George Kittle is OUT for the 49ers' Week 2 Game Against the Seahawks

The 49ers won't have their All Pro tight end for the second straight week.

George Kittle has been ruled out of the 49ers' game against the Seattle Seahawks with a groin injury he suffered last Monday before the season opener. Kittle practiced this Friday for the first time since the injury occured, and looked healthy and explosive, but the 49ers apparently don't want to risk playing him just yet.

Which means Kittle still is less than 100-percent healthy. And on a day when it's raining, it could be risky to play Kittle on a wet field. So it's smart to sit Kittle, because it's a long season and he's extremely important.

But what complicates things is the fact that the 49ers lost last week. If they lose this week, they'll be 0-2 before Kittle ever hits the field. Not the best way to start a season.

The first three years of Kittle's career, he missed just three of the 49ers' 48 games and had two 1,000-yard seasons. The past three years of his career since he signed his massive 5-year, $75-million extension with the 49ers in 2020, he has missed 13 of the 49ers' 35 games and had zero 1,000-yard season. And in three weeks he'll turn 29.

It must be discouraging for the 49ers to have Kittle miss yet another game considering they handled him with kid gloves the entire offseason and gave him an extremely light training camp. Despite the easy workload, he still suffered a soft tissue injury before the season began.

Perhaps the 49ers should have looked to trade him during the offseason while he was healthy.

1:03 The Seahawks win the toss and defer, which means the 49ers will get the ball first. Not ideal in this drizzle.

FIRST QUARTER

1:05 The 49ers will start their first drive from their 25-yard line.

1:12 On 3rd and goal from the 7, Lance takes a hit as he completes a quick five-yard pass to Jeff Wilson. On 4th and goal from the 2, Kyle Shanahan decides to kick the field goal, and Robbie Gould makes it. Conservative play by Shanahan there not to go for the touchdown. The best plays on that drive were a 25-yard catch-and-run by Brandon Aiyuk, and a 20-yard run by Ty Davis-Price. The 49ers averaged 6.1 yards per carry on that drive. They move the ball well with Lance. Now they have to score touchdowns.

49ers 3, Seahawks.

1:20 On 3rd and 5 from the Seahawks 41, Geno Smith throws a quick slant to D.K. Metcalf, but he's covered tightly by Emmanuel Moseley and the pass falls incomplete. After a punt and a fair catch, the 49ers take over at their 11.

1:29 On 2nd and 8 from the Seahawks 21, Kyle Shanahan calls a power run for Trey Lance between the tackles, and get gets annhilated. They're bringing out the cart. He's still down. This is on Kyle. He never should have used Lance as a fullback.

1:31 It appears his right leg is in an air cast.

1:32 Jimmy Garoppolo is in the game. On 3rd and 6 from the Seahawks 19, Garoppolo completes a 4-yard pass to Aiyuk. The 49ers make another field goal.

49ers 6, Seahawks 0.

1:43 The Seahawks punt and the 49ers get the ball back at their 22.