49ers suffer embarrassing 37-18 loss to Seahawks

Complete Game Stats

Everyone has been talking about the Seattle Seahawks' offensive woes this season. What did the Seahawks do early on against the San Francisco 49ers to answer those criticizing them? They scored in just three plays during their opening drive and went 75 yards in just 43 seconds to take an early 7-0 lead, forcing the erratic 49ers offense to play from behind early. On their next drive, the Seahawks offense ate over 8 minutes of clock with a 14-play, 62-yard touchdown drive and didn't look anything like the offense that was on display during their first two games.

Trailing 14-0, the 49ers didn't get a first down until the final play of the first quarter. Each of their first three drives ended with the 49ers punting away the football. However, the 49ers got a huge break in the second quarter when Seahawks TE Jimmy Graham fumbled the ball and San Francisco recovered, starting the 49ers at the Seattle 30-yard line. The 49ers traveled 26 yards in five plays to kick a field goal and narrow the Seattle lead.

The Seahawks scored quickly again in the second quarter with a 4-play, 73-yard drive that took just 1:48 off the clock. The 18-yard touchdown pass from QB Russell Wilson to TE Jimmy Graham gave Seattle a 21-3 lead. The 49ers tried to answer with another field goal from 53 yards, but it was short and wide right.

A field goal gave the Seahawks a 24-3 lead going into halftime. Seattle had 311 yards of total offense in the first half. The only reason the Seahawks had 311 total yards and not 317 was because the 49ers managed to sack Wilson at the end of the first half. During the first half, the Blaine Gabbert led 49ers unit managed just 102 total yards of offense in the first half with only 25 coming from the running game, which has struggled so far this season.

A huge punt return by Seahawks WR Tyler Lockett in the second half would start the Seattle offense at the 49ers' 26-yard line. The Seahawks kicked a field goal to end their ensuing drive to take a 27-3 lead.

On the next drive, the 49ers turned the call over on a catchable pass from Gabbert to WR Quinton Patton. However, the ball bounced off of his hands and went right into the waiting arms of MLB Bobby Wagner. Another field goal put Seattle up 30-3.

Rookie QB Trevone Boykin entered the game for the Seahawks after Wilson left with an injury and the offense didn't miss a beat. He threw a touchdown pass to WR Doug Baldwin to put the Seahawks up 37-3 early in the fourth quarter.

The 49ers finally got into the end zone with under 8 minutes remaining in the game. RB Carlos Hyde, who had been ineffective for the majority of the game, capped off an 11-play, 75-yard drive with an 8-yard touchdown run to cut the Seahawks lead to 27.

LB Nick Bellore picked off Boykin late in the fourth quarter and the 49ers would drive down the field for a meaningless touchdown on another 8-yard Hyde run and a successful 2-point conversion. The Seahawks ended the game with a 37-18 beating of the 49ers.

Hyde ended the game with 103 yards against Seattle, but most of that came in the fourth quarter. Gabbert finished the game 14 of 25 for 119 yards and an interception. Torrey Smith led the 49ers in receiving with three catches for 35 yards. For the Seahawks, Wilson was 15 of 23 passing for 243 yards and a touchdown in his limited play. Boykin completed seven of nine for 65 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Michael rushed for 106 yards and two touchdowns while Baldwin led the Seahawks in receiving with eight catches for 164 yards.

Injuries

TE Vance McDonald left the game in the first half with a hip injury and was reportedly questionable to return.

CB Jimmie Ward left the game in the first with a non-contact injury to his right quad (leg) and did not return. Following the game, head coach Chip Kelly stated that he believes that it was a muscle injury and not something more serious. Of course, he did not want to say that was the case for sure.

TE Garrett Celek left the game at the beginning of the second half, but returned shortly after.

WR Torrey Smith left the game in the fourth quarter with an injury.

Notes and Quotes

Following the game, head coach Chip Kelly stated that there was never any discussion about getting Colin Kaepernick into the game.

When addressing the team's short passes on third down, Kelly said that the goal was to catch the ball underneath, which the Seahawks were giving up, and then "knife up the field." They were not successful in that plan.

"I thought he played OK," said Kelly in regards to Gabbert's play against the Seahawks.

"The early indications are that it was a muscle (injury)," said Kelly of Ward's injury.

"They do a great job of making you throw underneath and knife for the yardage," said Gabbert following the loss. "But when they rally to the tackle, we have to fight for those yards and get the tough third down conversion."

"We really got to do a good job of studying what we did well and what we didn't do well so we can use that in the next game," said Gabbert.

For the second straight week, the 49ers have allowed a 100-yard rusher and two 100-yard receivers.