The San Francisco 49ers dropped another ugly divisional game at Levi’s Stadium, falling to 5-5 on the season with a 20-17 defeat at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
It was another ugly game for the 49ers, as they just weren’t able to close out the contest, despite having a number of opportunities to do so, allowing Seattle to mount a comeback, with quarterback Geno Smith scoring the go-ahead touchdown with just 12 seconds left.
Offensively, the 49ers really struggled to finish drives, which has been the case all year, thanks to penalties and inconsistencies.
Defensively, San Francisco looked good enough and made stops for much of the afternoon, but faltered on the final drive as Seattle was able to drive 80 yards to get the game-winning score on Sunday.
Here are three quick takeaways from the 49ers 20-17 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Finishing games
How many times have second halves and finishing games come up for the 49ers in 2024? With the loss, San Francisco dropped to 2-4 in one-score games, struggling to maintain their leads in the second half once again.
This game was filled with missed opportunities for San Francisco from the start to the end that ultimately allowed the Seahawks to capitalize and claw back in with the finish.
Looking back at the first half, the 49ers defense got out of a field goal chance for Seattle with a crucial third down sack, leading to a punt and a touchback for the offense to work with. But, two plays later, Brock Purdy forced a ball to Christian McCaffrey, throwing his eighth pick of the year, to which Seattle scored a field goal off.
Later in the half, the 49ers got into field goal range and were dragged out due to penalties, forcing a punt.
But, the real damage came in the second half, where Seattle outscored San Francisco 14-10 en route to the three-point victory. It all started with a positive defensive play, as Isaac Yiadom intercepted Geno Smith, but the 49ers could only muster a field goal in return, despite starting at the Seahawks 27-yard line.
After both sides traded touchdowns, giving San Francisco a 17-13 lead, the defense got a crucial turnover on downs, giving the offense a chance to put the kill shot on with under four minutes left in the game.
Once again, the 49ers got into Seattle territory, but as has been the case all year long, they weren’t able to successfully end the game, instead punting in plus territory once again at the Seahawks 42-yard line.
Defensively, San Francisco faltered from there, as Geno Smith led an 11-play, 80-yard touchdown drive over 2:26 to get the Seahawks the go-ahead score with just 12 seconds left, using his legs on a number of occasions to catch the 49ers off guard.
San Francisco has dealt with some ugly collapses this year. But, this one may be the worst, given that the 49ers had serious playoff implications coming into this game. They now stand at 5-5 and are fourth in the NFC West, due to their 1-3 divisional record.
Penalties
Time and time again this year, the 49ers have found themselves in games much closer than you would expect due to them not being able to play quality football over four quarters.
On Sunday, one of their biggest issues ended up being penalties, as San Francisco saw a number of their opportunities derailed by discipline issues.
Going back to their long drive near the end of the first half, the 49ers drove all the way down to Seattle’s 34-yard line with a 7-6 lead, looking to make a push before halftime. But, they dealt with three penalties on the drive, with the final one being the most costly.
Colton McKivitz had a false start on 1st & 10, backing San Francisco up and forcing them to be in an unideal dropback situation. McKivitz promptly gave up a sack on the next play and the 49ers had a 2nd & 24 that they couldn’t recover from. Suddenly, a chance to score points ended with a punt in opposing territory.
To start the second half, the 49ers were in a great spot, intercepting Geno Smith and starting at the Seattle 27-yard line. They drove to Seattle’s 16-yard line, but the troubles started.
Aaron Banks was initially flagged for holding on a Brock Purdy eight-yard scramble and the 49ers had a 14-yard run from Christian McCaffrey taken away by an illegal formation penalty. So, two positive plays instead resulted in a 1st & 25, and the 49ers never recovered, instead kicking another field goal in the red zone.
Those two opportunities could’ve been the game-changers for San Francisco in a one-score game, but as has been the case on several occasions this year, they weren’t able to get it done.
WR hierarchy
With tight end George Kittle out, players were going to have to step up at the skill positions, which is why I highlighted rookie wideout Ricky Pearsall as a potential go-to option with teams focusing on Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings.
Well, even with the attention, Jennings thrived on Sunday, catching 10 passes for 91 yards and a touchdown. More notably, he was the go-to target for quarterback Brock Purdy with the game on the line, and the slot wideout delivered.
On San Francisco’s initial go-ahead touchdown drive, Jennings was the target on five of Purdy’s seven passing attempts, catching four passes for 42 yards, including a three-yard touchdown that set the 49ers up with a 17-13 lead.
Of those four catches, two came on 3rd & 11s, with the latter being a pass short of the sticks and Jennings muscling through multiple defenders to get the first. Jennings just embodies what the 49ers look for in their players: a gamer who adjusts to his role and plays with sheer physicality.
With Jennings commanding a high amount of volume, it was a quiet game for the rest of the receiver group, as they ultimately combined to catch four passes for 22 yards, with Christian McCaffrey being the team’s second-leading receiver.
So, while Jennings was a clear positive for the 49ers, there was a lot to be desired as well here from the rest of the field, leading to an uninspiring day from San Francisco.
Nonetheless, at the moment, that two-year, $15.4 million contract is looking like a steal.