What Was Carroll Thinking?

[hawkfan68]

Often at times this question will get asked a lot as PC makes head-scratching decisions... but then I remember five simple perhaps cliche words of part of his football philosphy...

Separation Is In The Preperation

And as stupid as it was to continue trying to score a TD at the end of the first half or declining that penalty in the 4th... he allows his team to live or die in critical real game moments and puts it on his guys to win on the field... and what seems like failures is going to prepare them all better as they head into the Play-Offs. Where its do or die football.

What was wrong with declining the penalty?

That was the right move imo.

Force their hand. Make them execute.

Personally, I would have preferred to force Colin Kaepernick to pass on 3rd and 6 (and then perhaps 4th and 6). He's not very good at completing passing in those situations at the end of games. And it plays more to the strength of our defense.

Well said. I agree hawknation2014. Forcing Kaep to throw on 3rd and 6 rather than allowing him to use a run play to get a yard on 4th and 1. I thought the same tihing...why did he decline that? In the end, it didn't matter.

 

[2_0_6]

I was more worried about being out of timeouts so damn early in the second half. That could have bit us big time.

 

[Hawkpower]

Often at times this question will get asked a lot as PC makes head-scratching decisions... but then I remember five simple perhaps cliche words of part of his football philosphy...

Separation Is In The Preperation

And as stupid as it was to continue trying to score a TD at the end of the first half or declining that penalty in the 4th... he allows his team to live or die in critical real game moments and puts it on his guys to win on the field... and what seems like failures is going to prepare them all better as they head into the Play-Offs. Where its do or die football.

What was wrong with declining the penalty?

That was the right move imo.

Force their hand. Make them execute.

Personally, I would have preferred to force Colin Kaepernick to pass on 3rd and 6 (and then perhaps 4th and 6). He's not very good at completing passing in those situations at the end of games. And it plays more to the strength of our defense.

Well said. I agree hawknation2014. Forcing Kaep to throw on 3rd and 6 rather than allowing him to use a run play to get a yard on 4th and 1. I thought the same tihing...why did he decline that? In the end, it didn't matter.

Didnt we stop them on a 4th and 1 run like two minutes later?

SF was solid on 3rd and medium all day.

It was the right call by Pete.

 

[MidwestHawker]

I was more worried about being out of timeouts so damn early in the second half. That could have bit us big time.

This is easily one of the most irritating things about Pete; he doesn't seem to protect timeouts like the absolute gold that they are. He seems to use them pretty liberally and allow Wilson to do likewise. We rarely get to the final sequence of a game with all three timeouts still available.

Obviously still love having him as our coach overall, but his timeout usage is unacceptable. It was especially bad to be completely out here with nearly a quarter left, since we could have gotten screwed on a call with no ability to challenge it.

 

[edogg23]

The thing that bothered me most on the 3rd down play with 8 sec was the 49ers were playing off coverage big time. A quick throw to the wr gets you 5 yards and the wr runs out of bounds and we kick a nice 41 yard fg.

 

[ManBunts]

Our line had been smothering them. While I questioned the call, I can't argue it. 3rd and 6 gives them two downs with Kap's legs. I'd much rather give them a short situation where they rely on a young fullback. Heck, next series we DID stop them on this same scenario, so clearly it's not crazy.

Oh yeah, we won. Don't forget that part

 

[HawkGA]

I would think the end of the half interception was more on Wilson and Bevel than on Carroll. I think going for the TD was the right thing to do. Right before half, chance to go up and then get the ball back? I wouldn't have expected Wilson to throw an interception there. Playing scared isn't the way to go.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Would have rather accepted that penalty and forced Kaep into a likely passing situation. Declining the penalty has some additional value against over-conservative numbskulls like John Fox, Mike McCarthy, Andy Reid...basically anyone who Phil Simms would happily endorse. Those coaches may have found a way to actually punt in that spot, but you had to know that Harbaugh wouldn't. Functionally it seems like you actually have a chance to force him into a punt if you can perform on 3rd and 6 and hold them to a 4th and 5+.

3rd and 6 gives them two plays to get a 1st down, 4th and 1 only gives them one play. No brainer to me.

 

[Cartire]

:13:

Would have rather accepted that penalty and forced Kaep into a likely passing situation. Declining the penalty has some additional value against over-conservative numbskulls like John Fox, Mike McCarthy, Andy Reid...basically anyone who Phil Simms would happily endorse. Those coaches may have found a way to actually punt in that spot, but you had to know that Harbaugh wouldn't. Functionally it seems like you actually have a chance to force him into a punt if you can perform on 3rd and 6 and hold them to a 4th and 5+.

3rd and 6 gives them two plays to get a 1st down, 4th and 1 only gives them one play. No brainer to me.

:13:

They couldnt get a FG where they were at on the field, so it was 4 down territory being down 2 possessions. Punting was never an option for them with less then 5 minutes remaining. I would rather have to stop them once with 1 yard to gain, then twice with 6 yards to gain.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Funny, they could win 75 straight games, and someone would find something to complain about.