SAN FRANCISCO – Here are postgame quotes from Jim Harbaugh, courtesy of the 49ers.
Did you guys play the way you wanted the team to play today?
“Yeah, the only goal is to win and our guys did a great job. It’s never easy to get a win in the National Football League. I thought our offense had a very blue-collar type of day. I thought Alex Smith played exceptionally well. He played tough. Good pass protection up front and they did what they had to do. No turnovers, that was huge. Defensively, it was lights out in the first half especially. Gave up one big play. I think the second biggest play they gave up was a 13-yarder besides the touchdown. Outstanding play by Ray McDonald and Justin Smith. They were really good. T. Brown getting his first start, I thought we played well. Then special teams, there is a list of guys that were outstanding special teams. Starting with Teddy Ginn. Game ball for Teddy. Great job by David Akers, Delanie Walker was an animal out there on kickoff coverage. Bowman makes the tackle on the 60-plus punt that Andy hit. It’s just him and [RB Leon Washington] 33; if he doesn’t make that play, that would have been a big one against us. Contanzo played really well. [S C.J.] Spillman had a heck of a day. Good team victory. It feels good.”
You have so many young players on special teams, was that a concern for you at all going into the season? Maybe this unit wouldn’t be as good because they haven’t congealed at this point?
“You go into the first game and you don’t have, at least I didn’t in this case, a real grasp of what the team is. Now we have a better handle. We knew there would be some things we really liked and things that we didn’t. We’ll keep working on improving those things that we’re doing well and see if we can’t get better in areas. But as far as answering your question, yeah, we’re worried about everything coming into the first ball game. I slept like a baby last night; I woke up every hour crying, making sure that these guys were prepared in every way. They had our back; the players did a heck of a job in this one. I was really proud of them.”
You gave a big hug to Alex after his touchdown, was it because of the toughness that you mentioned? Is that the aspect that you liked?
“Yeah. He doesn’t get that in, we’re scrambling to clock it and try to get the field goal before the half, rolling the dice, putting it in his hands, and he came up big for us. Toughness. Great job sticking it in the end-zone by Alex.”
Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman said earlier in the week that due to the lockout, it might be kind of a more simplified game plan. It seemed like there were runs in 3rd-n-3, 3rd-n-6 situations, it seemed like a fairly conservative game plan. Was that due to the lockout?
“More due to the flow of the game. Trying to win the game, playing field position at times. Making sure that we got points. Our defense was playing very well, our special teams was playing very well. Offense was in a blue-collar type of mode, but we were comfortable doing both the way Alex was throwing the ball. He was on the money with his accuracy. His QB rating was very good. He was playing winning football, so we were playing to win. That’s really that more than anything else.”
What do you mean you were playing blue-collar football on offense? What does that mean?
“Workmen-like. Good physical, pass protection, running the ball, not forcing the throw, playing field position, taking the points when they arose.”
What are your instructions to Ginn before the kickoff return? About what to look for?
“In terms of kickoffs?”
The kickoff return, yes.
“The instructions are what the return is, what our plan is, depending on how deep he is in the end-zone. There are several things, I’m not going to go into what the scheme is. [Special Teams Coordinator] Brad [Seely] gives the instructions.
Before the kickoff return, with the game situation, it can be construed as a risk to come out and risk a fumble given the game situation. But that was never an issue to ask him to down it, right?
“We were staying with our plan on that kickoff return. There was still a lot of time to play and we wanted to pop one. The guys I mentioned plus others did a heck of a job and Teddy’s speed kills. He was moving”
Do you feel different being 1-0 in the NFL as opposed to being 0-0 in your career?
“What I’m thinking about right now other than the feeling of winning, the great thrill of winning a game. That’s what makes football fun. I’m sure it won’t be too many hours until I really start thinking about this week. I always feel that a football team has a chance to gain its biggest improvement from week one to week two, whether that’s week one of the preseason to week two of the preseason games, week one of the regular season to week two, or playoff game one to game two. I’m sure it won’t be too many hours until I start focusing on that.”
You chose to take points off the board when you were up by six. Was that an easy decision for you and can you explain your thought process?
“It was a roughing so it gave us the first down at the two. We weren’t able to punch it in but I wanted to take the points off the board and try to get the touchdown.”
How special is this for you? You only have one chance to win your very first game as an NFL coach and you did that.
“Yeah, somebody mentioned that in there. That’s true. It feels good. A great thrill of winning, I’m very proud of our players. Wonderful feeling.”
You said to tune in to your conversations with Seattle Head Coach Pete Carroll before and after the game. How was the conversation on the field after the game?
“Good. He congratulated us on the win and said we’d see each other down the road.”
WR Michael Crabtree played a lot in the first half, not so much in the second. Is he on a pitch count because of his injury?
“No, we didn’t really go into the game with a pitch count on him.”
Why didn’t he play more in the second half?
“I felt that he wasn’t 100 percent at that time, like he was when he started the game.”
Did he get injured?
“No. Just didn’t think he was…”
Was it a conditioning issue?
“No, I wouldn’t say that. Just watching him move, I didn’t feel like he was up to 100 percent right there at that point in the ball game.”
What happened on the opening coin toss? Did you guys want the ball?
“No, we deferred it. That was my plan.”
You explained what blue-collar offense is in your eyes. What’s white-collar offense in your eyes?
“I don’t think about that one.”
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