Coaching preference: Harbaugh’s whole mantra for winning games is controlling the amount of possessions. When the team gets a lead, they start playing differently by trying to shorten the game. They do that by playing more off coverage on defense and by slowing things down on offense. Basically asking teams to nickel and dime them up the field. In the past, this would work because a team isn’t going to mount a comeback through field goals. In todays game it doesn’t work because teams are scoring TDs instead of field goal. A 14 point lead is a two possession game.
This is what happens when you don’t have stars on your front. We have good not great pass rushers and a good not great OL. These late game situations extend the game because we can’t get sacks and can’t blow teams off the ball.
A few reasons that are obviously just my opinion.
Coaching preference: Harbaugh’s whole mantra for winning games is controlling the amount of possessions. When the team gets a lead, they start playing differently by trying to shorten the game. They do that by playing more off coverage on defense and by slowing things down on offense. Basically asking teams to nickel and dime them up the field. In the past, this would work because a team isn’t going to mount a comeback through field goals. In todays game it doesn’t work because teams are scoring TDs instead of field goal. A 14 point lead is a two possession game.
This is what happens when you don’t have stars on your front. We have good not great pass rushers and a good not great OL. These late game situations extend the game because we can’t get sacks and can’t blow teams off the ball.