HARBAUGH WANTS A DO- OVER:
Coach Jim Harbaugh second- guesses play- calling on 49ers’ final drive of Super Bowl.
SANTA CLARA — Jim Harbaugh acknowledged Tuesday that he wants a Super Bowl do- over.
The 49ers coach said so in response to a question about the 49ers’ heavily criticized play- calling on their final drive against the Baltimore Ravens.
Noting that the drive stalled 5 yards short of the end zone in a 34- 31 loss in New Orleans, Harbaugh said that any such failure forces him to second guess.
“Yeah, ( I) would’ve liked to have tried a different play call, a different scenario,’’ Harbaugh said. “That’s the way I always feel if you do something and it doesn’t work.”
Starting with a first- andgoal from the Ravens 7 with just over two minutes to play, the 49ers gave LaMichael James a handoff for a 2- yard gain.
Then quarterback Colin Kaepernick tried three consecutive passes — all to receiver Michael Crabtree, all to the right side, all incomplete. Harbaugh didn’t say what play might have worked better, saying only: “I would’ve liked to have done something different, at least tried it.
“But you can’t. The ‘ would’ve, could’ve, should’ve’ is undefeated. That’s never failed.”
Players spent Tuesday clearing out their lockers — and answering questions about the big one that got away. Kaepernick, who threw for 302 yards and a touchdown in the Super Bowl, said his final pass to Crabtree came on an audible at the line of scrimmage.
That play came on fourth- and- 5 with 1: 50 left. Kaepernick saw the Ravens playing a Cover- 0 defense, meaning all of the defenders were at the line with no safeties back. That left Crabtree matched up one-on-one against cornerback Jimmy Smith to the quarterback’s right.
“I audibled to a fade to Crab,’’ Kaepernick said. “I’ll take Crabtree one- on- one with anybody.”
The pass fell incomplete under tight coverage from Smith. Many 49ers complained to the officials that Smith should have been flagged for defensive holding.
Kaepernick was asked Tuesday how he would remember this season.
“As not being good enough,’’ he replied.
Aldon Smith insisted Tuesday that his shoulder was not an issue even through he did not have a sack in the final six games, including the Super Bowl loss to Baltimore.
“I don’t think my shoulder was a problem at all,” said Smith, who had 19 ⁄ sacks in the team’s first 13 games.
Smith said he feels “all right” and that he just needs “rest” in the offseason.
Asked about the 49ers’ lack of a pass rush late in the season, Smith added, “We didn’t get to the quarterback as much as we should have. But they were blocking us a lot of different ways. The ball was coming out a lot faster.”
Some 49ers fans were upset to hear that the team threw a party after its crushing Super Bowl loss. Offensive lineman Joe Staley said he attended to be with his teammates and because playing in a Super Bowl builds an appetite.
“The vibe was pretty down,’’ Staley said. “But we tried to have as much fun as we could.”
Receiver Randy Moss took heat for his lackluster effort on Kaepernick’s interception in the second quarter. Moss broke off his route and appeared to give up as the ball sailed over his head and into the arms of Ravens safety Ed Reed.
Kaepernick, though, said there was nothing Moss could have done. “I overthrew the pass. It was my fault,” he said.
Harbaugh agreed, saying: “I felt the ball was thrown too high. It wasn’t catchable. And I think that’s one Colin would’ve liked to have back.”
Harbaugh said defensive lineman Justin Smith would undergo triceps surgery this week with a possible recovery time of two to three months.
First- round draft pick wide receiver A. J. Jenkins, who did not have a catch his rookie season and was mostly inactive on game days, vowed to come back in better shape in 2013.
“It really humbled me, honestly, my first year not playing,’’ Jenkins said.
Jenkins is among the group of players joining Kaepernick for offseason workouts in Atlanta.
“He and I are already great friends off the field,” Jenkins said. “Hopefully, we can get that going on the field as well.”