The 49ers game got off to a scary start after kick returner Trent Cannon took a knee to the head from teammate Talanoa Hufanga and was eventually carted off on a stretcher and left the game in an ambulance.
The defense opened with a three-and-out, but the special teams let them down after allowing a 73-yard run on a fake punt by Seattle. We discussed how disappointing the special teams had been leading up to this game, and it didn’t take long for them to disappoint.
After the offense went three-and-out, D.J. Jones had a five-yard tackle for loss then made an outstanding effort play to force a fumble. That gave the 49ers offense the ball on the 24-yard line. Jimmy Garoppolo found a wide-open George Kittle down the middle of the field to tie the game at seven apiece. And just like that, we had ourselves a ball game again.
The defense stopped Seattle once again on three downs, giving the Niners offense the ball back. With an opportunity to build momentum, those tricky underneath defenders fooled Jimmy G once again as he threw the ball in between the 5 and the 4 of Bobby Wagner.
What happened next was the reason the game remained close. Seattle took over on San Francisco’s 28-yard line. After an offensive holding call, Nick Bosa had his 12th sack of the season. That made it 2nd & 43, which led to a missed 56-yard field goal by Jason Meyers.
What followed after that was even more impressive as the 49ers marched nine plays in four minutes thanks to a 28-yard George Kittle catch and run. Elijah Mitchell capped off a two-yard touchdown run to make it 14-7.
After a Seattle punt, the 49ers had a field goal that saw a drive stall thanks to a Trent Sherfield holding call. Each team would trade touchdowns on the next three drives. After a Seattle punt, the 49ers had a field goal that saw a drive stall thanks to a Trent Sherfield holding call. Each team would trade touchdowns on the following three drives. Seattle converted a 3rd & 14 and started to pick on Deommodore Lenoir.
Kittle walked the tight rope down the sideline and benefitted from Jauan Jennings blocking two defenders for a 48-yard touchdown. Unfortunately, two roughing the passer penalties put Seattle in a position to score, and they capitalized after another Lenoir mistake to bring the score within two points.
At the half, it was 23-21.
Travis Benjamin fumbled the opening kickoff. Seattle looked as though they were going to score, but Gerald Everett had a pass land in his lap and dropped it. The ball bounced into the arms of K’Waun Williams, and the Niners were fortunate to avoid going down in the third quarter.
On 3rd & 8, Tom Compton got steamrolled by Carlos Dunlap, and Garoppolo was sacked for a safety to make it 23-23. After a Seattle punt, Jimmy overthrew George Kittle by about ten yards. Tiki Barber wondered who Jimmy G was throwing the ball to, as did everyone else in the stadium.
Seattle didn’t waste any time, and Tyler Lockett scored on third down to give the Seahawks a 7-point lead. Both teams traded punts before the offense took over inside of their 10-yard line.
Garoppolo found Kyle Juszczyk on a perfect back-shoulder throw for a gain of 13 yards. Brandon Aiyuk had an opportunity to convert on a third-down, but after a big hit lodged the ball out, San Francisco was forced to punt.
After stopping Seattle on third down, the Niners had their eighth penalty of the afternoon courtesy of a Dontae Johnson personal foul where he hit Everrett with his helmet. That play was followed by a 27-yard screen pass where the Seahawks caught the Niners in a blitz.
Seattle kept their offense on the field on 4th & 1 inside of the five-yard line and converted, which all but ended the 49ers’ hopes of a comeback. That was until a series of stops by the defense.
The Seahawks had 1st & goal from the 49ers’ one-yard line and fumbled after Azeez Al-Shaair forced a fumble that Dontae Johnson recovered. That gave the Niners life as they had 98 yards to go to tie the game.
Jimmy found Kittle out of the end zone and Aiyuk down the field. After another Kittle reception, the 49ers were on the 30-yard line at the two-minute warning. A block in the back call on Sherfield moved the 49ers back, but it was 1st & 10, so the Niners weren’t hurt too much by the penalty.
The 49ers ran the ball on first and second down to move the ball to the three-yard line with 27 seconds to play. They drove 95 yards in 3.5 minutes. On 3rd & goal, Garoppolo found Sherfield in the end zone, but the wideout couldn’t hang on. It was a great pass by Jimmy. It would have been a ticky-tack penalty, so I understand not throwing a flag for pass interference.
Garoppolo’s fourth-down pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage, and the 49ers’ three-game winning streak was snapped.
The 49ers had every opportunity to win this one. Fun ending, but they blew it with multiple mistakes. You can’t go scoreless on the road in the second half and expect to win in this league. Penalties and turnovers hurt. They battled but came up short.
