Harbaugh disagrees with Coughlin's disagreements

"NFL Turning Point" on Versus featured a segment Wednesday night on the 49ers' 27-20 victory over the New York Giants. The show pointed out how the Giants were predictable on their fourth-down play at the end of the game.
Throughout the season, the Giants showed a tendency when they needed to pick up some yards. The concept is for the Giants' slot receiver to run a clearing route up the middle of the field, and the outside receiver enters the vacated space over the middle, where quarterback Eli Manning usually finds him wide open.The 49ers' strategy on the game's most-important play is foreshadowed when linebackers coach Jim Leavitt tells Patrick Willis on the sideline, "Pick him up a little early . . . 85," referring to tight end Jake Ballard.
And on the fourth-and-2 play with the Giants in need of a touchdown, Willis steps up and uses his right shoulder to jam Ballard at the line of scrimmage. The two players tangle, with Willis' right hand momentarily appearing to grasp Ballard's left hip.With Ballard re-routed and unable to run his clearing route, slot receiver Victor Cruz could not get open. And it didn't matter, anyway, as Justin Smith batted down Manning's pass.The day after the game, Giants coach Tom Coughlin said he thought Willis should have been penalized, and the Giants should've had a first down."I think that it's safe to say that that was defensive holding, yes," Coughlin told the New York media.On Wednesday, 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said he believed Willis played the situation perfectly."His arms never got involved," Harbaugh said of Willis. "He was playing Ballard off the line, saw his head dip down and I thought it was an outstanding play. There's allowed to be contact within the first 5 yards. I have to disagree with coach on that, that he was tackled. I didn't see Ballard be tackled by Patrick Willis."The other play that Coughlin thought should've been called a penalty against the 49ers was the Delanie Walker shift that prompted Giants defensive end Dave Tollefson to jump into the neutral zone on a crucial third-and-2 situation in the fourth quarter.
"You have to understand that the intent to deceive is something that has to be determined," Coughlin said. "The officials did not think that that was intent to deceive. We can disagree all we want. But it's obvious that it's a part of their plan and they execute it very well."Harbaugh said the intent is not to get the opponent to jump offside, but rather to "change the strength of the formation." Harbaugh is adamant that it's a legal, normal shift.
Here is the exact language in the NFL rulebook. The key words are "quick, abrupt movement" in the officials judgment:Rule 7, Section 4: Action at or Before the Snap
Article 2: False Start. It is a False Start if the ball has been placed ready for play, and, prior to the snap, an offensive player who has assumed a set position charges or moves in such a way as to simulate the start of a play, or if an offensive player who is in motion makes a sudden movement toward the line of scrimmage. Any quick abrupt movement by a single offensive player, or by several offensive players in unison, which simulates the start of the snap, is a false start.Coughlin also pointed out that on the other side of the formation, tight end Vernon Davis flinched. Upon re-watching that play, Coughlin had a good argument. But all the focus was on Walker and Tollefson on the other side of the ball.