Here are some quick notes and observations from the final quarter of play.
4th Quarter start - SF Punt, SF 23, SEA 17 at SEA 18 yd. line
- Lots of excitement already, with a picked-up penalty and Shanahan challenging that the Seattle returner touched the loose ball. Not a play I would've thrown the red flag on, but if SF gets the ball back... the play didn't get overturned, but the replay clearly shows the returner's thumb getting contacted by the ball. Not a bad challenge by Shanahan. According to the telecast, the officials did not have access to the TV angles, which begs the question... why?
- 3rd and 10. Not to be melodramatic, but if Seattle converts this, it might be the game.
- DE Nick Bosa making waves in the backfield, literally almost ripping the ball out of Seattle QB Geno Smith's hands. Great stop for SF... and another slip on the return for WR Jacob Cowing.
SEA punt - SF 23, SEA 17 at SF 12 yd. line
- Another big injury for the 49ers - LG Aaron Banks down on the field. RB Jordan Mason, S Malik Mustapha, and now Banks have been taken off the field today, all key starters at positions of concern for SF.
- Key juncture for SF, with a long field to go and hanging on to a narrow one-score lead. And now Samuel limping and shaking himself around off the field... unsure if related to the facemark penalty he received on a dead play. Kittle on the sideline, too. Very dire straits.
- Appears to be a minor hand injury for WR Deebo Samuel. He's back in after QB Brock Purdy rips one to WR Brandon Aiyuk over the middle for a big gain.
- Overthrow on a screen pass sets up a huge 3rd-and-9 for SF, who take their second timeout of the half(!) to take a look at the defense and reevaluate their strategy.
- And a Purdy pass that's well off the mark ricochets off a Seattle defender, incomplete. Now San Francisco punts inside Seattle's territory, pinning them inside the 5. Great special teams play there, but they did almost the exact same thing last quarter and Seattle drove for a TD.
SF punt - SF 23, SEA 17 at SEA 3
- The telecast is discussing the punt at the beginning of the 4th quarter, and apparently the NFL officials did not have the TV angle that showed the thumb being clearly impacted. In what world are TV viewers able to have a better understanding of the game than the referees?
- CB Renardo Green saves the day! The rookie streaks directly in front of a Geno Smith pass, returning the ball all the way to Seattle's 15. 49ers on the doorstep of another score, up by 6.
SEA INT - SF 23, SEA 17 at SEA 15
- On this new possession, TE George Kittle - who had been seen hustling into the locker room - is now on the sideline, seemingly good to go.
- Purdy with a dart to Kittle! No flag, and the TD puts the 49ers up two scores. At this point, I'm not sure there's any point in red zone plays that aren't "Kittle taking a slant at the goal line".
- No good on the 2 point try - despite a defensive penalty that gives SF a 1-yard attempt, RB Isaac Guerendo gets stuffed. Is it appropriate to invoke the old adage now, and say "Guerendo is good, but he's no Jordan Mason"?
SF kickoff - SF 29, SEA 17 at SEA 30
- Bosa's wreaking havoc, lining up on the right side and crushing Geno Smith from the blind side as he nearly notches another sack. Side note, I think CB Isaac Yiadom somehow made a tackle on a short pass by simply standing up.
- 49ers absolutely bailed out by an illegal shift penalty that nullifies a deep TD to DK Metcalf, who absolutely torched San Francisco's deep safety.
- Seattle WR Jake Bobo with two consecutive catches deep in the fourth. I would advise against getting beat because a guy named Jake Bobo tears up your defense.
- LB Fred Warner peanut punch counter, TNF edition: 1. That marks his fourth forced fumble of the season.
- I wonder if people are going to talk about Geno Smith not seeing WR Tyler Lockett running free into the end zone in the same way they hold it against Purdy not seeing Aiyuk in Week 3.
- S George Odum on the coverage, breaking up a nearly perfect pass that would've brought Seattle to within 5 at the 2-minute warning. 4-down territory for Seattle, down by 12 inside the two minute warning. But at the 9, not the easiest conversion.
- Geno Smith threads it to Lockett under heavy pressure, and the kick indeed brings them within 5. Seattle has all three timeouts remaining, because it can't be easy when the 49ers go to Seattle.
SEA kickoff - SF 29, SEA 24 at SF 19
- One first down ends the game, special teams nonsense notwithstanding.
- GUERENDO WITH THE PLAY OF THE GAME! The rookie RB breaks loose for a 76 yard gain, and has the presence of mind to slide at the 1 to prevent Seattle from getting the ball back! He may have just earned a starting spot for next week with that play.
- With the huge play from Guerendo, San Francisco is now outrushing Seattle 253-54. You'd think the game wouldn't be nearly this close given that stat.
- Game over. FB Kyle Juszczyk seals the deal with a 6-yard TD run! Just an old-school FB dive. Juice cuts back instead of lead blocking for Guerendo, and gets to celebrate with his wife, Kristin, behind the end zone. The entire team gets to take a huge sigh of relief after this.
SF kickoff - SF 36, SEA 24 at SEA 49
- Well, I suppose not quite game over. New kicker Matthew Wright forced to make a big play-saving tackle, much akin to the one Jake Moody got injured on last week. Wright looks shaken up, and Seattle is going deep repeatedly with about a minute left in the game.
- After a few deep shots (well-defended by the 49ers' secondary), San Francisco swarms Geno Smith and brings him down for what feels like the first time all game. A 2nd-and-23 puts Seattle's back firmly up against the wall.
- One failed Hail Mary later, San Francisco takes over to finally put the game to bed.
SEA Turnover on Downs - SF 36, SEA 24 at SF 39
End of game - SF 36, SEA 24
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