| 2011 San Francisco 49ers season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Jed York |
| General manager | Trent Baalke |
| Head coach | Jim Harbaugh |
| Home field | Candlestick Park |
| Results | |
| Record | 13–3 |
| Division place | 1st NFC West |
| Playoff finish | Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Saints) 36–32 Lost NFC Championship (vs. Giants) 17–20 (OT) |
| Pro Bowlers | 9 |
| AP All-Pros | 6
|
| Uniform | |
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The 2011 San Francisco 49ers season was the franchise's 66th season overall, and 62nd in the National Football League (NFL). It was the first season under head coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Trent Baalke. The 49ers rebounded from their disappointing 2010 season to end their streak of eight consecutive non-winning seasons. After defeating the St. Louis Rams in week 13 and attaining a 10–2 record, the team clinched the NFC West and made their first playoff appearance since 2002. The 49ers ended the regular season with a 13–3 record, their best since 1997, and earned a bye in the first round of the playoffs. In the Divisional Playoffs they defeated the New Orleans Saints 36–32 and were in the NFC Championship for the first time since 1997, where they lost to the eventual eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants in overtime by a score of 20–17, coming just short of returning to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1994.
One of the main catalysts for San Francisco's return to relevance in 2011 was the team's dominant defense—specifically against the run. The 49ers yielded the fewest rushing yards in the league (1,236), average yards per rush (3.5), and set an NFL record for fewest rushing touchdowns surrendered in a 16-game regular season (3).[1][2] The team did not allow a single 100 yard rusher nor a rushing touchdown through the first 14 weeks, and only three of their opponents gained over 100 total yards on the ground. In addition to their dominance against the run, San Francisco's defense finished second in points allowed (229, or 14.3/g),[2] fourth in yards allowed (308.1/g)[2] second in team interceptions (23),[2] and third in Pro Football Outsiders Defense-adjusted Value Over Average (DVOA) power rankings.[3]
Despite their most successful season in years, the 49ers were 31st in the league in third-down conversion percentage in the regular season (29.1) and were 17.9 percent in the playoffs and ranked 26th in total offense.[4]
- ^ "2011 San Francisco 49ers defense played to historical heights | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". pfhof. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ a b c d "2011 San Francisco 49ers Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ "2011 Team DVOA Ratings: Defense | Football Outsiders". www.footballoutsiders.com. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Branch, Eric (January 23, 2012). "Third-down disaster helped doom 49ers". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on January 24, 2012.