San Francisco 49ers Get Thumped in Seattle
Injuries pile-up for 49ers in loss to Seahawks 37-27
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, left, is sacked by Seattle Seahawks middle linebacker Bobby Wagner, center, as D.J. Reed (29) looks on during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
2020.11.01 – The San Francisco 49ers continue to pile-up more injuries, with Jimmy Garoppolo, George Kittle and Tevin Coleman all leaving thumped on Sunday’s 37-27 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
The momentum from two straight impressive wins by the 49ers evaporated during its visit to the Pacific Northwest. Getting thumped by a division rival was bad for the 49ers without seeing more names added to its injury list.
Garoppolo appeared to aggravate the ankle injury that caused him to missed two games earlier this season. Kittle limped off with a foot injury in the fourth quarter, and Coleman never returned from halftime after suffering an injury to the same knee that had kept him out since Week 2.
And to top it off, the 49ers only have three days of rest before hosting NFC North-leading Green Bay on Thursday night.
“It still hurts each time. Even though it seems to happen over and over again, guys dropping every game, it still hurts every time,” 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk said. “Hopeful that we can have at least some of those guys back for Thursday. But man, I’m so happy that we are playing on a Thursday because after a loss like this, you just want to get the taste out of your mouth. You want to go play football again.
“So happy that we can just turn around and get back on the field in just a few days.”
Garoppolo wasn’t very good before he left in the second half and the performance of backup Nick Mullens will only continue to raise questions about which quarterback is the best option going forward for San Francisco. Garoppolo was 11 of 16 for 84 yards and an ugly interception in the first half. He was sacked three times and pressured countless others as Seattle aggressively went after the 49ers QB.
San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said Garoppolo’s injury would be reassessed Monday, but he was displeased with the offense overall.
2020.11.01 – San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks (Video)
2020.11.01 – San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks (Full Highlights Video)
“I was frustrated with the whole offense. Starting with myself, this wasn’t a very good day for us,” Shanahan said. “I thought the defense came out and played pretty inspired in those first couple of drives and gave us a chance to get up on them and we missed those opportunities.”
Shanahan said after the game that X-rays on Kittle’s foot were negative. Even before he was injured, Kittle was mostly a non-factor and his one highlight — a terrific 25-yard reception from Nick Mullens — led to his injury. Kittle finished with two catches for 39 yards on a day he figured to play a big role in the offense with Deebo Samuel out.
“There’s never a time that we ignore Kittle, but coverages, fronts, all that stuff plays into it,” Shanahan said.
Mullens played just the fourth quarter and was 18 of 25 for 238 yards and two touchdowns. He led three scoring drives, although he came in with the 49ers facing a 30-7 deficit and Seattle’s defense backing off the pressure.
Mullens pulled San Francisco within 30-20 on a 16-yard TD pass to Ross Dwelley with 4:16 left, but the 2-point conversion to Jerick McKinnon was ruled short on replay and the 49ers could get no closer.
Mullens could be in line for his third start of the season Thursday against the Packers, depending on the severity of Garoppolo’s injury. Mullens was great in the Week 3 blowout win over the New York Giants, but not good in Week 4 in a loss to Philadelphia.
It’s also unclear if Samuel will be back against the Packers after missing Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury. Also sitting out Sunday were starting linebacker Kwon Alexander, starting safety Jaquiski Tartt and backup wide receiver Richie James.
“We flush it and move forward,” 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams said. “With a short week, we wouldn’t be able to break down this film even if we wanted to.”
INJURIES
The Seahawks played without five starters and one key backup. Chris Carson, Carlos Hyde, Jamal Adams, Benson Mayowa, Ugo Amadi and Mike Iuptai were all inactive due to injuries.
San Francisco played without starters Deebo Samuel, Jeff Wilson Jr., Kwon Alexander and safety Jaquiski Tartt.
UP NEXT
49ers: have a quick turnaround and will host Green Bay on Thursday night.
Seahawks: travel to Buffalo and a showdown with the Bills next Sunday.
Related – See below: Wilson, Metcalf’s Big Day – Seahawks past 49ers
Related – See: 49ers Wilson Jr. Crush the Patriots Defense
Read more at: San Francisco 49ers Media Services / More AP NFL
JEstevez@EMIsportsCentral.com
For more on the San Francisco 49ers, see the blog at www.EMIsportsCentral.com
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Wilson, Metcalf’s Big Day – Seahawks past 49ers
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) makes a touchdown pass to wide receiver DK Metcalf (not shown) as San Francisco 49ers safety Marcell Harris, right, pressures during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Scott Eklund)
2020.11.01 – Russell Wilson threw four touchdown passes, two to DK Metcalf, and the Seattle Seahawks rebounded from their first loss of the season with a resounding 37-27 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
For the first time this season at home, the final seconds were relatively calm for the Seattle Seahawks. No stress. No anxiety. Just a few kneel downs.
Wilson, Metcalf and Bobby Wagner did enough earlier for the Seahawks to finally avoid a crazy finish at CenturyLink Field.
The Seattle QB threw four more touchdown passes, two to Metcalf, and the Seahawks rebounded from their first loss of the season with a resounding 37-27 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
Wilson and Metcalf tormented San Francisco and its banged up secondary as the top-scoring offense in the league continued to pile up points. The Seahawks (6-1) have scored at least 30 points in six of seven games.
And for the first time this season at home, the outcome was decided long before the final moments. Seattle opened the year with three home wins over New England, Dallas and Minnesota all of which decided in the final moments.
Thumping their division rivals must have felt downright relaxing, even with the Seahawks having five starters inactive for the game.
“I think it says a tremendous amount that it didn’t matter who was playing,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll. “The guys just stepped up and did their job and busted your tails to get it done.”
The Seahawks’ play-caller hit Metcalf on a pair of first-half touchdown passes, but it was a 2½-minute sequence midway through the third quarter when Seattle blew the game open.
Wilson found rookie DeeJay Dallas on a 2-yard TD pass after San Francisco went three-and-out to open the second half for a 20-7 lead. Dante Pettis fumbled the ensuing kickoff on a big hit from Cody Barton. Six plays later, Wilson evaded pressure in the pocket and zipped a 6-yard TD pas to David Moore for a 27-7 lead.
Seattle added one more score on a 1-yard TD run by Dallas with 3:33 left after the 49ers pulled within 10.
Wilson finished 27 of 37 for 261 yards and has 26 TD passes on the season, one behind Tom Brady for the most in the first seven games of a season.
Metcalf had another career day in his breakout second season. Metcalf had 102 yards receiving in the first half and finished with a career-high 12 catches and 161 yards receiving.
“I don’t think there is anybody better in terms of what he can do and how he’s done it,” Wilson said. “And he’s only in his second year.”
2020.11.01 – San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks (Video)
Seattle Seahawks middle linebacker Bobby Wagner, right, sacks San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
2020.11.01 – San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks (Video)
The momentum from two straight wins for San Francisco (4-4) evaporated in a hurry as more injuries continued to pile. Jimmy Garoppolo was just 11 of 16 for 84 yards and an ugly interception in the first quarter. Garoppolo went to the locker room early in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury and was replaced by Nick Mullens.
Running back Tevin Coleman returned for the first time since early in the season, only to leave at halftime with a knee injury. George Kittle made a terrific 25-yard catch early in the fourth quarter, but limped to the locker room with a foot injury.
“It still hurts each time,” 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk said. “Even though it seems to happen over and over again, guys dropping every game, it still hurts every time.”
Mullens led San Francisco on three TD drives in the fourth quarter. He capped the second with a 16-yard TD pass to Ross Dwelley with 4:16 left, but the 2-point conversion failed after replay ruled Jerick McKinnon was touched down short of the goal line.
Mullens was 18 of 25 for 238 yards and two touchdowns. Seattle’s league-worst defense had shut down the 49ers for three quarters before giving up 20 fourth-quarter points.
“I was frustrated with the whole offense, starting with myself. This wasn’t a very good day for us,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said.
DEFENSIVE IMPROVEMENT
Seattle sacked Garoppolo three times — two by Wagner — a week after failing to record a QB hit on Arizona’s Kyler Murray. The Seahawks held San Francisco to 116 total yards in first half and just 1-yard of offense in the third quarter.
Wagner finished with 11 tackles, three tackles for loss and four QB hits.
“I just felt like we need to stop talking and just do the work and let our play show,” Wagner said.
DK’S DAY
Metcalf’s big day took off when he added another clip to his highlight reel catching a short pass and racing 46 yards for a TD on the final play of the first quarter. On Metcalf’s second TD, Moseley was flagged for interference but couldn’t keep Metcalf’s size and strength from still making the catch.
Metcalf’s previous career highs came in last year’s playoff win over Philadelphia when he had seven catches for 160 yards.
INJURIES
The Seahawks played without five starters and one key backup. Chris Carson, Carlos Hyde, Jamal Adams, Benson Mayowa, Ugo Amadi and Mike Iuptai were all inactive due to injuries.
San Francisco played without starters Deebo Samuel, Jeff Wilson Jr., Kwon Alexander and safety Jaquiski Tartt.
UP NEXT
49ers: have a quick turnaround and will host Green Bay on Thursday night.
Seahawks: travel to Buffalo and a showdown with the Bills next Sunday.
Related – See: 49ers Wilson Jr. Crush the Patriots Defense
Read more at: San Francisco 49ers Media Services / More AP NFL
JEstevez@EMIsportsCentral.com
For more on the San Francisco 49ers, see the blog at www.EMIsportsCentral.com
49ERS FIT – Free 4-Day Pass
EMI Sports Central – EMI Sports Bay Area: Join the conversation on sports news for SF Bay Area teams: Follow @EMIsports on Twitter, “Like” us on Facebook and sign up for our FREE email newsletters.