49ers vs. Seahawks: Live Updates and Analysis
This is the live blog for the San Francisco 49ers' season finale against the Seattle Seahawks. I will update this frequently with information and analysis from my living room.
11:40 This could be defensive coordinator Robert Saleh's final game with the 49ers. If that's the case, he most likely will take some of the 49ers' assistant coaches with him wherever he goes. Here's why Kyle Shanahan said about potentially losing a significant portion of his coaching staff in the coming weeks, courtesy of the 49ers P.R. department.
“I think there's definitely a respect level and everyone does it differently. It depends where you are. Before I thought about anything, I always went through [former Atlanta Falcons head coach] Dan Quinn and asked him what he was okay with. Plus, you're not free agents every year. I mean, there are contracts. I know there's rules with play calling and stuff like that that were implemented this year, but besides that, there's no decision or trades to be made. You'd like to respect people and I always don't want to hold people back who, it's very important to me that people, I didn’t want people to hold me back when I had a chance to improve my career, a chance to help my family out and go forward. That’s why, if you have someone who's getting a huge opportunity, that's something that me, [general manager] John [Lynch], I know [CEO] Jed [York], we always want to try to do what's best for the organization, but we also want to help people out. So, we'll look into anything, but I also know it's once you're a position coach, once you're a coordinator, there's not many moves going up. So, when it's not that case, you're never going to hurt the Niners just because someone's excited for a change of scenery.”
12:00 Here are the 49ers inactives:
1:25 The 49ers win the toss and defer. The Seahawks get the ball first.
FIRST QUARTER
1:30 On third and 13 from the Seattle 32, Arik Armstead leaps and bats down Russell Wilson's pass, and the Seahawks have to punt. Wilson didn't throw any passes to DK Metcalf during that series. The 49ers get the ball at their 25 after the punt.
1:34 On third and 1 from the 49ers 34, Kyle Juszczyk runs up the middle for no gain, and the 49ers go three and out. Jeff Wilson Jr. gained six yards on first down and never touched the ball again. The 49ers punt and the Seahawks get the ball at their 17.
1:40 On third and 7 from the Seattle 20, Wilson completes a pass to tight end Jacob Hollister, who gets tackled one yard short of the first-down marker by Jimmie Ward, and Seattle goes three and out. Punter Michael Dickson boots the ball 63 yards and punt returner River Cracraft calls for a fair catch with no one round him at the 49ers 11-yard line. Horrendous.
1:44 On third and 4 from the 49ers 27, Beathard throws a one-hopper off his back foot intended for Richie James Jr. The Seahawks get the ball at their 32 after a pathetic 40-yard punt by Wishnowsky. I've seen enough of Beathard. Play Josh Rosen.
1:56 On third and 11 from the 49ers 18, Metcalf runs a slant and drops the pass. Robert Saleh must have gotten in his head with that talk of hitting him low. The Seahawks make a 36-yard field goal and score first.
49ers 0, Seahawks 3.
1:58 On third and 7 from the 49ers 38, Daniel Brunskill gives up pressure and Beathard throws the ball away, and the 49ers go three and out. Beathard has thrown for six yards through three drives.
SECOND QUARTER
2:12 On third and 3 from the 49ers 12-yard line, Wilson overthrows Tyler Lockett, who was covered well by Dontae Johnson in the end zone. The Seahawks make another field goal.
49ers 0, Seahawks 6.
2:13 C.J. Beathard senses pressure even when it's not there. Kyle Shanahan needs to roll him out of the pocket and change the launch point.
2:15 On third and 3, Beathard runs in circles before getting sacked for a 12-yard loss, and the 49ers go three and out. The offense still hasn't crosses its own 40-yard line.
2:23 On third and 8 from the Seattle 34, Fred Warner loops behind a blitzing Azeez Al-Shaair off the left edge of the defense and sacks Wilson for an 11-yard loss. Brilliant blitz design by Robert Saleh to occupy the blocking running back with Al-Shaair and then bringing Warner behind him.
2:36 On third and 6 from the Seattle 18, Carlos Dunlap knocks down a pass intended for Jeff Wilson Jr. over the middle.
2:37 Tristan Vizcaino makes a 36-yard field goal.
49ers 3, Seahawks 6.
2:40 Dontae Johnson blitzes from the left side of the 49ers defense and sack Wilson as the first half ends. The 49ers will get the ball when the second half begins.
THIRD QUARTER
3:01 On first and 10 from the Seattle 31, Beathard doesn't see a wide-open Ross Dwelley running up the left seam. Instead, Beathard forced a pass to Kittle up the right seam and it's incomplete. The 49ers make a 47-yard field goal a few plays later.
49ers 6, Seahawks 6.
3:06 On third and 8 from the 49ers 27, Witherspoon breaks up a pass to Metcalf running a curl, and the Seahawks go three and out.
3:07 River Cracraft returns the punt 21 yards to the Seahawks 49 yard line.
3:13 On second and goal from the 4, Beathard doesn't a see a wide-open Kittle in the end zone and throws an incomplete pass to Juszczyk. And on third and goal, Mike McGlinchey gets beat and gives up a sack.
3:14 Vizcaino makes a 33-yard field goal, and the 49ers take the lead.
49ers 9, Seahawks 6.
3:20 On third and 9 from the Seahawks 26, Wilson throws a deep pass out of bounds. It was intended for Metcalf. The Seahawks go three and out. They have gained just three yards since halftime.
FOURTH QUARTER
3:31 On second and 5 from the Seahawks 7, Jeff Wilson Jr. runs up the middle for a touchdown. The 49ers are moving the ball by motioning to empty formations -- no one in the backfield -- and throwing. This has given Beathard a feel pre snap for what the Seahawks will do.
49ers 16, Seahawks 6.
3:42 On third and goal from the 6, Wilson escapes a sack from Kerry Hyder and throws a touchdown pass to Tyler Lockett. But the Seahawks miss the extra point.
49ers 16, Seahawks 12.
3:51 On third and 5 from the 49ers 41, Beathard throws an incomplete pass intended for Kittle. The Seahawks get the ball at their 15 after the punt.
4:03 On fourth and goal from the 4, Ahkello Witherspoon gives up a touchdown catch in man-to-man coverage against Tyler Lockett.
49ers 16, Seahawks 19.
4:09 Second play of the drive, both offensive tackles get beat and Beathard fumbles as he attempts to throw and the Seahawks recover.
4:15 On first and goal from the 8, Alex Collins runs into the end zone. And this game is over.
49ers 16, Seahawks 26.
4:23 Beathard throws a three-yard touchdown pass to Wilson Jr. with 23 seconds left.
49ers 23, Seahawks 26.
4:25 The Seahawks recover the onside kick and win. Stay tuned for the 49ers' grades.
