49ers 25, Lions 19: 49ers Win One Battle With Lions, Then Start Another

This is now, when a melee breaks out after the game because the coaches — the head coaches — nearly come to blows. The 49ers’ 25-19 victory over the Lions on Sunday gave the Lions (5-1) their first loss and solidified the 49ers (5-1) as one of the biggest surprises of the season. It was messy (21 penalties) and it was physical (seven sacks).

And that was before the postgame handshake, which required a tale of the tape.

Jim Harbaugh, San Francisco’s coach, and Jim Schwartz, Detroit’s coach, briefly crossed paths much earlier in their careers when both were with the Baltimore Ravens — Harbaugh as a quarterback, Schwartz as a defensive assistant. Now they are widely respected young coaches leading teams on the rise. Their shared experience apparently did not ensure that they could get through the most rudimentary part of the game without incident.

Harbaugh, who also had a handshake kerfuffle with Seattle’s Pete Carroll when both were college coaches, was gleeful about his team’s victory as he approached Schwartz. That was when he wound up for a big, roundhouse hand slap, a haymaker of a handshake.

“It was totally on me — too hard a handshake,” Harbaugh said. “It was a strong kind of slap kind of handshake.”

Schwartz, looking a little stunned, apparently did not appreciate Harbaugh’s enthusiasm because as Harbaugh turned to run off the field, Schwartz gave chase and jostled with him.

“Didn’t expect an obscenity at that point, so it was a surprise to me at the end of the game,” Schwartz said. “Obviously, you win a game like that, you’re excited and things like that, but I think there’s a protocol that goes with this league.”

The new protocol could include having a buffer zone between coaches. As players from both teams headed for the tunnel to the locker rooms, the crowd — and the anger — grew. Finally, the 49ers public-relations official Bob Lange positioned himself between the two coaches and moved Harbaugh away while a 49ers player shoved Schwartz aside.

Harbaugh said that when he saw Schwartz in the tunnel, he told him that he shook his hand too hard and that the moment was his fault. He did not apologize. The N.F.L. said it would review the incident.

Harbaugh, who had been sought after by college and professional teams alike before leaving Stanford after last season to coach the 49ers, has transformed them in his image, infusing them with a confidence and commitment that his quarterback, Alex Smith, said he had never seen in the N.F.L. They are in prime position to win the N.F.C. West, which was won last season by Carroll’s Seahawks with a losing record as the 49ers finished 6-10.

“A year ago, games like this we lost,” said tight end Delanie Walker, who caught a 6-yard touchdown pass on fourth down with 1 minute 51 seconds to play that gave San Francisco the lead in the fourth quarter. “That’s the turnaround. All of it comes from the coach. The way he acts. He was sure fired up. Jim Harbaugh is one of those guys who is always fired up.”

Harbaugh had plenty to be fired up about. The 49ers sacked Matthew Stafford five times and forced him into off-kilter, off-target throws throughout the game. They neutralized receiver Calvin Johnson, who had entered the game with nine touchdown catches but was kept out of the end zone Sunday.

The 49ers also had a balanced offense that gained 203 rushing yards — exposing the Lions’ biggest weakness. And Harbaugh got a rocket of a touchdown pass from Smith to Walker. That reaffirmed Harbaugh’s decision to place the team in the hands of Smith, a former No. 1 overall draft pick, even though his career had been largely left for dead by previous San Francisco coaches.

It all came together to give the 49ers their third fourth-quarter comeback victory on the road this season, prompting Harbaugh to say he feels “something special is brewing here.”

Perhaps so. This victory was a significant one for the 49ers — probably more important to them than it would have been to the Lions, who have already been accepted as legitimate contenders.

But it will be overshadowed, at least for a few days, by Harbaugh’s actions. Harbaugh was asked if his emotions might eventually undermine his coaching. A wide smile spread across his face.

“We’ll see; I don’t think I’m that emotional,” he started, before pausing. “I will say I was very emotional about our team. When you’re with a group of guys and you’re trying to do something special, to see your guys play that way — yeah, it fires you up. It fires me up. I don’t apologize for that. If that offends you or anybody else, so be it.”

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49ers Proceed Into Bye Week With Emotional Coach

And, boy, were his 49ers players entertained by it all.

San Francisco's emotional first-year coach is winning, and celebrating the team's turnaround in his unique style — even if he rubs people the wrong way in the process. The Niners are 5-1 heading into their bye week after a 25-19 victory over the previously unbeaten Lions.

"It's something you don't see every game. As a player, I was kind of pumped up about it," left tackle Joe Staley said, chucking. "They weren't fighting, they were just getting after it. It's an intense game and football is an intense sport with high emotions. It's just something that happened at the end of the game. Obviously you don't want to see a fight happen, but there was some yelling and stuff."

Harbaugh insisted before the trip back to Michigan, where he starred in Ann Arbor for the Wolverines, that he has no friends. He probably didn't make any at Ford Field.

And this isn't the first time. Something similar happened during his Stanford days with former Southern California coach and now Seahawks chief Pete Carroll. They have become bitter rivals.

In 2009, Carroll asked Harbaugh, "What's your deal?" when they met at midfield after No. 25 Stanford ran up the score on 11th-ranked USC in a surprising 55-21 rout, even attempting a 2-point conversion with the game way out of reach.

Harbaugh doesn't much care about that stuff. He is all about winning, whatever it takes.

Yet back in the locker room Sunday after the skirmish, the coach told his players he wished it hadn't happened and taken the focus off their monumental victory.

"He's a competitor," said tight end Delanie Walker, who scored the go-ahead touchdown with 1:56 left. "And that shows a lot, you know. He was very emotional. It was a big win, we overcame a whole lot in the game and he kinda felt that — you know, he didn't play, but he coached the game. So I could see him acting the way he acted. Really wasn't no big thing, it was just a rough handshake, and I think it got carried out of proportion. But, you know, when he got in the locker room he talked about it, he wished it never happened because he didn't want to take away from our win."

Quarterback Alex Smith spent the moments after the game ended talking to former 49ers QB Shaun Hill, along with Staley. They all hugged.

"We had a slightly less physical handshake," Smith joked. "This team loves and appreciates the fact that our coach is fiery and a competitor. We like that. I don't think any of us hold that against him for what happened."

Schwartz on Monday said he regretted the incident, in which he chased down Harbaugh after the infamous postgame semi-greeting but was held back by players and team personnel.

Harbaugh had at least one supporter outside Santa Clara team headquarters, 3,000 miles away at that: big brother and Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh.

"I can tell you this, whoever was right or wrong, I know whose side I'm on. The same side I've always taken," John Harbaugh said Monday. "You know what? Everybody's got a lot to learn. I guess right now he's 5-1. If the biggest lesson he has right now is how to shake hands postgame after a victory, he's doing OK."

Some protocols of etiquette aren't clearly defined.

Titans coach Mike Munchak, who only saw a replay of the Harbaugh-Schwartz exchange, acknowledged that when people are passionate things like this can happen.

"I don't even know what the rules are and all that," Munchak said. "When I became a head coach, there were things I didn't know. I didn't even know if before the game you were supposed to go and shake. I was a line coach and I never went out to shake anyone's hand, or when I was a player, I never went out to shake anyone's hand. I very rarely like to do it after the game.

"It's good sportsmanship obviously, but I think everyone realizes how competitive we are, how hard you work. It's hard after a game to work that hard, 100 hours a week or something, especially some of the coaches and not play well or play poorly. But obviously, you could suck it up and go over and shake a guy's hand for 5 seconds or 10 seconds."

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis remembers Baltimore's lunchtime basketball games in 1998 with Jim Harbaugh and then-defensive coach Schwartz during Harbaugh's playing days for the Ravens.

"I think Jimmy and Jim both, I'm sure, wish things would have been different and it doesn't have to become such a big thing. But really, (there's) not much to it," Lewis said. "Schwartzy and I would be playing against Harbaugh all the time and we'd play lunchtime basketball and Jimmy was playing for us. Two competitive guys."

San Francisco's players talked about the run-in on the flight home from the Motor City, even with Harbaugh sitting among them in coach class and not in his first-class seat.

"It's almost like he's still playing football. He's with us," defensive tackle Ricky Jean Francois said. "Just to see a coach fired up, to see him jumping with you, slapping five, patting you on the back, telling you good job and stuff and he's into the game, that's our energy right there. We thrive off of him. It seems like he's still playing football but he's just doing it from the coach's position."

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AP Sports Writers David Ginsburg in Baltimore, Joe Kay in Cincinnati and Teresa M. Walker in Nashville contributed to this story.

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The 49ers and defending Calvin Johnson

Chris Culliver's interception for the San Francisco 49ers against Tampa Bay announced his arrival as more than just a rookie fill-in for injured veteran Shawntae Spencer.

Culliver, a third-round pick from South Carolina, could serve as the third corner against the Detroit Lions in Week 6 strictly on the merits.

In fact, as coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters Friday, the team went with Culliver against the Buccaneers even though Spencer, who has been slowed by a toe injury, could have played.

Which one will play in the nickel defense against Calvin Johnson and the Lions?

"Tune in on Sunday and find out," Harbaugh said.

As Grant Cohn notes, Greg Cosell of NFL Films told KNBR-AM radio in San Francisco that he expected Culliver to play a leading role in defending Johnson, who leads the NFL in touchdown receptions with nine.

"The one player who really stood out to me and I think will be critical this week when they play Detroit, and that’s Chris Culliver," Cosell told KNBR. "He’s now their nickel corner. He plays on the outside. He’s over 6 feet. He’s 200 pounds. He runs well. They play a lot of man coverage concepts with a safety helping so that their corners can really play physically with their receivers coming off the line of scrimmage. So, I think you’ll see Culliver matched up against Megatron this weekend."

The 49ers liked Culliver coming out of college for several reasons: Raw physical talent: Culliver is 6 feet tall and has run the 40-yard dash in the 4.4s.Versatility: Culliver converted from safety to corner for his senior season, giving him a broader perspective than a cornerback might normally possess.Potential: Being relatively new to corner meant, at least in theory, that Culliver still had considerable room to grow at the position.
Culliver made his interception against the Bucs playing left cornerback against three-receiver personnel on a third-and-9 play, with starting corner Carlos Rogers moving inside to defend the slot on the other side of the formation.

The 49ers figure to face quite a few similar personnel groupings Sunday.

Only three teams -- Buffalo, Seattle and Philadelphia -- have run more plays than the Lions with three-plus wide receivers on the field, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Detroit has also used two tight ends quite a bit, but with more than two receivers on the field so frequently, the 49ers' nickel defense will be key.


So far this season, the 49ers have done a much better job limiting long pass plays.

The chart at right shows how the 49ers' opponents have fared this season versus last on passes traveling longer than 20 yards past the line of scrimmage. They are one of two teams yet to allow a touchdown pass on these throws. They've allowed only three completions on such passes after allowing 24 all last season.

Thanks to Hank Gargiulo and Doug Clawson of ESPN Stats & Information for providing the chart info.

CornerbacksSEADAL@CIN@PHITBTotal

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49ers at Bengals Friday Injury Report

BENGALS

Out: LB Dontay Moch (foot)

Doubtful: DE Robert Geathers (shoulder), G Otis Hudson (knee)

Questionable: WR Jerome Simpson (not injury related)

Probable: WR A.J. Green (toe), S Taylor Mays (knee), T Andre Smith (ankle)

49ers

Out: WR Braylon Edwards (knee), FB Moran Norris (fibula)

Probable: CB Tramaine Brock (hand), WR Michael Crabtree (feet), QB Alex Smith (concussion)

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San Francisco 49ers Chrome Frame

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Seahawks play without Rice, Gallery vs. 49ers

Published: September 11th, 2011 | Tags: 2011 Week 1 inactives, Dashon Goldson, David Hawthorne, Madieu Williams, Robert Gallery, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Sidney Rice

Veteran WR Sidney Rice and OL Robert Gallery, two of the Seahawks’ biggest free-agent signees, were listed as inactive for Sunday’s season opener against the NFC West rival 49ers because of injuries.

Rice (shoulder) and Gallery (knee) were listed as doubtful on Friday’s injury report after not practicing. Starting LB David Hawthorne, who had been listed as probable with a knee injury, also was inactive.

Safety Dashon Goldson, the only player listed on the 49ers’ injury report, won’t play because of a knee ailment. Madieu Williams, who started for the Vikings the last three seasons, will start in Goldson’s place, the team announced.

For inactives for every Sunday game, visit www.nfl.com/inactives.

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49ers Fire Coach Mike Singletary with One Game Left in Season

As expected after a 25-17 loss to the Rams which officially kicks them out of a chance at making the playoffs, the 49ers have canned head coach Mike Singletary.

The team fell to 5-10 Sunday, and the loss to the Rams knocks them from playoff contention in a wide-open NFC West.
A preseason favorite to win the division, San Francisco underachieved all the way, never living up to its expectations.

Defensive line coach Jim Tomsula will replace Singletary for the final game against Arizona.

Singletary went 18-22 in two-plus seasons as 49ers head coach, including a surprising 8-8 mark last year. But this season has been an almost wire-to-wire disaster.

Flip-flopping between starting quarterbacks, Singletary had a confrontation with his last choice during Sunday’s loss in St. Louis, jawing with Troy Smith on the sideline after he threw an interception.

Singletary is known, of course, as a Hall-of-Fame linebacker with the Chicago Bears. But he called coaching the 49ers one of the greatest experiences of his life.

“What made it so special were the players,” Singletary said in a release issued by the team. “They were some of the most outstanding men I have ever been around in my life.”

Singletary called the coaches “professionals” and said he wished the team “nothing but the best.” He thanked the owners for giving him an opportunity to coach in the NFL.

“I am indebted to them for that,” Singletary said. “I am also thankful for the faithful fans, I am just sorry I couldn’t give them more.”

Tomsula was in his fourth season as the 49ers defensive line coach after a nine-year career in NFL Europa.

A full-time head coach isn’t the only position the team will have to fill in the offseason. The 49ers have been working without a general manager since firing Scot McCloughan back in March.

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49′ers DT Justin Smith Tossed for Making Contact with Official

It’s already been a tough night for the Niners, as they trail the Chargers 17-0 at halftime. It’s also been a tough night for defensive tackle Justin Smith, who was tossed from the game for making contact with an official after a play.

Smith was tossed early in the second quarter after a brief argument between the DT and at least one Chargers player at the San Diego 8-yard line. Smith appeared to shove away umpire Garth DeFelice while the official attempted to keep Smith out of the dispute, and DeFelice immediately threw a flag.

San Francisco linebacker Travis LaBoy made the tackle on the play, but also left with a knee injury.

The ejection of Smith, who has started 153 straight games, occurred shortly after San Diego’s defense stopped the 49ers on fourth down inside the 1, maintaining the Chargers’ 7-0 lead.

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49ers’ Davis suffers ankle injury

Published: November 21st, 2010 | | Tags: Delanie Walker, San Francisco 49ers, Vernon Davis, Week 11 injuries 2010

The 49ers, trailing 21-0 at home to the Bucs, are running out of time to stage a comeback. And any rally will likely come without Pro Bowl TE Vernon Davis.

The team announced midway through the fourth quarter that Davis is questionable to return with an ankle injury. If Davis isn’t able to go with the 49ers in desperation mode, it must be a serious injury.

Davis’ impact on the stat sheet has been minimal; he has one reception for 3 yards.

Delanie Walker is currently in the game for the 49ers.

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