Analysis: 7 More 'Winners' From Seahawks' 30-23 Victory Over 49ers
The woes that have plagued the Seahawks all year long followed them into the start of their Week 13 matchup with the 49ers. Aside from Travis Homer's rare fake punt run for a touchdown in the early first quarter, disaster struck at almost every turn on both sides of the ball. Yet, unlike in previous weeks, Seattle managed to shed the effects of these issues in time to claw its way back from a 10-point deficit and clinch its fourth victory of the year, 30-23.
It was truly an all-around group effort to secure the win, with all three phases of the team's roster delivering several key contributions over the course of 60 minutes. While we went over the three best performances from the night as soon as the final whistle blew, there were many more Seahawks deserving of praise for their efforts in this one.
Let's go over seven of them.
RB Rashaad Penny
Playing a season-high 29 snaps, Penny had one of his best games ever in a Seahawks uniform. He registered 10 carries for 35 yards, then added 27 more to his total on an exciting screen play in which he snuck through the trenches and bounced outside to set Seattle up in the red zone. However, arguably his best play didn't come with the ball in his hands, but rather in pass protection. Penny had a split-second to come out of a play-fake and chip an incoming Talanoa Hufanga, over-ending the blitzing safety just in time to allow Russell Wilson to connect with Dee Eskridge on a 17-yard reception. If he can string together a few more performances like this, the oft-injured, former first-round draft choice should be able to salvage some of his value before hitting unrestricted free agency in March.
WR Dee Eskridge
Like Penny, Eskridge saw his biggest share of snaps (22) against the 49ers. After missing seven games with a severe concussion, the rookie receiver has been periodically used in short samples and continues to fall behind Freddie Swain on the depth chart. But when his number was called on Sunday, he made the most of his opportunities, reeling in his first career touchdown reception to cap off a crucial two-minute drill before halftime and moving the chains on a 17-yard catch-and-run later on. In all, he finished the day with three catches for 35 yards and the aforementioned score, stating his case for more action as the regular season enters its final stretch.
WR Tyler Lockett
Quietly having a productive past few weeks despite the offense's well-documented struggles, Lockett once again led all Seahawks receivers with seven grabs for 68 yards and what proved to be the game-winning touchdown. Lockett fought his way past veteran cornerback Josh Norman, ran to the back right corner of the north-side end zone and looked over both shoulders before reeling in a beautiful floating pass from Wilson that dropped right into his bread basket for the go-ahead score. He also had an impressive grab on the previous drive, picking up 16 yards as he stayed inbounds by the tips of his toes. It was a signature performance for the three-time All-Pro selection, who's now just 119 yards away from his third consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season with five games left to play.
DT Al Woods
The man his teammates refer to as "Big Al" continues to be perhaps the Seahawks' most unsung hero of them all this year. Woods only had one tackle on the night—holding 49ers running back Elijah Mitchell to a two-yard gain in the fourth quarter—but was an absolute wrecking ball in the trenches all game long. He put center Alex Mack in hell for the whole afternoon, generating consistent penetration that led to some key stops against one of the league's most efficient offensive lines. Frankly, he deserves to get paid this offseason.
LB Jordyn Brooks
For the fourth week in a row, Brooks finished atop Seattle's leaderboards in tackles with 11 combined, including one for a loss on a fantastic stuff of Mitchell on a 2nd and 9 run. His greatest contribution in this one, however, came on Quandre Diggs' interception of Jimmy Garoppolo; Brooks identified the concept San Francisco was running beautifully, cutting off tight end George Kittle at the top of his route as the ball sailed over their heads and into the safety's arms. Nearing the conclusion of his second year in the NFL, Brooks is really starting to come into his own—particularly over the past six games.
LB Bobby Wagner
Regression has undeniably hit Wagner pretty hard this year, but it's clear he's giving it his all to make it work. On Sunday, he finished second to Brooks in tackles with nine—five of which limited the 49ers to gains of just four yards or less. He was also on the receiving end of a severely under-thrown pass by Garoppolo, setting the Seahawks up with great field position in the first quarter. Like the pick, the future Hall of Famer's performance as a whole wasn't the most graceful-looking effort you'll find on tape, but it worked just enough to help Seattle get the win.
CB D.J. Reed
Reed was in the vicinity of Kittle's first touchdown, but the fault of the play does not fall on his shoulders. In the end, he allowed just one catch on three targets for a meager eight yards, which is starting to become a trend for the former 49ers cornerback. This was to be expected with Garoppolo's affinity for targeting the middle of the field, but facts are facts: teams are simply not looking Reed's way often and for good reason. He's surrendered just one catch in each of his last five games, with 12 balls coming his way in total. Those receptions have amassed just 76 yards; and opposing quarterbacks are averaging a poor passer rating of 69.5 during that time.
