The 49ers won a game. After losing three of their last four and blowing division leads in two of them, they got a crucial, despair-preventing 36-24 win on Thursday night in Seattle. Oh, and somehow, they're now leading the NFC West at 3-3.
Brock still not trusting the pocket
The most glaring point of dysfunction with the 49ers offense is the lack of success in the red zone, and that Brock Purdy is almost always scrambling. Purdy can simultaneously be criticized and sympathized with: San Francisco's interior offensive line is simply not holding up and Purdy is not trusting the pocket.
He's also inconsistently looking the way of Brandon Aiyuk, the 49ers' best separator and true receiver. Aiyuk was targeted just four times Thursday night, and one of his catches came with both Deebo Samuel and George Kittle off the field hurt.
Purdy made some excellent throws Thursday night, but he also missed some because he jumped around in the pocket. I realize this might seem a bizarre point if you just looked at the box score. The 49ers scored 36 points, ran for 229 yards and Purdy was 18-of-28 for 255 yards with 3 touchdowns.
San Francisco's offense looked good, but not great, especially in the second half. They started to tense up after the break, and can thank a bad interception from Geno Smith and a 76-yard Isaac Guerendo run for putting the game way. Without those two things, they might have blown this game.
A lot of that is dysfunction comes in key situations and the red zone. Purdy either gets pressured because of an offensive line breakdown and can't get to what he wants to, or he he expects a breakdown and bails before taking the plays under pressure he's built a reputation for ripping.
Their 10 days off will be welcome, especially with... Ricky Pearsall on the mend (more on that below).
Special teams, turnovers, chaos
The 49ers were beneficiaries and victims of special teams. They forced a fumble from Laviska Shenault that became a field goal, but also allowed him to return just the NFL's second kick return touchdown of the season.
Special teams fallout was present throughout the game.
At the start of the fourth quarter, the 49ers had a bizarre play that cost them dearly. They had a second-straight 3-and-out punt, and Chris Conley was pushed into Seahawks punt returner Dee Williams.
Initially, Conley was called for a foul for running into Williams, but referees picked up the flag when it was clear Devon Witherspoon pushed Conley into Williams. Kyle Shanahan then challenged the call, with replays showing the ball clearly hit Williams' hand and Jalen Graham recovered it. For some reason, the call stood, and the 49ers were able to get their own 3-and-out.
According to the broadcast, the referees in the stadium... did not have access to the same camera angles as the broadcast. So everyone saw it... just not the people making the decision.
Seattle seemed like it was going to claw its way back, but instead, Mitch Wishnowsky — who had a great day — pinned them at the 2-yard line.
Geno Smith proceeded to a second interception of the day to a 49ers rookie, this time to corner Renardo Green. An earlier one went to Malik Mustapha. Purdy managed to find the just-returned George Kittle for a touchdown, followed by a failed two-point conversion (from the one-yard line).
For all intents and purposes, it was the three Seattle turnovers (two on Smith) and the 49ers' lack of any that decided this game.
Injuries and personnel questions
Injuries are at the forefront of the 49ers' mind after this one. This defense, which is still without Dre Greenlaw, which has lost Javon Hargrave for the season and Yetur Gross-Matos and Talanoa Hufanga for an extended period, and which played Thursday without Charvarius Ward, took another blow.
Mustapha, who had that opening-drive interception, and who made a couple great plays, suffered an ankle injury at the end of the first half and did not return. George Odum was injected in his spot, and paired next to Ji'Ayir Brown. He would have allowed a gut-punch deep touchdown to D.K. Metcalf if not for a bailout, unrelated illegal motion penalty.
On offense, the 49ers lost Jordan Mason to a shoulder injury, leaving them to to turn to rookie Isaac Guerendo and backup Patrick Taylor Jr. Later in the game, up-and-down guard Aaron Banks suffered an injury, leaving Spencer Burford to join the game. And at the start of the fourth quarter, on the same play, Deebo Samuel took off his left glove after a dead play holding his left hand, and George Kittle came off. He jogged into the locker room after that drive stalled. Both returned.
Big picture? Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported Thursday night that wide receiver Ricky Pearsall will return to practice this week and that Christian McCaffrey is starting to "feel like himself" and that the next two or so weeks are "critical." Ian Rapoport of NFL Network suggested the bye week has been a point to target.
The point for the 49ers is that there is time off. They need it.
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