The 49ers couldn’t keep their win streak going, falling in disappointing fashion in Week 13 against a Seahawks team that simply made fewer mistakes.

Forget the fact the San Francisco 49ers entered their Week 13 road matchup against the Seattle Seahawks with the better record and the three-game win streak in contrast to the Hawks’ three-game losing streak.

When these two NFC West teams play, all that goes out the window.

It certainly did on Sunday, as quarterback Russell Wilson and Co. ensured the Niners’ win streak would come to a close, handing head coach Kyle Shanahan’s squad its sixth loss of the season, finalizing in a 30-23 score.

As far as weirdness goes, this game had it all. Case in point, San Francisco lost kick-return specialist Trenton Cannon to a scary interception on the opening kickoff, forcing reserve wide receiver Travis Benjamin into an emergency return role. Benjamin fumbled a second-half kickoff, which was recovered by Seattle, only to see Wilson get picked off by 49ers nickel cornerback K’Waun Williams just shy of the goal line.

On the ensuing Niners possession, though, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was sacked in the end zone for a safety, which ended up tying the game at 23 apiece.

Get all that? That’s just one piece of the domino effect.

With wide receiver Deebo Samuel out because of a hamstring injury, Garoppolo had to be on point in the passing game and do a bit more than the typical game management he’s shown over the previous three games.

And while Garoppolo managed to hit tight end George Kittle for two touchdowns in the game, including a response to another crazy play, a fake punt for a touchdown in the first quarter, which tied things up at 7-7, Garoppolo’s inability to see defenders over the middle was about as big a problem as possible on the road:

"What in the world is going on here?!"

Too easy for @Bwagz. #ProBowlVote

#SFvsSEA on CBS pic.twitter.com/gl0GExjQ3K

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) December 5, 2021

Garoppolo went 20-of-30 for 299 yards, two touchdowns against two interceptions, all for a passer rating of 93.6.

Meanwhile, the only game San Francisco has won in Seattle since 2011 was that memorable 2019 Week 17 game.

And the Seahawks’ 16 unanswered points to kick off the third quarter ensured that struggle would continue. Same with cornerback Dontae Johnson’s late hit on wide receiver Tyler Lockett on a would-be third-down stop. Same with two roughing-the-passer penalties against the Niners on Wilson’s touchdown drive just before halftime.

Garoppolo made a lot of mistakes. San Francisco made a lot of collective mistakes, too.

Cannon had to be taken to a local hospital, so that’ll be something to monitor. And Samuel’s absence was sorely felt, too, as was linebacker Fred Warner being out with a hamstring injury.

Yet the 49ers took additional injury hits during the game, which seems to be the norm versus the Hawks anyway, losing cornerback Emmanuel Moseley to an ankle injury and then safety Jaquiski Tartt to a leg injury.

Tartt, who at least returned later in the game, suffered the injury in the end zone against Seahawks wide receiver D.K. Metcalf, who appeared to stop on the safety’s leg without a flag being thrown:

DK hauled it in #Seahawks @dkm14

: #SFvsSEA on CBS
: NFL app pic.twitter.com/UvTqhTzD78

— NFL (@NFL) December 5, 2021

In addition, running back Elijah Mitchell suffered an injury late in the third quarter before returning.

There weren’t too many positives for the Niners, especially after halftime aside from yet another Seahawks turnover — they had problems there, too — with just over four minutes left in regulation. But at least Kittle reverted back to his usual playmaking self.

Samuel being out meant someone would have to receive that kind of attention, and San Francisco would have to get a bit more creative without the wide receiver’s ability to be used both as a receiving threat and as a rusher.

Turns out, Kittle ended up doing both, albeit to a lesser degree on the ground.

Kittle had one rush for 5 yards on a Samuel-like end-around rush, but the tight end made his mark with nine receptions for 181 yards and the two touchdowns.

Fancy footwork all the way to end zone for the YAC himself. #ProBowlVote @gkittle46

#SFvsSEA on CBS pic.twitter.com/hgHxXbhem3

— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) December 5, 2021

Read More: 3 worries 49ers should have in Week 13 vs. Seahawks

Too bad Kittle and the rest of the 49ers offense pulled something of a virtual disappearing act in the second half before their final drive, though, as Seattle managed to get out a season sweep over its NFC West rivals.

If there’s consolation, the Niners also watched the Minnesota Vikings lose a thriller to the Detroit Lions, the latter picking up their first win of the season, so San Francisco remains in the playoff seeding.

Still, the loss won’t bode well heading into another crucial road game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 14.

dark. Next. 5 most heartbreaking moments in 49ers history

The post 49ers botch Week 13 vs. Seahawks by disjointed, ugly play appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

RENTON, Wash. (AP) — At this time a year ago, every snap Geno Smith took, every pass he made during the Seattle Seahawks training camp was being charted and analyzed and compared.

He was under a microscope because of his past performance and in the midst of a quarterback competition.

To hear Smith talk now about what happened over the past year, not much has changed. Despite being the NFL’s comeback player of the year, helping lead his team to an unexpected playoff berth and gaining the financial payday he long hoped to earn, his mindset seems the same as it was last summer when he had a job to win.

“I mean, there are advantages. Having more reps, being able to rep more with the starters and with the guys,” Smith said on Thursday. “But mentality-wise, nothing changes. Nothing changes and things can change quickly in NFL so I’m not really worried about that type of stuff.”

What Smith is worried about is adjusting to a new center, getting a rookie No. 3 wide receiver up to speed and making sure there’s no backsliding from the level he performed at last season.

But the atmosphere around Seattle’s quarterback situation is massively different than a year ago when Smith was in an open competition with Drew Lock for the starting role. In the time since Smith won the starting job, he threw for a franchise-record 4,282 yards and 30 touchdowns in the regular season, helped Seattle win nine games and sneak into the postseason, was selected to his first Pro Bowl and rewrote the narrative about his career arc.

His reward came this offseason when he signed a three-year contract worth $75 million that provided the security and a pedestal that’s been absent for most of his career.

“There really is a quality coming back. His seriousness about taking advantage of all the steps along the way to get prepared and to be right,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. “He knows how he needs to connect with his teammates and players that he’s going to go to.”

Smith’s offseason included flying around the country to work out and throw with some of his pass catchers, including rookie first-round pick Jaxson Smith-Njigba.

It also included dropping a few pounds to hopefully be more nimble in the pocket and working with a new quarterbacks coach after Greg Olson joined the Seahawks.

“It’s one of the better stories I think in the NFL to see someone that gets a second opportunity and does something with it,” said Olson, who has been a QB coach or offensive coordinator with seven different franchises prior to Seattle. “There’s some guys get that second opportunity, but they kind of look like the same guy that they were. He’s a guy that looks like a totally different player.”

Smith rattled off a list of areas where he feels as if the Seahawks need to be better this season, including third downs and converting red zone opportunities into touchdowns. Seattle was 20th in third down conversions and 28th in red zone touchdown percentage last season.

Olson brought up another task for Smith: taking the system of offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and being able to make adjustments at the line of scrimmage.

“It’s the second year starting in Shane’s system and taking full control of what Shane is asking him to do at the line of scrimmage,” Olson said. “Not wasting plays is a big emphasis for him going into this year. If it’s a bad play that’s called let’s get us out of a bad play and get us into a good play.”

Smith said the way last season ended with Seattle losing five of its final eight games and then falling to San Francisco in the opening round of the playoffs lingered into the offseason as motivation. He will be leading an offense that seems to be filled with potential — a word he doesn’t like using.

“We’ve got to put the work in. We got a lot of great guys. We’ve got a lot of great players. But we have to prove it,” Smith said.

NOTES: Rookie CB Devon Witherspoon remained absent as he has yet to sign his rookie contract. … Seattle signed LB Ben Burr-Kirven, bringing back a popular defensive reserve and special teams standout who missed the past two seasons after a major knee injury.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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In Today’s Links: Jamal Adams Injury Rehab Video; Cameron Young profile(s); dishing on DeAndre Hopkins; ranking of teams’ fixtures; and more! 100 days left until week 1 of the 2023 season! How exciting are these words?

Seattle Seahawks News

What Defenses the Seahawks Will Face in the 2023 Game Plan, Part II – Seaside Joe
A look at the four types of insurance and weeks 6-9: Seaside Joe 1550

Jamal Adams looks stronger in video of him running up the stairs – Seahawks Wire
Adams has three more seasons under contract

Seattle Seahawks rookie Cameron Young’s strength needs to play – Seattle Sports
For Seattle Seahawks fourth-rounder Cameron Young, Brock Huard says his greatest strength is to keep it simple.

Tuesday Roundup: Kenneth Walker III Named 2nd Most Explosive Runner of 2022 by Next Gen Stats – Seahawks.com
Around the NFL’s Nick Shook explains why Kenneth Walker III was the NFL’s most explosive running back and second most explosive runner in 2022.

Seahawks rookie Cameron Young has the stature (and buy-in) to secure a key role in the D-Line – The Athletic
Young’s size makes him an excellent nose tackle in Seattle defense, but it’s his approach that has coaches feeling optimistic about his potential.

Seattle Seahawks Analysis: 5 Veterans Under Most Pressure to Perform in 2023 – Sports Illustrated Seattle Seahawks news, analysis and more
After the Seattle Seahawks embarked on another exciting draft class with the expectation that several rookies will make an immediate impact, there is plenty up for several veterans returning from injury and/or nearing the end of their current contracts the game as the Seattle Seahawks start the new season.

NFC West News

49ers 90-in-90: Kevin Givens is solid and stable, and that’s what the Niners need – Niners Nation
Breakdown of the 90 players in the 49ers offseason roster in 90 posts (spanning approximately 90 days). Today defensive tackle is Kevin Givens

Resurgent Trey Lance ready to help the 49ers – ESPN
Lance is finally healthy after his first two seasons were marred by injuries and is keen to prove his worth to the 49ers.

Why the 49ers haven’t had a franchise quarterback in 20 years – Sports Illustrated San Francisco 49ers news, analysis and more
We analyze why the San Francisco 49ers have failed to find a franchise quarterback over the past two decades.

NFL execs verdict on DeAndre Hopkins: ‘Not much’ at ex-Arizona Cardinals WR – Sports Illustrated Arizona Cardinals news, analysis and more
Scattered opinions of former Arizona Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins follow him in the league.

ROTB Pre-Mini Camp 53 Man Roster Prediction Final Results of Voting – Revenge of the Birds
There are a number of positions the Cardinals could strengthen through waivers the week of August 29th. The ones that immediately come to mind are: RB, TE, DT, DE, S.

The Rams may not yet have enough space to field a full roster – Turf Show Times
Despite the current roster overhaul, LA has the fewest signed players in the NFL

Can Los Angeles Rams’ ‘excellent’ QB Brett Rypien beat rookie Stetson Bennett as Matthew Stafford backup? – Sports Illustrated LA Rams news, analysis and more
There have long been questions about the Los Angeles Rams’ quarterback situation behind Matthew Stafford – can Brett Rypien prove to be the solution rather than fourth-round pick Stetson Bennett?

Around the NFL

Tom Brady’s investment in Raiders shows how insane Miami’s plan was for 2022 – ProFootballTalk
As more rules are cited and arguments made regarding the issues Raiders minority owner Tom Brady becomes Raiders quarterback Tom Brady, one question becomes more apparent.

WR Tyler Boyd Says Bengals ‘Outperformed’ Chiefs in Orlando Brown Acquisition – Yahoo Sports
Boyd is glad the Chiefs’ former left tackle has switched to Cincinnati’s side of the “nice little rivalry.”

State of the Philadelphia Eagles 2023: Jalen Hurts and Co. Look Ready to Avoid a Super Bowl Hangover – NFL.com
Can Jalen Hurts and company avoid the dreaded Super Bowl hangover after narrowly missing out on winning the Lombardi Trophy last season? Adam Rank updates on the state of the 2023 Philadelphia Eagles.

Next Gen Stats’ 10 Most Explosive Runners of 2022: QBs Justin Fields, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen Can Fly – NFL.com
Nick Shook ranks the 10 most explosive runners based on the 2022 NFL season’s next-gen stats metrics. Three quarterbacks make the list — one of them takes first place!

A pressing question for every new NFL offensive player in 2023 – The Athletic
Fifteen coaches, including Eric Bieniemy, Kellen Moore and Matt Nagy, face unique challenges when it comes to taking their offense to new heights.

2023 NFL Season: 100 Things You Should Know 100 Days Before Kickoff Week One; News, Notes & Odds for All 32 Teams – CBSSports.com
Everything you need to know about the upcoming season

Ranking the Easiest and Hardest Game Schedules for All 32 NFL Teams: Saints, Falcons and Colts Have Favorable Game Schedules in 2023 | NFL News, Leaderboards and Stats | PFF
While every NFL team’s path to victory will be unique, the strength of its schedule plays a crucial role in shaping its future. Here we use PFF ELO to dive into the 2023 NFL season and determine which teams have the easiest and most difficult schedules.

Continue reading

The post Seahawks Information 5/31: Jamal Adams shifting nearer to return appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

***As most of you know, Cigar Thoughts is now a podcast. One of the perks of the pod is getting these articles in audio form, in addition to our sit-downs with our amazing guests. You can listen to all the shows, including this article, right here:

—

The fact that this game carried as much import as it did says a lot about how far the Seattle Seahawks have come in such a short time. It also served as a litmus test, as the San Francisco 49ers came to town engorged on the blood of their last six foes. It wasn’t that long ago that this was the best rivalry in the NFL and with the Seahawks rising and the 49ers near the top of the heap, we may be headed back that way. But right now, in this moment, there is a clear difference in talent, execution, and experience between these two teams, and that disparity was on display for the entire country tonight.

—

The Seahawks started the game with the ball and immediately picked up a first down when Geno Smith followed up a six-yard Ken Walker III run with a five-yard completion to Tyler Lockett. It was a nice lil pop to keep a frenzied crowd titillated but the drive would stall after that. Damien Lewis got beat on a screen pass to Walker III for a loss of three and Smith threw consecutive incompletions, leading to a Michael Dickson punt that pinned the Niners at their own 10.

As the 49ers prepared for their first possession, Seattle’s much-maligned defense took the field having forced the fewest three-and-outs in the NFL. San Francisco’s offense, for their part, had committed the fewest, but the Seahawks immediately forced San Francisco off the field anyway. Cody Barton strung a Christian McCaffrey run out on first down, Jordyn Brooks snuffed a short completion to George Kittle, and Ryan Neal wrapped up McCaffrey short of the sticks to end the drive. Exactly what we needed to see and, more importantly, what that defense needed to feel.

From then on, however, the 49ers defense did what they’ve been doing all season, and it led to a quick three and out highlighted by a Talanoa Hufanga sack that knocked the ball from Smith’s hands. The Niners offense would be getting a lot more run if it wasn’t for the unmatched prowess of their defense, and they showed exactly what makes them so dangerous on their next drive. With their monstrous offensive line creating holes, McCaffrey used his shiftiness and explosion to exploit the gaps for big gains. And when he wasn’t rookie Brock Purdy calmly distributed the ball all over the field.

The steady march culminated in a beautiful play design that was executed flawlessly by Brock Purdy. On it, Purdy faked one swing pass, then turned and pantomimed another before pivoting back to the middle of the field to find a slanting Kittle wide open. Kittle caught the pass and weaved his way through the last two defenders and into the endzone to make it 7-0.

The Seahawks offense continued their struggle, going three-and-out on their next two drives, leaving them with just 11 total yards on their first 11 plays. Fortunately, the defense did their part, taking advantage of 49ers penalties to stop two promising drives themselves and the punt-fest continued.

Smith got rolling on the next possession, finding DK Metcalf on consecutive throws for consecutive first downs. And when it looked like the momentum would stop faced with 3rd & 13 a couple snaps later, Geno kept it pushin’. As he dropped back to pass, Smith found no one open and leaked out to the right. As he approached the line of scrimmage, he pump-faked to freeze the isolated defender then gained the edge for a 15-yard scramble. A Walker III run and an out route to Noah Fant gained another first down before the drive finally sputtered out at the 20. Jason Myers trotted out and banged home a 38-yard field goal to close the gap at 7-3 and the game suddenly felt different.

The 49ers got another first down on their next possession before Purdy finally made his first mistake. Standing in a clean pocket, Purdy tossed one over the middle— right to Quandre Diggs. The ball hit Diggs in the chest but he couldn’t clasp it and it fell incomplete. It happened on third down so the Niners had to punt anyway but the drop cost Seattle at least 40 yards of field position with less than two minutes to go in the half and made scoring a whole lot tougher.

Still, it was a big stop for a struggling defense and the good vibes continued when Smith found Lockett and Marquis Goodwin on consecutive plays for a first down. Feeling the flow, the Seahawks stayed no huddle and Travis Homer took it up the middle for five more. Smith went back to Homer with a little arrow route on the next snap, but Dre Greenlaw absolutely leveled him with a huge hit and the ball sprung free. Charvarious Ward scooped it up and returned it all the way down to Seattle’s 7. Two McCaffrey plunges later, the 49ers were knocking an extra point through the uprights to make it 14-3, where it would stay until halftime.

The 49ers opened the third quarter with a big kick return and stepped on Seattle’s throat on their next play from scrimmage. Purdy dropped back as Kittle exploded out of his stance, and then just… didn’t get covered by anybody. Purdy hit him with ease for a huge gain and Kittle summarily dismissed Diggs and Barton inside the 10 for the long score. 21-3, and what felt like a close game less than two minutes of clock time ago was suddenly on the brink of a blowout.

The Seahawks’ once burning fire had been reduced to embers and those were nearly stamped out completely when Geno underthrew Lockett a couple snaps later. The pass was undercut by Deommodore Lenoir, who returned it for a touchdown that was waived off by an admittedly bullshit roughing call against Nick Bosa. Granted a break, Smith was able to hit Metcalf three times on the drive, as the Seahawks inched it close enough for Myers to hammer a 51-yarder through the uprights. 21-6.

After that it was a whole bunch of not scoring, with nary a real chance at it, until the Niners missed a short field goal with five minutes left in the game. It didn’t seem like much at the time but it kept the Seahawks within two scores. Through 55 minutes, Seattle had managed just two field goals but they weren’t ready to give up the ghost on the division just yet. Smith and Co took the field and got to work.

Geno found Metcalf for nine and after Walker III picked up the first down, hit Will Dissly for 13. Two plays later, Smith slung it out to Walker III in the right flat and the rookie smoked the lone defender’s pursuit angle to the sideline and turned upfield for 33. Despite the urgency of the situation, Smith remained calm and followed that big completion up with a seam pass to Noah Fant for a 10-yard touchdown that brought Seattle within eight at 21-13 with three and a half minutes left.

One more stop, and the Seahawks would get the ball back with an improbable shot at tying the game. That stop never came, however, as McCaffrey picked up one first down and Purdy scrambled for another, barely sliding past the first down marker and costing Seattle their final timeout on the ensuing unsuccessful challenge. From there, Seattle’s best case scenario was to force one last stop and get the ball back with about 30 seconds left. Instead, Jordan Mason burst through a well-blocked hole on the left side and juked Ryan Neal in the open field, streaking all the way down to the 2 before Mike Jackson knocked him out of bounds. Still, that run served as the finisher, and Purdy kneeled out the clock from there.

—

SMOKE RINGS

~Games like this— scratch that— defenses like this make it tough to judge a quarterback. Geno Smith was under siege all night, with San Francisco’s monstrous front seven making it difficult to get through his reads and eliminating any of the boot-action / moving-pocket schemes Seattle likes to employ. And on the back end, the Niners secondary stuck to Seattle’s receivers like flypaper, providing exactly zero margin for error. They’ve been annihilating the stat lines of opposing quarterbacks all season long and today was no different, as they reduced Geno’s remarkable season-long efficiency to rubble until the final drive.

When the dust settled, Smith’s numbers were decent considering the circumstances. He dropped back to pass a career-high 47 times, completing 31 of 44 throws for 238 yards, a touchdown, and no picks while taking 3 sacks in the process. All told Seattle finished with just 207 net yards passing, or 4.5 yards per play. Sheesh.

Geno has narrowly avoided a lot of interceptions recently and that continued again today. An endzone shot in the first half went through Tanaloa Mufanga’s hands and the call that erased the pick-six was honestly brutal. His final numbers were fine, and he stayed true to his process until the bitter end, but this was not a great performance. No one’s is against these guys, though, and the 10 second half points Seattle scored was the most anyone has in seven games.

~Yards were just so difficult to come by today and that’s reflected in Ken Walker III’s final line. For the fourth time in five games, Seattle found themselves down early and never got their run game into any kind of rhythm. Walker III finished with an underwhelming 47 yards on 12 carries but chipped in 32 more on four receptions. 77 total yards is just fine considering the circumstances.

I love Travis Homer and my confidence doesn’t waver one iota when he’s on the field. His fumble really hurt Seattle’s chances today, and you could see how bad he felt after, but I’m not sure there’s anybody who holds onto the ball the way Dre Greenlaw hit him.

~DK Metcalf is the coolest for so many reasons but my favorite is the deep personal offense he takes at the gall of any cornerback daring to line up against him. It’s even better when that cornerback is someone like Charvarius Ward, who is just as fearless. These two tussled all game long, locking facemasks on every run play and battling for each pass like flags don’t exist. Just awesome to watch.

As far as his total output went, he was productive on a night when few others were. He caught seven passes for 55 yards on nine targets against phenomenal coverage and never backed down in the face of the best defense in the league.

Tyler Lockett also caught seven of nine targets, turning them into 68 yards and a bunch of first downs. He is the finesse to Metcalf’s power and he was out there wiggling his way into soft spots in the defense all night. He’s on his way to another remarkable season and remains the most consistent playmaker in the offense.

~Believe it or not, I think the offensive line did alright. I know I’m beating the hell out of this drum but it’s impossible to talk about any aspect of the offense without acknowledging just how good their defensive counterparts were in this one. Charles Cross and Abe Lucas were admirable against Nick Bosa and Samson Ebukam and three sacks is actually pretty good when you consider that they called 47 pass plays. The interior line held their own on most of the pass plays but were unable to create any holes big enough for Walker III to convert into long runs. That part of their game has really stalled out over the last five weeks.

~In the same way the 49ers defense creates constant tension for opposing offenses, their offense does the same. And that makes it tough on a team like Seattle, who still seems hesitant at the point of attack. Overall, I thought the defense played pretty well— certainly as well as any team has against the Niners lately— but the relentless pressure eventually creates, and then exploits, cracks in their opponents’ plumbing. And when those cracks give way, the 49ers explode. That’s what they did today, as Seattle kept them bottled up on the vast majority of their plays but when the opportunities were there, San Francisco maximized ‘em. The story of this game was the disparity in explosive plays.

Holding this offense to 21 points is really good but they allowed the Niners to wring out the clock with 170 yards rushing, pushing Seattle’s total over 1,000 yards allowed on the ground in the last five games. They gave up two long touchdowns to Kittle through the air but were actually excellent aside from those. Even with those two huge plays, they held the 49ers to 211 yards passing on 27 dropbacks and looked good in coverage aside from a couple blown assignments.

~Michael Dickson and Jason Myers might be the best players on this team right now. Dickson was sensational, punting 7 times at 50 yards per, pinning 3 of them inside the 10 including killing one inside the 1. Myers nailed both his kicks as he continues to be the most accurate kicker in the NFL this season, converting 96% of his field goals and 97% of his extra points. The crazy thing about it is almost every attempt he’s had this season has cleared the crossbar in the middle third. He’s not even making us sweat.

—

We lost a very close friend a couple days ago. Someone who fought so hard for the people in her life— who’s unrelenting optimism turned each occasion into a great time, and who went out of her way to help at every opportunity. Most importantly, she made everyone feel good about themselves whenever they were around her. There is a huge hole in my heart today, and in the hearts of hundreds of others. The world dimmed a little when she left us, but it’s much brighter than it was before she arrived.

Tonight’s outcome sucks, and it’s hard to watch the Seahawks stumble towards the finish line after such a promising start to the season. We care a lot about this team, this game, and it hurts to watch the 49ers clinch the division on the Seahawks’ field. But I’m reminded that this is just a game, and that I am so fortunate to be healthy, happy, and able to watch it with people I love.

Seattle’s arrow is still pointed up— maybe not as steeply as it was a month ago— but the team is young, fun, hungry, and brimming with potential. The postseason got a little further away today, but it’s very much still in play and the outlook for the ‘Hawks for the next few years is so much rosier than I would’ve imagined as recently as September.

I feel incredibly lucky to watch these guys play, and to have the opportunity to write about it for such a remarkable fanbase. I appreciate you guys so much and the fact that anyone reads this each week still blows me away. I’m grateful for y’all and I can’t wait to watch this team rise with you. Onward and upward. We love you Carmen.

—

Lit up one of the fanciest cigars I’ve ever had tonight. The Year of the Rabbit from Davidoff is very difficult to come by and I’m extremely grateful to the guys at Seattle Cigar Concierge for providing the rare opportunity to get my hands on some. Delicious stogie, it burns forever, holds its ash to the knuckle, and never pulls hot. Super enjoyable experience!

This is the 4th year of our incredible partnership with Seattle Cigar Concierge. They have the plug on some of the most insane stogies on the market and they’re offering them to Cigar Thoughts readers for 20% off. These are extremely special sticks, and among the most enjoyable I’ve ever smoked. To get the hook-up, just email SeattleCigarConcierge@GMail.com. They are carrying over 70 cigar brands with many rare releases, including Davidoff, Opus X, and Padron. You can also hit them up on Twitter: @SeattleCigars. Just be sure to mention that you’re a Cigar Thoughts reader. Many of you have taken advantage of this incredible opportunity and for those who have always wondered what elite cigars are like, this may the best chance you’ll get to step into that world.

The 2022 season of Cigar Thoughts is also proud to be sponsored by Fairhaven Floors and Brandon Nelson Partners in Bellingham, WA.

The post Cigar Ideas, Sport 14: Hole between Seattle and San Francisco stays evident as Seahawks fall to 49ers 21-13 appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

***As most of you know, Cigar Thoughts is now a podcast. One of the perks of the pod is getting these articles in audio form, in addition to our sit-downs with our amazing guests. You can listen to all the shows, including this article, right here:

—

The fact that this game carried as much import as it did says a lot about how far the Seattle Seahawks have come in such a short time. It also served as a litmus test, as the San Francisco 49ers came to town engorged on the blood of their last six foes. It wasn’t that long ago that this was the best rivalry in the NFL and with the Seahawks rising and the 49ers near the top of the heap, we may be headed back that way. But right now, in this moment, there is a clear difference in talent, execution, and experience between these two teams, and that disparity was on display for the entire country tonight.

—

The Seahawks started the game with the ball and immediately picked up a first down when Geno Smith followed up a six-yard Ken Walker III run with a five-yard completion to Tyler Lockett. It was a nice lil pop to keep a frenzied crowd titillated but the drive would stall after that. Damien Lewis got beat on a screen pass to Walker III for a loss of three and Smith threw consecutive incompletions, leading to a Michael Dickson punt that pinned the Niners at their own 10.

As the 49ers prepared for their first possession, Seattle’s much-maligned defense took the field having forced the fewest three-and-outs in the NFL. San Francisco’s offense, for their part, had committed the fewest, but the Seahawks immediately forced San Francisco off the field anyway. Cody Barton strung a Christian McCaffrey run out on first down, Jordyn Brooks snuffed a short completion to George Kittle, and Ryan Neal wrapped up McCaffrey short of the sticks to end the drive. Exactly what we needed to see and, more importantly, what that defense needed to feel.

From then on, however, the 49ers defense did what they’ve been doing all season, and it led to a quick three and out highlighted by a Talanoa Hufanga sack that knocked the ball from Smith’s hands. The Niners offense would be getting a lot more run if it wasn’t for the unmatched prowess of their defense, and they showed exactly what makes them so dangerous on their next drive. With their monstrous offensive line creating holes, McCaffrey used his shiftiness and explosion to exploit the gaps for big gains. And when he wasn’t rookie Brock Purdy calmly distributed the ball all over the field.

The steady march culminated in a beautiful play design that was executed flawlessly by Brock Purdy. On it, Purdy faked one swing pass, then turned and pantomimed another before pivoting back to the middle of the field to find a slanting Kittle wide open. Kittle caught the pass and weaved his way through the last two defenders and into the endzone to make it 7-0.

The Seahawks offense continued their struggle, going three-and-out on their next two drives, leaving them with just 11 total yards on their first 11 plays. Fortunately, the defense did their part, taking advantage of 49ers penalties to stop two promising drives themselves and the punt-fest continued.

Smith got rolling on the next possession, finding DK Metcalf on consecutive throws for consecutive first downs. And when it looked like the momentum would stop faced with 3rd & 13 a couple snaps later, Geno kept it pushin’. As he dropped back to pass, Smith found no one open and leaked out to the right. As he approached the line of scrimmage, he pump-faked to freeze the isolated defender then gained the edge for a 15-yard scramble. A Walker III run and an out route to Noah Fant gained another first down before the drive finally sputtered out at the 20. Jason Myers trotted out and banged home a 38-yard field goal to close the gap at 7-3 and the game suddenly felt different.

The 49ers got another first down on their next possession before Purdy finally made his first mistake. Standing in a clean pocket, Purdy tossed one over the middle— right to Quandre Diggs. The ball hit Diggs in the chest but he couldn’t clasp it and it fell incomplete. It happened on third down so the Niners had to punt anyway but the drop cost Seattle at least 40 yards of field position with less than two minutes to go in the half and made scoring a whole lot tougher.

Still, it was a big stop for a struggling defense and the good vibes continued when Smith found Lockett and Marquis Goodwin on consecutive plays for a first down. Feeling the flow, the Seahawks stayed no huddle and Travis Homer took it up the middle for five more. Smith went back to Homer with a little arrow route on the next snap, but Dre Greenlaw absolutely leveled him with a huge hit and the ball sprung free. Charvarious Ward scooped it up and returned it all the way down to Seattle’s 7. Two McCaffrey plunges later, the 49ers were knocking an extra point through the uprights to make it 14-3, where it would stay until halftime.

The 49ers opened the third quarter with a big kick return and stepped on Seattle’s throat on their next play from scrimmage. Purdy dropped back as Kittle exploded out of his stance, and then just… didn’t get covered by anybody. Purdy hit him with ease for a huge gain and Kittle summarily dismissed Diggs and Barton inside the 10 for the long score. 21-3, and what felt like a close game less than two minutes of clock time ago was suddenly on the brink of a blowout.

The Seahawks’ once burning fire had been reduced to embers and those were nearly stamped out completely when Geno underthrew Lockett a couple snaps later. The pass was undercut by Deommodore Lenoir, who returned it for a touchdown that was waived off by an admittedly bullshit roughing call against Nick Bosa. Granted a break, Smith was able to hit Metcalf three times on the drive, as the Seahawks inched it close enough for Myers to hammer a 51-yarder through the uprights. 21-6.

After that it was a whole bunch of not scoring, with nary a real chance at it, until the Niners missed a short field goal with five minutes left in the game. It didn’t seem like much at the time but it kept the Seahawks within two scores. Through 55 minutes, Seattle had managed just two field goals but they weren’t ready to give up the ghost on the division just yet. Smith and Co took the field and got to work.

Geno found Metcalf for nine and after Walker III picked up the first down, hit Will Dissly for 13. Two plays later, Smith slung it out to Walker III in the right flat and the rookie smoked the lone defender’s pursuit angle to the sideline and turned upfield for 33. Despite the urgency of the situation, Smith remained calm and followed that big completion up with a seam pass to Noah Fant for a 10-yard touchdown that brought Seattle within eight at 21-13 with three and a half minutes left.

One more stop, and the Seahawks would get the ball back with an improbable shot at tying the game. That stop never came, however, as McCaffrey picked up one first down and Purdy scrambled for another, barely sliding past the first down marker and costing Seattle their final timeout on the ensuing unsuccessful challenge. From there, Seattle’s best case scenario was to force one last stop and get the ball back with about 30 seconds left. Instead, Jordan Mason burst through a well-blocked hole on the left side and juked Ryan Neal in the open field, streaking all the way down to the 2 before Mike Jackson knocked him out of bounds. Still, that run served as the finisher, and Purdy kneeled out the clock from there.

—

SMOKE RINGS

~Games like this— scratch that— defenses like this make it tough to judge a quarterback. Geno Smith was under siege all night, with San Francisco’s monstrous front seven making it difficult to get through his reads and eliminating any of the boot-action / moving-pocket schemes Seattle likes to employ. And on the back end, the Niners secondary stuck to Seattle’s receivers like flypaper, providing exactly zero margin for error. They’ve been annihilating the stat lines of opposing quarterbacks all season long and today was no different, as they reduced Geno’s remarkable season-long efficiency to rubble until the final drive.

When the dust settled, Smith’s numbers were decent considering the circumstances. He dropped back to pass a career-high 47 times, completing 31 of 44 throws for 238 yards, a touchdown, and no picks while taking 3 sacks in the process. All told Seattle finished with just 207 net yards passing, or 4.5 yards per play. Sheesh.

Geno has narrowly avoided a lot of interceptions recently and that continued again today. An endzone shot in the first half went through Tanaloa Mufanga’s hands and the call that erased the pick-six was honestly brutal. His final numbers were fine, and he stayed true to his process until the bitter end, but this was not a great performance. No one’s is against these guys, though, and the 10 second half points Seattle scored was the most anyone has in seven games.

~Yards were just so difficult to come by today and that’s reflected in Ken Walker III’s final line. For the fourth time in five games, Seattle found themselves down early and never got their run game into any kind of rhythm. Walker III finished with an underwhelming 47 yards on 12 carries but chipped in 32 more on four receptions. 77 total yards is just fine considering the circumstances.

I love Travis Homer and my confidence doesn’t waver one iota when he’s on the field. His fumble really hurt Seattle’s chances today, and you could see how bad he felt after, but I’m not sure there’s anybody who holds onto the ball the way Dre Greenlaw hit him.

~DK Metcalf is the coolest for so many reasons but my favorite is the deep personal offense he takes at the gall of any cornerback daring to line up against him. It’s even better when that cornerback is someone like Charvarius Ward, who is just as fearless. These two tussled all game long, locking facemasks on every run play and battling for each pass like flags don’t exist. Just awesome to watch.

As far as his total output went, he was productive on a night when few others were. He caught seven passes for 55 yards on nine targets against phenomenal coverage and never backed down in the face of the best defense in the league.

Tyler Lockett also caught seven of nine targets, turning them into 68 yards and a bunch of first downs. He is the finesse to Metcalf’s power and he was out there wiggling his way into soft spots in the defense all night. He’s on his way to another remarkable season and remains the most consistent playmaker in the offense.

~Believe it or not, I think the offensive line did alright. I know I’m beating the hell out of this drum but it’s impossible to talk about any aspect of the offense without acknowledging just how good their defensive counterparts were in this one. Charles Cross and Abe Lucas were admirable against Nick Bosa and Samson Ebukam and three sacks is actually pretty good when you consider that they called 47 pass plays. The interior line held their own on most of the pass plays but were unable to create any holes big enough for Walker III to convert into long runs. That part of their game has really stalled out over the last five weeks.

~In the same way the 49ers defense creates constant tension for opposing offenses, their offense does the same. And that makes it tough on a team like Seattle, who still seems hesitant at the point of attack. Overall, I thought the defense played pretty well— certainly as well as any team has against the Niners lately— but the relentless pressure eventually creates, and then exploits, cracks in their opponents’ plumbing. And when those cracks give way, the 49ers explode. That’s what they did today, as Seattle kept them bottled up on the vast majority of their plays but when the opportunities were there, San Francisco maximized ‘em. The story of this game was the disparity in explosive plays.

Holding this offense to 21 points is really good but they allowed the Niners to wring out the clock with 170 yards rushing, pushing Seattle’s total over 1,000 yards allowed on the ground in the last five games. They gave up two long touchdowns to Kittle through the air but were actually excellent aside from those. Even with those two huge plays, they held the 49ers to 211 yards passing on 27 dropbacks and looked good in coverage aside from a couple blown assignments.

~Michael Dickson and Jason Myers might be the best players on this team right now. Dickson was sensational, punting 7 times at 50 yards per, pinning 3 of them inside the 10 including killing one inside the 1. Myers nailed both his kicks as he continues to be the most accurate kicker in the NFL this season, converting 96% of his field goals and 97% of his extra points. The crazy thing about it is almost every attempt he’s had this season has cleared the crossbar in the middle third. He’s not even making us sweat.

—

We lost a very close friend a couple days ago. Someone who fought so hard for the people in her life— who’s unrelenting optimism turned each occasion into a great time, and who went out of her way to help at every opportunity. Most importantly, she made everyone feel good about themselves whenever they were around her. There is a huge hole in my heart today, and in the hearts of hundreds of others. The world dimmed a little when she left us, but it’s much brighter than it was before she arrived.

Tonight’s outcome sucks, and it’s hard to watch the Seahawks stumble towards the finish line after such a promising start to the season. We care a lot about this team, this game, and it hurts to watch the 49ers clinch the division on the Seahawks’ field. But I’m reminded that this is just a game, and that I am so fortunate to be healthy, happy, and able to watch it with people I love.

Seattle’s arrow is still pointed up— maybe not as steeply as it was a month ago— but the team is young, fun, hungry, and brimming with potential. The postseason got a little further away today, but it’s very much still in play and the outlook for the ‘Hawks for the next few years is so much rosier than I would’ve imagined as recently as September.

I feel incredibly lucky to watch these guys play, and to have the opportunity to write about it for such a remarkable fanbase. I appreciate you guys so much and the fact that anyone reads this each week still blows me away. I’m grateful for y’all and I can’t wait to watch this team rise with you. Onward and upward. We love you Carmen.

—

Lit up one of the fanciest cigars I’ve ever had tonight. The Year of the Rabbit from Davidoff is very difficult to come by and I’m extremely grateful to the guys at Seattle Cigar Concierge for providing the rare opportunity to get my hands on some. Delicious stogie, it burns forever, holds its ash to the knuckle, and never pulls hot. Super enjoyable experience!

This is the 4th year of our incredible partnership with Seattle Cigar Concierge. They have the plug on some of the most insane stogies on the market and they’re offering them to Cigar Thoughts readers for 20% off. These are extremely special sticks, and among the most enjoyable I’ve ever smoked. To get the hook-up, just email SeattleCigarConcierge@GMail.com. They are carrying over 70 cigar brands with many rare releases, including Davidoff, Opus X, and Padron. You can also hit them up on Twitter: @SeattleCigars. Just be sure to mention that you’re a Cigar Thoughts reader. Many of you have taken advantage of this incredible opportunity and for those who have always wondered what elite cigars are like, this may the best chance you’ll get to step into that world.

The 2022 season of Cigar Thoughts is also proud to be sponsored by Fairhaven Floors and Brandon Nelson Partners in Bellingham, WA.

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The Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers play on Sunday in an NFL Week 2 game.

The 49ers are an 8.5-point favorite, according to Tipico Sportsbook.

San Francisco is -420 on the moneyline in the game, which will be played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.

The Seahawks are +330.

The over/under for the game is set at 41.5 points.

More:NFL Week 2 odds: Point spreads, moneylines, over/under for Week 2 NFL schedule games

The 49ers lost to the Chicago Bears in their first game of the season, 19-10.

The Seahawks beat the Denver Broncos in Week 1, 17-16.

The Seahawks won both games these two played last season, taking a Week 4 contest on the road, 28-21 and winning a Week 13 game at home, 30-23.

NFL Week 2 picks, predictions:

The NFL Week 2 game is scheduled to kick off at 1:05 pm MST Sunday and can be seen on Fox.

More:NFL Week 2 schedule, television information: How to watch Week 2 NFL games

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problems? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).

More:NFL power rankings Week 2: Cardinals, Bengals, Patriots, Packers plummet after Week 1 losses

Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.

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the San Francisco 49ers (6-5) face it Seattle Seahawks (3-8) at Lumen Field for Week 13 of the NFL. Let’s take a look at the betting lines for Sunday’s matchup. The 49ers started the week as a 3.0 point favorite, but the spread has since increased to 3.5, leaving the 49ers at -169 and Seahawks at +150. The total dotted line is set to 46.5, with OVER at -110 and UNDER at -110.

• These teams share a 5-6-0 ATS record this season.

• The 49ers have a 6-5-0 O / U record this season (meaning six games exceeded total points and five went under). The Seahawks have a 1-10-0 O / U record.

Points on the blackboard

• The 49ers have an average of 25.5 points per game this season (11th place in the league). In comparison, the Seahawks averaged just 19.0 (25th).

• Defensively, the 49ers forego 22.5 points per game this season (11th in the league), while the Seahawks give up an average of 20.5 points (T6.).

Moving the chains

• With an average of 365.1, the 49ers rank 12th in the league for total yards per game. In comparison, the Seahawks rank 31st with just 295.7 yards per game.

• In terms of yards allowed, the 49ers give up 318.7 per game (6th in the league) this season, beating the Seahawks, who averaged 399.0 (32nd)

Rise in the air

• The 49ers have scored 234.2 yards per game this season (16th in the league). By comparison, the Seahawks defense has given up 274.1 yards per game (31st).

• Meanwhile, the Seahawks have posted 203.2 pass yards per game (26th in the league) this season, while the 49ers defense have given up 207.3 pass yards per game (6th).

Advantage on the ground

• In terms of ground play, the 49ers have recorded 130.9 yards per game this season (6th in the league). Conversely, the Seahawks give up 124.9 yards per game (T23rd).

• On the flip side, the Seahawks have recorded 92.5 rushing yards per game (25th in the league) this season, while the 49ers forego 111.5 rushing yards per game (14th).

Protect ball

• Given their ability to force sales, the 49ers have posted a total of 11 takeaways this season (T25th in the league) while the Seahawks have posted 10 (T28th).

• On the offensive, the 49ers have recorded a total of 15 giveaways this season (T15 in the league) while the Seahawks have taken better care of the ball, recording 7 (1st).

The first goalscorer

The 49ers are -130 to score first while the Seahawks are +100.

• The 49ers and Seahawks have each scored the first goals in five of their eleven games this season.

Which team will get the first touchdown?

• The 49ers have scored first touchdowns in six of their eleven games this season.

• The Seahawks have scored the first touchdown in seven of their eleven games this season.

First scoring game

San Francisco Touchdown 4/11 +175

San Francisco Field Goal 1/11 +350

San Francisco Security 0/11 +9000

Seattle Touchdown 4/11 +270

Seattle Field Goal 1/11 +320

Seattle Security 0/11 +8000

Which team has a quick start?

The 49ers are -150 and the first team to score 10 points while the Seahawks score +120.

• The 49ers and Seahawks were the first to score 10 points each in five of their eleven games that season.

Money line for the first quarter

The 49ers are preferred in the first quarter moneyline market, currently at -145, while the Seahawks are +125.

• The 49ers have a 5-4-2 W / L / T record in the first quarter this season while the Seahawks hold a record of 5-2-4.

The last time they met

The Seahawks scored a 28-21 win over the 49ers at Levi’s when those teams last clashed in Week 4, 2021. Although Deebo Samuel was on the wrong side on this result, he was a dominant force and ended up with 156 yards and 2 touchdowns.

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When Russell Wilson and the Seahawks defeated Jimmy Garoppolo and the San Francisco 49ers at Levis Stadium 28:21 in Week 4, the two rivals seemed to be going in opposite directions and the road team aggressively found their move to post halftime for 21 points explode .

But since then the script has been turned upside down. After a tough loss to an understaffed Arizona squad in Week 9, San Francisco climbed to sixth place in the NFC thanks to a three-game winning streak, while Seattle fell to the bottom of the league, losing six of the last seven competitions and eliminating them almost got out of the playoff competition.

What has changed for the 49ers since the first match? Over the past three weeks, coach Kyle Shanahan’s side has aggressively returned to their bread and butter, relying on rookie running back Elijah Mitchell and Swiss Army Knife Deebo Samuel to storm nearly 175 yards per game. With the ground play to compliment him, Garoppolo was extremely efficient under the middle, getting a pass rating of 117.0 while completing 71 percent of his passes with five touchdowns and one interception.

“They play the ball a lot more than they have and, especially in the last three weeks, as much as anyone else in football,” said Seahawks coach Pete Carroll on Wednesday. “They’ve found tremendous success at that. They’re a good perimeter team, they’re basically a zone running team, but with their dedication, they have man-block schemes, gap-block schemes, and they go along with a variety of things.” their perimeter people too, so they’re really committed. “

Meanwhile, San Francisco has given up 15 points per game defensively as it defeated the Los Angeles Rams, Jacksonville and Minnesota in consecutive weeks. Victory in the sales battle was critical to that success as the team intercepted three passes and won back a trio of fumbles and had a plus-five advantage in sales margin.

As the two bitter rivals prepare to meet again at Lumen Field, here’s a closer look at the Seahawks’ upcoming Week 13 opponent, including series history, additions / departures, key metrics, and Carroll’s rating of the 49ers.

Series history

46th meeting of the season. The Seahawks have dominated the series, winning 28 of the previous 45 regular season matchups while beating the 49ers in the 2013 NFC Championship Game.

Since that playoff game seven years ago, Seattle has won 13 of the last 15 games between the two rivals, including last season’s streak of home and away wins against San Francisco. The 49ers’ last win in the series came in December 2019 when they defeated the Seahawks at Lumen Field 26-21, keeping tight end Jacob Hollister out of the end zone in the final seconds to claim an NFC West title. San Francisco’s longest streak in the series was four games from 2010 to 2012, while Seattle won 10 straight from 2014 to 2018.

What’s new

Departures: San Francisco’s biggest loss came to the coaching staff when announced defensive coordinator Robert Saleh was hired as the new head coach of the New York Jets, taking on several assistants. Defensively, the team underwent significant changes in secondary school, allowing seasoned cornerbacks Richard Sherman and Akhello Witherspoon to go free. Along the defensive line, former first-round pick Solomon Thomas moved to the Raiders, while Kerry Hyder moved teams within the division to sign with the Seahawks. On the offensive, receiver Michael Bourne raced to New England and running back Tevin Coleman followed Saleh to New York.

additions: The 49ers’ biggest splash came weeks before draft weekend, when General Manager John Lynch packed up several first rounds to trade with the Dolphins in third place overall. While speculation raged about the team’s interest in Alabama quarterback Mac Jones, they instead selected Trey Lance, the South Dakota state star quarterback, as a possible heir to Garoppolo. San Francisco upgraded the inside of its offensive line to protect anyone below the center and signed Pro Bowl center Alex Mack. To replace Sherman and Witherspoon, former all-pro Josh Norman was signed before the start of the regular season, while former Rams linebacker Samson Ebukam has signed a two-year deal. Before the trading deadline, the team acquired the defensive end Charles Omenihu from the Texans for a sixth round draft in 2023.

Injury report

While San Francisco has plenty of momentum on its side en route to Seattle, the team will forego several key players in Sunday’s rematch. Top receiver Deebo Samuel, who has already overshadowed 1,000 yards this year, was dismissed with a groin injury, while all-pro linebacker Fred Warner was listed as doubtful playing with an Achilles tendon strain. Another key linebacker, Dre Greenlaw, won’t play on Sunday with his own groin problem either.

Within the scheme

With Kyle Juszczyk one of the few remaining real full-backs in the NFL, the 49ers deployed more double-back staffing than any other team in the NFL, and that trend has continued in 2021. So far, they have 21 and 22 employees used 43 percent of their offensive snapshots, second only to the Ravens. While a large part of the league mainly uses 11 employees, the 49ers with these groups only occupy 45 percent of their offensive games in 26th place.

Hailing from his father Mike Shanahan’s coaching tree, Kyle Shanahan still invokes more than any other running concept outside of the zone. But during his four seasons at the top he slowly mixed in more strength and counterattack concepts to further diversify the hectic attack. In fact, they ranked in the top 10 for performance and counter-run rate in 2020 according to Pro Football Focus, and the Seahawks should expect a steady dose of both in this upcoming rematch.

With Saleh in the lead, the 49ers heavily preferred Cover 3 and Quarters Coverage looks out of their base defense on early downs and didn’t flash much in those situations. But in obvious passing situations when they were playing nickel or dime packages, they put in more cover 1 looks with man underneath and were also much more aggressive with the lightning, putting five or more defenders on the third highest rate after the quarterback third place sent. They ended up in the EPA’s top 10 on all downs.

In 11 games under Demeco Ryans, who replaced Saleh, the 49ers haven’t changed much in terms of coverage systems. They still use cover-3 single highs (39.9 percent) and quarters (19.8 percent) mostly on early downs, and remain one of the least aggressive blitz teams as they only have 21.5 percent of their additional defenders Snaps per Pro Football have sent reference. Unlike in the last two years, however, they could not generate such constant pressure with four man storms and, according to PFF, have the second least total pressure in the league.

In numbers

31.6: 49ers points per game since week 10, third best in the NFL

3.84: Yards after contact per rush by rookie Elijah Mitchell, second best among the qualified runners

530: Yards of contact from Deebo Samuel, third most popular among NFL receivers

38.3: Third down conversion rate, 20th among NFL teams

6th: Sacks allowed percentage on the offensive line of the 49ers, 19th in the league.

10.4: Yards allowed per reception, ninth lowest in the league

2.96: Yards after contact by opposing runners, 27th in the NFL

1.36: Passing touchdowns per game allowed, tied for the seventh-fewest in the league

62: Touchdown percentage in the red zone for opponents, 19th in the league

100: Quarterback pressure, the second least among 32 NFL teams

Carroll’s thoughts

–On the advent of rookie running back Elijah Mitchell: “Well, they were really effective. The signing to the Rams a couple of weeks ago was really obvious that they are really looking for the running game, they are making great strides in the past three weeks, they are getting more yards every week and he was right in the middle of it. It’s tough and has really good speed. Everyone who runs for them looks great and that’s because they have a real commitment to it. They show and run the ball a lot and he is currently the leading ball carrier. “

– On Nick Bosa’s return to form in his third NFL season: “He’s as active as ever. You move him around more. You play him on the other side. We saw him a little above the center. You’re really trying to position it effectively. He’s a really good player and has a great engine. His power to fortify things he has, he just adds it to his rushs, along with the speed, makes him really very difficult. We have to take care of him. We have to make sure we know where he is and include him in our protective recordings. “

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This would not have been expected at the beginning of the season.

Things are changing, however, and flexing gives the NFL the option to postpone a game from the Sunday Night Football slot, and that is what the league does on December 5th for NBC.

The league has postponed the Seattle Seahawks game against the San Francisco 49ers to kick off at 4:25 p.m. ET.

In the evening, the Kansas City Chiefs will visit the Denver Broncos.

The Chiefs won four straight wins in week 12, which will be after their week of bye.

The Broncos are 5-5 and will play against the Los Angeles Chargers this Sunday.

The NFL switched Chiefs-Broncos to Sunday Night Football in week 13.

Seahawks-49ers transition to 4:25 p.m. ET.

– Field Yates (@FieldYates) November 23, 2021

For those who love star quarterbacks, Patrick Mahomes was granted while you lost to Russell Wilson.

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