San Francisco Offense A No-Show, 49ers Lose Big To Seahawks
By Jerrell Richardson
The 49ers were only able to muster 13 points each time they played the Seahawks a year ago, so while it wasn't expected for them to make this a high scoring affair, this was pathetic. With no offense to speak of, the defense eventually wore down, and the result was a resounding 29-3 beat down at the hands of Seattle Seahawks. After losing by 29 the last time these two teams met, payback had to be on the minds of the 49ers, but they will have to wait for the week 14 rematch. San Francisco committed several mistakes that did not help their cause, but Seattle proved that they are almost unbeatable at home, and that no team wants to end up there in the post season.
Offense – Grade: D-
Colin Kaepernick had a bad night. He threw three interceptions, completed less than half of his throws, had no touchdowns, lost a fumble, and never looked comfortable in or out of the pocket. He missed throws, under threw receivers and to make matters worse, one interception was on the goal line, taking points off the board. He was not the only one who failed to deliver in this pivotal game though, as the only thing the 49ers did as a unit on the offensive side of the ball was get dominated.
Frank Gore had his second ineffective game, totaling 16 yards on nine carries, and was the only back that got more than one carry. Kaepernick added 87 yards, but most of that was after the game had already been decided. The wide receivers were missing in action. After a big Week 1, Anquan Boldin was held to one catch and the leading receiver was Kyle Williams who hauled in four receptions. Vernon Davis was limited to three catches for 20 yards, and the only other player with more than one reception was fullback Bruce Miller, who caught two.
There is no single player to blame for the 49ers offensive woes, as they all pitched in. Colin Kaepernick was off, his receivers were unable to get open and Frank Gore gave them little on the ground. The only way it could have been worse is if they had put up a goose egg.
Defense – Grade: B
The defense played much better than the scoreboard indicated, as most of the Seattle points were off a 49er turnover or penalty. The safety was of course not on the defense, and after Kaepernick fumbled deep in San Francisco territory, the defense held the Seahawks to a field goal. It was 5-0 at the break, and should have been 0-0. The second half slowly wore the defense down, but they still did as well as to be expected given the situation.
Marshawn Lynch was Seattle's offense. He rushed for 98 yards and had three total touchdowns, but did the majority of his damage in the first half. Russell Wilson was efficient, but not spectacular, finishing with 142 yards on eight of 19 passing, a touchdown and one interception.
The 49ers defense was up to the task and played well enough to win on most nights, but unfortunately the Seahawks are not your ordinary team. With no help from the offense, the defense was fighting a losing battle and eventually could not hold up.
Special Teams – Grade: B
The main players did their jobs. Andy Lee averaged 49 yards on 4 punts, and Phil Dawson hit his only field goal attempt. They also managed to block a punt, although it was partially due to some confusion in the Seattle blockers. Unfortunately the Special teams had no bearing on the game as the 49ers were not in position on the scoreboard to make a field goal, punt, or even their own lost fumble on a kick off important.
It's Just One Loss
The 49ers got beat badly, but in the end it only counts as one mark in the loss column, and all Seattle really did was hold serve. The Seahawks were supposed to win this game, and only did what was expected. There are some concerns for the 49er offense, but they were going against one of the best defenses in the league, and San Francisco was not the first this season, and will certainly not be the last team to struggle against the Seahawks, especially in Seattle. The season is still early, and at this pace, San Francisco can still finish 15-1, which should be just enough to get them in the playoffs.
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Jerrell Richardson is a Bay Area native who due to a college career at San Diego State University has grown an appreciation for all things sports related in California. His heart will always remain in San Francisco though where he currently resides and covers everything from the San Francisco 49ers and Giants to the San Jose Sharks and California Bears Baseball team. Jerrell is a freelance writer covering all things NFL. His work can be found on Examiner.com.
