Jim Harbaugh Will Lead San Francisco 49ers to Super Bowl

Confidence.

If there is one word that can sum up the 2011 season for the San Francisco 49ers so far, it would be confidence. It's fascinating to see how such a simple concept could turn a losing team into a No. 2 seed in the playoffs in just a matter of months. 

However, the turnaround wasn't a surprise to everyone. Some who followed the team closely knew as soon as they hired Harbaugh to be the 49ers' new head coach, it wouldn't take long at all to return to legitimacy.

In years past, the 49ers have lacked adequate leadership at the very top.

Mike Nolan was a decent coach back in the "Rollin' with Nolan" days, but he was better suited for being a defensive coordinator.

When he failed, in stepped Mike Singletary. If anything, the team regressed under Singletary's authoritative regime. He was not suited to be a head coach in the NFL. He was rather a hybrid of a preacher and drill sergeant who didn't coach his players, but simply expected them to get better. 

This is where Harbaugh's approach to coaching directly contradicts that of Nolan's, and especially Singletary's.

Harbaugh believes in his players. Sure, every coach in the NFL does. But the 49ers have been lacking a head coach with this father-like mentality for years and it undoubtedly hindered them from playing to their full potential.

You can constantly see Harbaugh down on the field throwing passes to his wide receivers before the game. You can see him smacking Alex Smith's shoulder pads in order to pump him up. You can literally see the respect and trust Harbaugh has in his players and they feed off it every single game.

It sounds so simple, but the confidence that Harbaugh instilled in this team is the main reason for the 49ers' resurgence. This strategy was perfectly exemplified in his resurrection of Alex Smith. 

The former first overall pick was expected to be run out of town with his tail between his legs after the 2010 season. Enough was enough and everyone wanted him gone—that is, everyone except for Harbaugh.

From day one, Harbaugh has shown nothing but confidence in Smith. Instead of expecting him to live up to the high expectations of being a first-round pick, he gave him the necessary tools to become a legitimate quarterback in the NFL. He surrounded him with coaches, personal, confidence and a game plan tailored to his strengths.

But how far can this confidence take them?

The naysayers believe the 49ers' playoff inexperience will be their ultimate downfall. Some say there is no way the 49ers can continue to rely on sheer confidence in order to win. Other teams in the NFL are also confident in their abilities, and they also have a ton of talent to go along with it.

However, in some instances, confidence trumps experience. This holds especially true for the 49ers in 2011. All experience is is the confidence to perform because one has been there before.

Also, the 49ers have just as much talent as the other elite teams in the NFL. They had eight Pro Bowlers on their roster this year, which was more than any other team.

When Harbaugh came to the 49ers, he took a look at a roster that was oozing with talent. He saw players like Patrick Willis: the best linebacker in the NFL. He saw Justin Smith: the best 3-4 defensive end in the NFL. He saw Vernon Davis: the most athletically gifted tight end in the NFL. He saw Frank Gore: a running back who still had two to three solid years left.

Even with the not-so-talented players, Harbaugh put them in the best position to succeed in the system. There is no wasted talent on this roster; everyone has a role.

This was demonstrated perfectly in his usage with wide receiver Ted Ginn, Jr. He was a former top-10 pick in the NFL draft and was eventually run out of town by the Miami Dolphins. He isn't known for having the best hands in the NFL, but he has game-breaking speed when he has the ball.

So what does Harbaugh do with him? He instilled a play on offense called the "fly sweep" that perfectly utilizes Ginn's blistering speed. All Ginn has to do is sprint towards Smith and get the ball handed off to him. Then it's off to the races.

Harbaugh also brought in Vic Fangio, the defensive coordinator for the 49ers, and he has completely revamped this defense into the best in the NFL. Fangio has instituted a defensive scheme that can put pressure on the quarterback by only rushing four. The same strategy is used to stuff the running game while only putting seven in the box.

Believe it or not, the 49ers have a good enough defense not only to contain the potent passing attacks of the New Orleans Saints and the Green Bay Packers, but to slow it down considerably. When the 49ers rush the passer with only four linemen, they are able to collapse the pocket and put pressure on him every play. Even when they don't actually get to the quarterback, he's under duress with the pocket caving in on him.

This will be the recipe for success for the 49ers. It's a game plan that should have the Saints and every other playoff team worried because it truly is an effective strategy. And you can thank Harbaugh for bringing in the mastermind behind this brilliant defensive scheme.

Harbaugh has also gotten the 49ers to fully embrace another role: being the underdog.

No matter what team the 49ers happen to play during the rest of the postseason, they'll be considered the underdogs—maybe with the exception of the Denver Broncos or the Houston Texans, but the 49ers will not likely see either this year.

You know the 49ers are feeling disrespected that the Saints are favored to win on their home turf. You know it's going to give them extra motivation, which can be a very dangerous thing come playoff time. Offensive lineman Anthony Davis said he actually likes the feeling of being underestimated.

The 49ers have the talent. They have the right personnel to execute their game plan. They have Harbaugh, who has confidence in every single one of his players and isn't afraid to show it. And they also believe that they are underdogs no matter whom they play.

What do you get when you combine all four? You get a very dangerous team that could very well make it to the Super Bowl.