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SANTA CLARA — Here is how the 49ers (8-1) graded in Monday night’s 27-24 loss to the Seattle Seahawks (8-2):
PASS OFFENSE: F
This unit has never looked as unreliable this season. As many as nine drops, compounded by George Kittle’s absence and Emmanuel Sanders’ rib-injury exit, made this an overall woeful performance. Jimmy Garoppolo wasn’t sharp (24-of-46, 248 yards, five sacks, two strip-sack fumbles, two interceptions dropped in OT). Nothing demonstrated the reversal of the passing game’s fortunes more than Kendrick Bourne, who was a third-down savior in the first half (3-for-3, one touchdown) to multiple blunders down the stretch (drop for interception, drop in red zone). Marquise Goodwin (0 catches, three targets, all on first series) and Dante Pettis (0 catches, three targets) got blanked. Deebo Samuel’s career-best night (eight catches, 112 yards) wasn’t nearly enough but the rookie shows so much physicality and promise. Pass blocking wasn’t in sync as Joe Staley and Mike McGlinchey shook off the rust after extended absences, and Ben Garland’s cameo in place of Weston Richburg yielded a strip-sack for the Seahawks’ first TD.
RUN OFFENSE: D
Season-low totals of 87 yards and 27 carries illustrated how the 49ers’ offense couldn’t find it’s ignition switch. Kyle Juszczyk made a couple signature lead blocks in his return, including on Tevin Coleman’s game-high 22-yard run. But the Seahawks defensive front proved problematic. Matt Breida (10 carries, 18 yards) again has an ankle injury that’s flared up two consecutive games, though he’s said it’s not as bad as last season’s. Coleman had just 18 yards on his other eight carries. The 49ers can’t afford to lose Richburg, so here’s hoping his left-hand injury is not serious.
PASS DEFENSE: B
Dre Greenlaw’s overtime interception at the 4-yard line delayed the loss but could have been the heroic moment. Sacking Russell Wilson five times (twice by Fred Warner) seemed like a win, until you realize he also baited pass rushers before stepping up and either finding targets down field or running for first downs. No strip-sack touchdown in recent 49ers history produced as wacky as a play as the one DeForest Buckner scored on to spark the fourth-quarter rally. To sum up that play, K’Waun Williams sacked Wilson, who had the ball stripped by his right tackle, who then had the ball punched free by Fred Warner and scooped up by Buckner. “I saw one of the linemen take the ball from him and was just wondering, ‘What the hell is this dude doing?’ ” Dee Ford was barely seen, and he looked in pain as he tried to chase down Wilson’s 18-yard scramble on the final drive.
RUN DEFENSE: D
At least the run defense finally held firm on an opening series, although the Seahawks only called for one run on that three-and-out drive. Chris Carlson (25 carries, 89 yards, one touchdown) had a respectable outing, but the more damaging runs, as expected, came from Wilson, whose 18-yard scramble to set up the eventual winning field goal is an overshadowed play but could have lasting ramifications if this loss haunts the 49ers’ in the NFC West standings. Vowing to play hard in Kwon Alexander’s absence, Warner had 10 tackles, two sacks, two hits, one forced fumble, one pass defensed. The defensive backs tackled well, especially when the Seahawks wisely ran wide toward the boundary. D.J. Jones’ groin injury is a lingering concern.
SPECIAL TEAMS: D
With Robbie Gould (quadriceps) unable to suit up, the 49ers relied on a rookie in the clutch, and Chase McLaughlin came through on a 47-yarder to send it to overtime but then missed badly from the same distance with 3:06 remaining. Get well soon, Robbie. Only 1 of 5 punts by Mitch Wishnowsky pinned the Seahawks inside their 20, and Richie James’ returns were non-factors.
COACHING: D
Sloppy play and an out-of-sync offense can be attributed to traced to a variety of factors but the 49ers never seemed in a confident, aggressive, ingenuitive flow. It’s easy to second guess Kyle Shanahan for calling three consecutive pass plays on the final drive that killed only 35 seconds and left enough time for the Seahawks, but I wasn’t too disturbed by it; runs likely wouldn’t have gone well, either, and playing for a tie is not a Week 10-worthy message. Now comes the hard work: not letting this loss snowball. Can’t wait for the Week 17 rematch in Seattle.
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