3 Things We Learned from the 49ers 27-24 Loss vs. Seahawks
Throughout his San Francisco 49ers tenure, Kyle Shanahan has consistently preached the virtues of never getting too high after wins, and never getting too low after defeats. After two years of largely having to keep spirits up, he has had to ensure the 49ers stay grounded this year after eight successive wins to start the campaign.
However, Shanahan will now have ensure morale does not dip after an agonizing 27-24 overtime loss to the divisional rival Seattle Seahawks on Monday. It is a defeat that provided plenty of lessons for the 49ers as they look to push towards the playoffs, and here we look at what we learned from a primetime thriller.
Wide Receiver Still a Problem Position
The 49ers have invested a lot of draft capital in receivers in recent years but, despite that, they still felt the need to trade for Emmanuel Sanders in a deal that had already paid big dividends after two weeks. San Francisco was heavily reliant on their No. 1 wideout against Seattle and, when he went out with a rib injury, the lack of consistency among the 49ers pass-catchers was ruthlessly exposed.
Without Sanders and star tight end George Kittle, the Niners' pass offense was anemic, with rookie Deebo Samuel the only receiver to shine as he went for 112 yards on eight catches. For as much as Samuel excelled, he, along with the rest of the 49ers receiving corps, was guilty of undermining the efforts of Jimmy Garoppolo through a failure to hold on to numerous relatively simple catches.
Samuel, Marquise Goodwin and Dante Pettis all committed drops but it was Kendrick Bourne, who scored San Francisco's sole offensive touchdown, who was most culpable. Bourne let a slightly high Garoppolo pass go through his hands and into the grasp of Quandre Diggs in a turnover that resulted in a Jacob Hollister touchdown and later juggled a ball that was almost intercepted on third down, forcing the 49ers to settle for a game-tying field goal when a catch would have put them inside the Seattle 10-yard line down only three points.
The 49ers will hope for good news on Sanders and a swift return for Kittle but, regardless of their health going forward, they need another member of the pass-catching group to step up and prove they can be depended on. Samuel seems the most likely candidate but, if nobody is able to make the leap, the lack of depth behind Sanders and Kittle could become an even more significant issue if the Niners are playing postseason football.
Weston Richburg is Irreplaceable
Speaking of a lack of depth, it is clearly that is an also an issue on the interior of the offensive line. There was some hope Ben Garland could be a capable fill-in on the interior with the versatility to play either guard or center. However, any thought he could adequately replace Weston Richburg was extinguished late in the second quarter. Garland briefly filled in for starting center Richburg, who left with an injured hand before returning in the second half.
Garland was at fault as the Seahawks scored their first touchdown, allowing Jarran Reed to knife through the middle and force a Garoppolo fumble, which Jadeveon Clowney scooped up and ran into the end zone. The offense continued to struggle after Richburg's return, but it is clear he is just as valuable in pass protection as he is in the run game and is an irreplaceable player on the 49ers' O-Line.
The struggles of Mike McGlinchey and Joe Staley in containing Clowney made a more telling impact on the outcome, but it is reasonable to expect them to significantly improve as they shake off the rust from long injury lay-offs. Garland provided no reason to suggest he could fill the void in the event of a serious injury to Richburg, whose reputation as a pivotal player on the offense was furthered in defeat.
Dre Greenlaw can Fill the Void Left By Kwon Alexander
Throughout the lead up to Monday's game, the 49ers expressed faith in Dre Greenlaw's ability to step up at weak-side linebacker following the torn pectoral suffered by Kwon Alexander. Greenlaw justified their belief by making a fantastic overtime interception of Russell Wilson. The Seahawks were in prime position to score and Greenlaw produced an amazing athletic play on the ball as he read Wilson's attempt to get the ball to Hollister on a wheel route perfectly.
He returned the ball for 47 yards into Seattle territory, marking the first interception of his career. The turnover would have proved decisive had Chase McLaughlin not shanked a game-winning field goal try. Still, Greenlaw made a significant contribution to an outstanding defensive performance and the Niners' confidence in him should only grow as a result.
The 49ers Have a Championship Defense
If it wasn't clear before, it certainly is now. Questions will abound about the 49ers offense, but there should be no doubt Robert Saleh's defense is a championship-caliber group. The 49ers sacked Russell Wilson five times and generated four turnovers, three of which came at crucial junctures in a pulsating contest.
From Jaquiski Tartt's incredible strip of D.K. Metcalf, to DeForest Buckner's fumble recovery touchdown, to Greenlaw's pick, the defense continually made plays when it absolutely had to. That is what championship defenses do.
MVP front-runner Russell Wilson was held to a passer rating of 86.9, only his second of under 100 this season. After dominating against a plethora of mediocre quarterbacks this season, the defense delivered again versus the best in the league. The 49ers will continue to have their doubters, but any questions over the legitimacy of the defense should now be put to rest.
