Frank Gore has been with the 49ers long enough to know how dire circumstances can set up a loss.
A blocked punt leads to a touchdown that results in the loss of a fourth-quarter lead. Now what happens?
“Back in the day,” Gore said Monday, “after that blocked punt, everybody would have been like, ‘Oh man, what are we going to do now?’ But now it’s like, ‘OK, let’s go ball, let’s go make plays, put points on the board and win the game.’ . . . We just know we’re a good team. We don’t panic at all. When things don’t go right, we tell ourselves to settle down and make plays.”
Monday, two days after the 49ers followed that script to a 19-17 victory in Seattle, coach Jim Harbaugh was still glowing about how “we didn’t flinch” and “nobody was hanging their daubers.”
Harbaugh also took great exception to the notion that a big play in their comeback should have been nullified by penalty. Seattle cornerback Brandon Browner protested with officials after the play – a 41-yard pass from Alex Smith to Michael Crabtree that put the ball on the 28 and set up David Akers’ go-ahead field goal.
Seattle coach Pete Carroll snapped about the officiating after the game but said nothing specifically about that play.
“Clean play all the way,” Harbaugh said. “Any comment that it’s not is full of baloney . . . Great play by Michael and great throw by Alex.”
Four plays later, Akers put the 49ers ahead 19-17, and linebacker Larry Grant sealed the victory with his fumble-forcing strip of Seattle quarterback Tarvaris Jackson on the next series.
“In a lot of ways, ‘Crab’ saved Christmas, and Larry Grant did as well,” Harbaugh said, “David Akers was in that mix (and) made it a lot merrier.”
It marked the fourth time this season that Alex Smith has quarterbacked a come-from-behind win on the road, tying the team record set in 1989 by Joe Montana.
“It was a great throw by Alex,” center Jonathan Goodwin said. “He had guys in his face, but hats off to Alex for making a great throw. And hats off to Crabtree with a great catch.”
Harbaugh reminisced Monday about the 49ers’ other comebacks this season – at Cincinnati, at Philadelphia, at Detroit and at Candlestick Park against the New York Giants. “These are strong men,” Harbaugh said. “I don’t see panic in them ever.”
The 49ers (12-3) close the regular season Sunday at St. Louis. Then it’s on to the playoffs for the first time in nine seasons.
“We’ve got to go down there and try to jump on St. Louis early, try to get it over with early and try to get ready for the playoffs,” Gore said. “We know what type of team we are. We’re a great team.
“The offense is playing good, defense is playing good, special teams is playing good – that’s what you need to go far in the playoffs.”
