Seahawks Use Second Half Surge to Outlast 49ers in NFC West Opener

Overcoming a gross first half of offensive ineptitude featuring five consecutive three-and-out drives to open the game, Russell Wilson and the Seahawks scored touchdowns on four of their next six possessions to put away the pesky 49ers in a 28-21 win in their NFC West opener.

Despite being out-gained by over 200 yards and converting on only two out of 10 third down opportunities, Wilson efficiently completed 16 out of 23 passes for 149 yards and threw touchdowns to DK Metcalf and Freddie Swain. Defensively, Quandre Diggs registered his first interception of the season and had two additional pass breakups, while Bobby Wagner led Seattle with 10 tackles and added a pass defensed.

After the Seahawks improved to 2-2 on the season and ended a two-game skid to give Wilson his 100th career victory, here are five quick takeaways from Levis Stadium:

1. Runnin' Russell comes out to play for the first time this season, igniting the offensive resurgence.

During the first five drives of the game, the Seahawks didn't pick up a single first down, had no plays longer than five yards, and were limited to negative seven net yards by a ferocious 49ers defense. But everything changed late in the first half when Wilson finally connected on a pair of 28-yard completions to Alex Collins and DK Metcalf, pushing Seattle into the red zone for the first time. Moments later, he hit Metcalf on a slant for a game-tying touchdown. Coming out of the break, Wilson used both his arm and legs to help facilitate a pair of third quarter scoring drives. After having only 11 rushing yards in the first three games combined, he ran twice for 28 yards in the quarter, including turning on his afterburners to race past multiple pursuing defenders and diving into the end zone for a 16-yard score to extend Seattle's lead to 14-7.

Russell Wilson is UNREAL 🤯
pic.twitter.com/oBlUh13AUe
— PFF (@PFF) October 3, 2021

On the ensuing possession after a fumbled kickoff return, when multiple defenders had him dead to right for a sack on second down, Wilson somehow escaped as he has done multiple times throughout his career and rolled out to his right, eventually finding Swain for a 13-yard touchdown in the right front corner to push the lead to 14. After the spectacular play, tackle Duane Brown said he told the quarterback on the sidelines he was a "bad m'fer." Wilson wrapped up the game with 26 rushing yards on four rushes to go along with an efficient afternoon passing the ball.

2. Dancing around defenders, Collins provides juice out of the backfield when Seattle needed it most.

Normally, Chris Carson is the engine that drives Seattle's run game. But on Sunday, he was held to five yards on his first five carries, unable to find any traction on the ground as the entire offense sputtered. For this particular game, the team needed to throw a changeup and Collins served as the ideal alternative against a fast, physical San Francisco defense. Providing the initial spark for his team on offense inside five minutes to play in the first half, the ex-Arkansas star slipped out of the backfield without a defender on him after carrying out a play fake on first down and Wilson dumped it off to him with tons of room to operate for a 28-yard pickup. He would carry the ball three times for a hard-earned 12 yards over the next four plays before Metcalf found the end zone to put the Seahawks on the board.

Alex Collins weaves his way to the end zone! @Seahawks lead 28-13.

📺: #SEAvsSF on FOX
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— NFL (@NFL) October 3, 2021

Then in the second half, after the 49ers responded with a long touchdown pass to cut the lead to 21-13, looking as if he was competing in the slalom at the Olympics, Collins put his Irish dancing skills on display wiggling through the teeth of the 49ers defense, making multiple defenders grab for air on an exhilarating 14-yard touchdown to bring the lead back to 15. Serving as a catalyst for their offensive awakening, he finished the game with 44 rushing yards on 10 carries and two receptions for 34 yards.

3. As Jamal Adams vowed they would, the Seahawks indeed stepped up their game on defense.

On Wednesday, Adams told reporters "things will change" this week after the Seahawks gave up over 900 yards in back-to-back losses. Based on how Seattle's first defensive possession unfolded, it looked like it would be another long afternoon for Ken Norton Jr.'s unit as Jimmy Garoppolo carved them up completing all six of his passes for 70 yards and a 21-yard touchdown to tight end Ross Dwelley. From there, however, safety Quandre Diggs picked off Garoppolo on the next drive and they forced punts on five consecutive drives in the second and third quarter, including a pair of three-and-outs.

On nine of their defensive possessions, the Seahawks held the 49ers under 30 total yards, turning in easily their best effort of the season and frustrating rookie Trey Lance for most of the second half. It was a markedly improved effort in all facets with Seattle using more dime looks with six defensive backs on the field, as Ryan Neal gave the unit a lift with four tackles and a pass breakup.

4. Growing pains remain inevitable as Seattle continues to experiment with its cornerback rotation.

Hours before kickoff, reports surfaced that Seattle would be making a change to its starting lineup in the secondary, plugging Sidney Jones in for Tre Flowers and moving D.J. Reed back to the right cornerback spot. Garoppolo went right after Jones on the opening drive, including hitting Dwelley in the end zone after the tight end had boxed out the fourth-year corner for a 21-yard touchdown. Then midway through the third quarter, the former Washington star looked to be fooled on a coverage assignment, allowing Deebo Samuel to come wide open on a wheel route for an easy 76-yard touchdown from Lance to trim the lead to 21-13.

Trey Lance to Deebo Samuel for a 76-yard touchdown! pic.twitter.com/Xx7AcnWikM
— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) October 3, 2021

On the positive side of things, Jones finished the game with seven tackles and did have a third down pass breakup to help force a punt in the first half. With time, he should improve as he grows more comfortable with the scheme, while Reed turned in a stellar game back at his preferred position on the right side.

5. Special teams were once again a major game changer in favor of the Seahawks.

Since Larry Izzo took over as special teams coordinator at the start of the 2020 season, Seattle has been dominant in all phases on special teams and that spectacular play carried over into Sunday's contest. Veteran fullback Nick Bellore electrified the Seahawks sideline with what Carroll called a "stupendous" hit on receiver Brandon Aiyuk on a punt return, knocking his own helmet off in the process. Punter Michael Dickson continued to give his team a lift in the field position battle, punting eight times for 405 yards and pinning the 49ers inside their own 20 yard line twice. That number would have been higher if not for an illegal touching penalty on Marquise Blair when he recovered a punt inside the five-yard line.

Midway through the third quarter, immediately after Wilson's touchdown run, running back DeeJay Dallas caused a fumble when he hit returner Trenton Cannon, gifting the Seahawks the ball at the opposing 14-yard line. Wilson found Swain three plays later for the score. Jason Myers was also perfect on extra points, which gave the Seahawks a clear advantage with the 49ers own place kicker Robbie Gould injuring his groin during pre-game. Punter Mitch Wishnowsky missed a field goal and an extra point as his replacement, which loomed large as San Francisco tried to stage a comeback.

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