopefully not even calling plays during Madden

I had an early bet with a friend (who has been a 49er hater for 25 years) at -7, but when I wanted up it the spread was -8. I lost. When Ditka was coaching the Bears, I am pretty sure he was aware of the spread and tried to cover them late in games. Once on Monday Night football (Don't remember who they were playing) he called time out with a few seconds left to kick a spread covering FG up by only 2 points. I saw other games where his teams could have sat on the ball late, but took risks to cover spreads. Maybe he was betting on his own team.

Has there ever been a botched snap during a victory formation in the nfl? I can't think of any.

One other thing, after the refs confirmed that the ball was short Harbaugh declined the penalty. Then that play was reviewed. If after the review they determined it was a first down, could Harbaugh take the penalty then?

Originally posted by Wodwo:
Easy.

49ers win.

Defense rests.

exactly. This thread is foolish.

Stats are for losers

Originally posted by Wodwo:
Easy.

49ers win.

Defense rests.

1)Read til the end
2)use brain
3)answer
--->I said we could have used the 2nd-string defense.

Anyone remember Josh Morgan? Season-ending injury in garbage time, and three months later we're playing for the right to go to the Super Bowl with Brett Swain and Joe Hastings, and our WRs combine for a 1-3 line.

Harbaugh made the right decision.

Originally posted by communist:

Originally posted by Wodwo:
Easy.

49ers win.

Defense rests.

1)Read til the end
2)use brain
3)answer
--->I said we could have used the 2nd-string defense.

Further "unnecessary" injuries avoided

Originally posted by communist:

Originally posted by Wodwo:
Easy.

49ers win.

Defense rests.

1)Read til the end
2)use brain
3)answer
--->I said we could have used the 2nd-string defense.

Thats not what he meant.