To best illustrate my point, I’ll turn to a few factors, the first being the 19 play script that the team executed to start the game. It opened, uncharacteristically with several plays designed for the second receiver, in this case Tai Streets, as opposed to the typical running start the 49ers usually turn to. The result of the script was a quick 10-0 lead, that left the ‘Hawks scrambling to catch up. The coaching staff constantly found answers to whatever Mike Holmgren countered with, right down to the final drive where a play action fake, bootleg by Garcia picked up a key first down that allowed the 49ers to run out the clock on their 28-21 lead.

The coaching staff used a series of fake runs, fake end arounds and passes down field that allowed the 49ers coaching staff, mainly Steve Mariucci to stay on top of the game. Despite the penalties, which emphasized a lack of focus and discipline in this today’s game, and despite the terrible third down ratios, the 49ers were able to triumph, and that was because on first and second downs, Mariucci and his staff were in control.