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SANTA CLARA – It’s hard to expect much more from the 49ers than we’ve seen before.
So, yes, the 49ers have a bunch of built-in excuses with another season picking up on the injury front where the team’s 2020 version left off.
But even without all the bad luck hanging over this team, the 49ers should have done enough in the first half to come out of Week 4 with a win over the Seattle Seahawks.
The 49ers’ offense did not benefit from an incredible performance from the defense. And the result was a 28-21 loss that brought the 49ers down (2-2) two games away from the NFC West-leading Arizona Cardinals.
Here are the notes from the deflated 49ers defeat:
Rushed offense
On the bright side, rookie running back Trey Sermon ran with much more determination than in Week 3 against the Green Bay Packers. Sermon amassed 89 yards on 19 rushing attempts, following a 31-yard performance. The 49ers did a good job creating holes for the running back starting with the passing play.
Rookie quarterback Trey Lance added 41 rushing yards in seven carries, not to mention a successful run on a two-point conversion. The 49ers averaged 4.9 yards per rushing attempt.
Category B
Exceeding offense
Jimmy Garoppolo played the first half before coming out with a calf injury. Lance entered at the start of the third quarter. It wasn’t always pretty, but Lance showed off the big-game ability that prompted the 49ers to select him with the No.3 pick overall. He connected with Deebo Samuel on scoring plays that covered 76 and 8 yards.
Garoppolo finished the game’s first record with a 21-yard touchdown to Ross Dwelley. But, after that, the 49ers’ passing game struggled behind Garoppolo. Lance threw for 157 yards, while Garoppolo threw for 165 yards. The overall numbers are much better than you first thought. Samuel had an exceptional game with eight catches for 156 yards.
Rating: C-less
Fast defense
The 49ers did a good job against running back Chris Carson, an underrated part of the Seahawks’ offense. Carson only managed 30 yards on 13 rushing attempts. Seattle scored two rushing touchdowns – one from quarterback Russell Wilson and one from running back Alex Collins.
The 49ers had seven tackles for a loss. Linebackers Azeez Al-Shaair and Fred Warner combined 19 tackles.
Category B
Pass defense
The 49ers’ defense was outstanding for most of the first half, but everyone knew it was only a matter of time before Wilson pitched in. Dee Ford had two sacks in the first half. But he suffered a costly offside penalty at a key point in the fourth quarter.
Dr. Kirkpatrick made his first start with the 49ers, but was called up for controversial passing interference at an inconvenient time in the fourth quarter.
Wilson completed 16 of 23 passes for 149 yards. He threw killer passes to DK Metcalf and Freddie Swain. The 49ers did not sack Wilson in the second half.
Rating: C
Special teams
Trenton Cannon has had a miserable day as a homecoming man. He lost a fumble in the second half that led directly to a Seahawks touchdown. It wasn’t a good day for the special teams, but it’s hard to blame Mitch Wishnowsky for the kicking game.
Pressed into action when Robbie Gould suffered a pre-game groin injury, Wishnowsky missed a 41-yard FG and a 38-yard PAT attempt.
Rating: F
framing
Seriously, at this point what can they do? The 49ers were on their fifth running back and were also ultra-thin at the cornerback position. The game plan to launch Garoppolo looked solid. After Lance entered, the 49ers staged a touchdown pass to Samuel in which there was no defenseman nearby.
The decision to attempt a 38-yard PAT rather than a two-point conversion from the 7-yard line did not work.
Rating: D
RELATED: Shanahan Worried About Trent Williams’ Shoulder Injury
Globally
What else can go wrong for this team? (Maybe that’s a question that shouldn’t be asked.) The 49ers had the opportunity early in this game to build up a good cushion against the Seahawks in this NFC West game. The offense failed. Special teams have faltered. And, ultimately, the defense dropped out of some games as well.
The 49ers have lost two games in a row and now face a critical game against the division-leading Cardinals.
Rating: D
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