Thursday Night time Soccer: Winners and Losers for 49ers 36, Seahawks 24

Did you anticipate the rest?

I’ll reward the Seattle Seahawks for combating again from 23-3 towards the San Francisco 49ers, however there ain’t a lot else to reward. If the 49ers have been a critical crew within the crimson zone like they often are, this might’ve been completed by halftime. Six losses in a row to their largest division rivals, they usually haven’t been shut. Your guess is pretty much as good as mine for once they’ll ever be shut.

Winners and Losers time after a 36-24 loss to ship Seattle to 3-3. Gentle on winners but once more.

Winners

Laviska Shenault Jr

Statistically, Shenault Jr was a +4 tonight by advantage of shedding a fumble on a kick return however getting one again by way of a 97-yard landing. He kickstarted the comeback try and is clearly one of the best returner on the crew. This dynamic kickoff has solely yielded two touchdowns complete and he has one among them, so congrats to him and I hope his illness has gone away.

Stone Forsythe

Nick Bosa had quite a lot of pressures and no sacks. Forsythe arguably did a greater job not getting overpowered by him than Charles Cross. For all we all know, Forsythe is again to the bench if George Fant comes again subsequent week, however I believe he’s completed in addition to he may’ve presumably completed as a third-string possibility at proper sort out. No, that doesn’t imply I believe he’s carried out properly, however he’s not been a game-damaging legal responsibility.

Leonard Williams

“Massive Cat” had two of the 4 QB hits and was one of many few to stress Brock Purdy with any semi-success. He additionally had a sort out for loss towards the run. One of many few defensive gamers who put in a creditable shift tonight.

Tyler Lockett

We bought to see Lockett on the go-ball another time and he caught his first landing of the season. Savor these moments as a result of this is likely to be Tyler’s final yr with the crew, if not the league. Lockett completed with 4 catches for 65 yards.

Losers

Geno Smith

It was an sad birthday for Geno. His efficiency undoubtedly may have the “Begin Sam Howell” calls develop louder, despite the fact that this was his first clearly unhealthy sport of the season. It ain’t occurring except he’s harm or has a number of extra video games like that in fast succession. On the very least, it could definitely finish any contract extension debate. He was oddly inaccurate, panicky, and out of types for a lot of the night time. Each interceptions have been unhealthy choices and unhealthy throws (EDIT: Seems the second may need been much more on DK than realized). It appears not coincidental that this passing sport has struggled to maintain itself towards defenses that have been way more content material to hurry 4 and never blitz, given Geno was some of the blitzed QBs within the NFL.

In the end, Smith has performed one fairly first rate sport towards the 49ers and it was a 41-23 blowout within the playoffs, and even that petered out after the third quarter. I hate to do the Russell Wilson comparability as a result of there have been additionally some years the place Wilson bought to beat up some dreadful 49ers groups, however Wilson at his greatest additionally stepped up towards some elite 49ers defenses. Wilson additionally had an elite protection through the LOB years such that he may have an off-night and the protection may nonetheless maintain down the 49ers offense. The Seahawks shouldn’t have that luxurious.

What separates Smith from the elite quarterbacks within the NFL is that when he’s off-rhythm and a bit rattled, he can’t persistently create from unhealthy conditions like one of the best within the enterprise. We’ve seen this story towards the 49ers particularly too many instances, and on this event the OL held up higher than anticipated in cross professional. Geno needed to not be a net-negative for the Seahawks to have a shot, and he couldn’t do it.

The excellent news is that #DomeGeno is again subsequent week. He’s higher on the highway than at dwelling at this level.

Offensive Line (Run blocking)

That was dismal. The 49ers haven’t been a stout run protection this yr and even with the lack of Jordan Elliott and Javon Hargrave, there have been few holes for Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet, who mixed for 19 carries and 52 yards and one TD fro mWalker. The inside of this OL can’t block and the auxiliary blocking from the tight ends and receivers is just not ok.

There’s no bettering this, both. Commerce? Above-average OL don’t repeatedly get dealt midseason. This Seahawks OL has been totally wholesome outdoors of proper sort out, which is what makes this efficiency jarring.

Ryan Grubb

Properly, he ran the ball. He did it within the a method I didn’t need him to do it, which was the 2018-esque Brian Schottenheimer strategy to jamming a sq. peg right into a spherical gap. It’s clear why they refuse to run the ball (they suck at it), however enjoying for third and lengthy gained’t get you wherever.

The one factor I’ll give props to Grubb for is that the center display screen is working and the Seahawks have a functioning display screen sport.

Run Protection

Introduced with out further remark.

Tyrel Dodson and Jerome Baker

Dodson is a pleasant blitzer and he generally is a worthwhile participant in short-yardage. Baker is alright in one-on-one cross protection towards working backs.

These two have been extremely culpable for the poor run matches and atrocious play-action protection. When Mike Macdonald talks in regards to the “second-level” and the necessity to defend the run higher, he’s not speaking about Leonard Williams and Jarran Reed.

Mike Macdonald’s begin to his Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator tenure was rocky, then Roquan Smith bought acquired. He’s not a linebacker whisperer; he simply bought an All-Professional that reworked his protection.

The linebacker play has been substandard throughout this shedding streak. Tyrice Knight will get a reprieve as a rookie however Dodson and Baker’s PFF grades higher not be glowing on Friday.

Rayshawn Jenkins

Julian Love had a giant, massive error that resulted in a landing however he additionally had a few cross breakups and I don’t actually maintain the George Kittle landing towards him—good protection, higher throw, and many others. Jenkins is lacking tackles, taking horrible pursuit angles, and the 49ers picked on him in protection.

Dee Williams

I’ve seen sufficient. He ought to’ve had one other muffed punt and was fortunate the officers didn’t have entry to the Prime Video replay that confirmed he touched the ball on that collision with Chris Conley (who was pushed into Williams by Devon Witherspoon). It ought to have been one other turnover for Williams, who misplaced a fumble in his debut and almost fumbled once more final week, plus ridiculously took a kickoff out of the top zone when a kneeldown is a touchback on the 20. Seattle ended up beginning at its 10.

The one purpose the Seahawks bought as many kick returns as they did is as a result of it’s clear Matthew Wright doesn’t have a really sturdy leg. There usually are not sufficient returns occurring on these dynamic kickoffs to justify Williams’ roster spot anymore.

Mike Macdonald

That didn’t appear like a well-coached crew on the market, so even rookie head coaches must get some criticism. I’m way more aggravated with the top of the primary half and the way they ran the clock out on themselves, successfully limiting themselves to solely passes on the goal-line with no timeouts left. How does that occur? The Seahawks burned about 40 seconds to go 1 yard on a Kenneth Walker checkdown through the two-minute drill. This was presumably to forestall the 49ers from getting the ball again in time to do something, however you gotta fear about scoring first. Final week he sat on his timeouts on protection and the Seahawks had nearly no likelihood to get a TD because the outcome, finally settling for a subject objective.

As for his subject objective vs. landing choice, statistically it was higher to go for the TD however I used to be advantageous with the decision. Not changing and coming away blanked within the 1st half would’ve been terrible, and there was no upside of backing the 49ers up in the event that they didn’t get a TD. A subject objective was high-probability to make and at the very least put factors up. Both approach would’ve been comprehensible. Gamers simply bought to execute and Grubb has to name performs by which a low throw ultimately zone is best than lofting it to the again of the top zone time and again.

Ultimate Notes

I believed the cornerbacks held up fairly properly and that the explosive performs have been both nice scheming or focusing on the safeties and linebackers. I’m undecided Devon Witherspoon was focused and Artie Burns had some good reps earlier than leaving with an damage. Tre Brown sadly left together with his personal damage, so Seattle’s nook scenario is as dire as could be.
DK Metcalf had a wildly inefficient 3 catches on 11 targets, albeit with a beautiful 52-yard TD taken away as a consequence of Kenneth Walker’s ridiculous unlawful shift penalty. A few of these Metcalf targets weren’t catchable, one goal was a straight drop, and one other one he couldn’t get his second foot down behind the top zone. Seems the second interception seems to very a lot on him and never Geno Smith, by which case he’s a retroactive loser however I’m too lazy to simply transfer him into the column. A minimum of he didn’t fumble or commit a penalty for the literal first time all season.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba was focused additional down the sector, however he joined the fumble brigade after Fred Warner punched the ball out. A minimum of Anthony Bradford was there for the restoration. He completed with 5 catches for 53 yards.
It didn’t matter however Noah Fant slicing again within the subject of play with no timeouts left was only a horrendous choice. The situational soccer was so terrible on this sport.

Boye Mafe hauled ass to attempt to get Deebo Samuel, and it was the most effective nearly performs of the season.
The one purpose why the Seahawks usually are not the worst crew within the NFC West is as a result of the Los Angeles Rams rapidly ran out of gamers, or else they’d be a greater facet. I’m undecided when the following win is coming based mostly on how this crew seems to be. The mini-bye is hopefully a much-needed reset to determine some shit out.
In the end, I simply suppose the Seahawks usually are not as proficient as we wish them to be, which implies the highlight turns to John Schneider. Until you earnestly imagine Pete Carroll was simply vetoing all of those good Schneider concepts, they have been a partnership and now it’s Schneider’s present. That is the roster he constructed with Pete after which added to it on his personal. Dodson and Baker are John signings. So is Jenkins. They have been three of the worst gamers on the sector. The remainder of the season, as I stated again in September, is a referendum on Schneider greater than Macdonald. If this season goes actual south and never even near matching 9-8 (which seems to be extremely possible given the remaining schedule), then the seat might be sizzling in 2025, and also you’re nearly positively going to see an actual full-scale rebuild on the horizon.