Tag: 49ers vs Seahawks

6 silver linings from the 49ers’ heartbreaking loss to Seahawks

The 49ers lost on Monday night, but it’s not all bad in Santa Clara.

The 49ers’ first loss of the season couldn’t have gone much worse.  They had opportunities to win, and pushed the Seahawks to the final seconds of overtime, but they couldn’t secure a victory and fell to 8-1 on the season.

It’s hard to glean a lot of good from a contest as gut-wrenching as Monday night, but there are a few positives the 49ers can focus on as moving forward.

Dre Greenlaw was good

Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

Losing linebacker Kwon Alexander could’ve been a crucial blow for San Francisco’s defense, especially since the rookie Greenlaw was his replacement. The fifth-round selection out of Arkansas acquitted himself well with eight tackles, a pass breakup and an interception that nearly won the game for the 49ers. He picked off Russell Wilson in the red zone in overtime, and nearly took it back for a touchdown. Greenlaw should be a perfectly suitable replacement for Alexander in the heart of 49ers’ defense.

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5 takeaways from 49ers’ wild Monday night loss to Seahawks

The 49ers took their first loss of the season against the Seahawks on Monday night. There was plenty to learn from it.

The 49ers took their first loss of the year to the Seattle Seahawks 27-24 in overtime.

Here are five takeaways from a tremendous contest at Levi’s Stadium:

49ers still in first place

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

After all that, the 49ers are still the top team in their division and the NFC. Seattle is only a half-game behind them in the West at 8-2, while San Francisco dropped to 8-1. And the Saints’ loss to the Falcons put them at 7-2,  so the 49ers still sit a full game up on them. It was a heartbreaking loss to a division rival, but not the end of the world.

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DeForest Buckner scores weirdest touchdown of season

The 49ers got a defensive touchdown in the strangest way possible.

The 49ers needed a spark from their defense, and they got one when K’Waun Williams flew off the edge to wrap up Russell Wilson. Before Wilson could go down, his offensive lineman Germain Efedi took the ball away from the quarterback, then had it stripped by linebacker Fred Warner. DeForest Buckner scooped it up and scored an enormous touchdown for San Francisco.

The 49ers wound up converting the two-point conversion to make it a 21-18 game.

Fred Warner forces punt with 2nd sack vs. Seahawks

Fred Warner is flying around in the 49ers’ first game without Kwon Alexander.

The 49ers were going to have big shoes to fill at linebacker with Kwon Alexander out. Fred Warner appears to be taking the onus on himself.

He got to Russell Wilson once in the first half for his first career sack. Then he got him again in the second half to force a punt after Seattle started rolling on offense.

This is the kind of showing San Francisco needs from Warner with Alexander sidelined.

WATCH: Fred Warner notches 1st-career sack

Fred Warner picked up his first sack of the season to end a Seahawks drive.

The 49ers rarely send extra pass rushers. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh dialed up a blitz on a Seahawks third-and-4 in 49ers territory. It worked.

Linebacker Fred Warner blew through a hole in the offensive line and dragged down quarterback Russell Wilson before he could get outside the pocket. Seattle punted for the third time in as many possessions.

The 49ers have done a nice job with Wilson in the early going.

WATCH: Jimmy Garoppolo hits Kendrick Bourne for 10-yard TD pass

Jimmy Garoppolo is dealing again and the 49ers lead the Seahawks early.

Jimmy Garoppolo is dealing again. He led a seven-play, 83-yard scoring drive on the 49ers’ second possession on Monday night. He capped the series with a 10-yard strike to Kendrick Bourne, who strolled in for an easy score and a 10-0 49ers lead.

Garoppolo is 7-of-11 for 89 yards and a touchdown.  Bourne has two catches for 26 yards and a score.

DJ Jones eviscerates Seahawks OL, sacks Russell Wilson

DJ Jones blew up Joey Hunt and sacked Russell Wilson.

DJ Jones was lined up across from Seahawks’ backup center Joey Hunt on a third-and-2 on Seattle’s first series.

Jones might as well have lined up across from a traffic cone.

That’s one way to make sure Russell Wilson can’t escape the pocket.

Keys to victory: 49ers defense has big adjustment to make vs. Seahawks

The 49ers defense badly needs a bounce back game, but Seattle won’t make it easy.

The 49ers defense got punched in the mouth for the first time all season in Week 9 against the Cardinals and rookie quarterback Kyler Murray. Now they face a similar style of quarterback in Russell Wilson when the Seahawks visit Levi’s Stadium on Monday night.

San Francisco has an adjustment to make against one of the NFL’s most explosive passing attacks. Here are three keys to stopping the Seahawks:

1. Keep Wilson hemmed in

There’s no area where Wilson really struggles, but the Seattle offense becomes especially dangerous when he escapes the pocket and gets to reset his feet and look down the field. If he does get outside, the 49ers have to make sure they stay in pursuit and keep him on the run to avoid finding a big shot down the field.

2. Find the run defense

Wilson’s productivity may not matter much if running back Chris Carson gets rolling. He’s a tough, hard-nosed runner who wears defenses out. The 49ers have to get to him before he gets going downhill. If they struggle again against the run, Seattle has enough weapons to beat them.

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3. Who’s the heartbeat?

Kwon Alexander was the emotional driver of the 49ers’ defense. They have to find a way to rekindle his intangibles now that he’s out for the season. If they come out flat defensively, they might be in for a long night. Starting fast and finding that emotional jolt missing with Alexander out is essential. It may not be one player who leads that charge, but they still need to find it.

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