Week 11 - Sunday 19th November 2006

Frank Gore, meet Shaun Alexander. At least one Seahawk was able to get close to him.

I said before the game that I didn't expect any fireworks from Shaun Alexander. 37 yards on 17 carries doesn't even qualify for a sparkler. The contrast with Gore's 212 yards on 24 carries could scarcely be more stark.

Not that I'm blaming Shaun of course because this was a game where the Seahawks malfunctioned all over the field and it was not a pretty sight. Maybe we expect to much as it is well to remember that the healthy Championship team of 2005 only escaped from San Francisco with a 2 point victory. In the process they gave up a couple of big runs that were called back on penalties so it could be said that it is a game of fine margins but make no mistake the banged up 2006 Seahawks looked horrible.

You daren't take your eyes of the game though because you just didn't know when Gore was going to go on a 50 yard run. The first time he did it on the back of a Seneca Wallace interception and set the 49ers up for the opening score with Joe Nedney knocking over a 39 yard field goal. In truth the Hawks were lucky to escape with only 3.

Seneca's next interception also led to points as he left Alex Smith with a short field and he found Arnaz Battle on a 3rd and 5 from the 9. Gifting your opponent a 10 point lead is never a good way to start any game let alone a road game against fired up divisional opponents.

Instead of the flickers of a comeback it went from bad to worse as Gore had a couple of 20 yarders before Smith rolled out and trotted into the corner of the endzone for 17-0.

If you thought it couldn't get any worse you'd have been wrong as on the Seahawks next drive Seneca hit Jerramy Stevens for a nice gain across midfield. As he was tackled the ball popped up and out and lobbed gently right into the hands of a 49er.

The 49ers also scored a TD on the resulting drive as Battle slid in to break the plane only to seek it challenged by the replay assistant. Not that I'm complaining but I thought the overturn from referee Larry Nemmers was ridiculous. Ruling he was down at the 2 inch mark really does stretch the bounds of credibility on what you can see as incontrovertible to overturn a call like that. Where was he at the Superbowl?

Surprisingly, with time nearly out, the 49ers settled for a field goal rather than trying to punch it in. The 49ers didn't score another point. They didn't need to.

The second half actually started very well as the Seahawks ran the ball for once which helped set up a few holes in the 49ers secondary as Deion Branch caught a short pass,  skipped away from a tackle and took it in from 30 yards out.

I hoped it was a change of momentum but a couple of series later Gore took it another 50 yards but was only able to set up a routine 30 yard field goal for Nedney. A momentum killer was breathed some new life when Craig Terrill got some penetration and deflected the kick away.

If it's any consolation Plackemeier was having a great game punting and he now stands at 4th in the NFL for average punt yards and well ahead of last years cast offs Kluwe and Jones. If nothing else is said about the 2006 season at least we sorted out the punting situation.

The game drifted into the 4th quarter and it wasn't great but all of a sudden, hello, hello a 41 yard TD reception for Darrell Jackson. No wide receiver has scored more TD's this season.

14-20 with 6:40 remaining and there was just a sniff of an unlikely turnaround, especially when the 49ers were forced into a 3 and out.

Wallace was sacked out of 10 yards but a 19 yard Branch reception left the Seahawks with a 4th and 1. Sadly a lame running play to Alexander looked to have sealed the game for the 49ers but it only set up an even more breathless finish.

Firstly Gore took it up the middle only for Lofa Tatupu to force a fumble recovered by Grant Wistrom. This time Seneca was sacked on the first play and threw his 3rd interception of the game on the next. The 49ers ran a couple of plays then looked to seal it but astonishingly Nedney screwed his 27 yard kick horribly wide.

34 seconds left and 80 yards to go but it wasn't to be as the game ended in a degree of farce as a 3 yard completion was followed with passes, fumbles and laterals as time eventually expired.

I know Alexander was feeling his way back in but I thought the problem was AGAIN, that we only went after the run in a half hearted manner. It could have been an opportunity to mix and match Shaun and Mo and by also letting Seneca use his feet. What we got was a lot of responsibility thrust on Seneca to have a perfect passing game and on this occasion, in his 4th NFL start he wasn't up to it. Stevens fumble hardly endeared himself to Seahawks fans in his contract year and he will need some big performances in the final 6 weeks of the season.

As for the defense and the run defense especially then how the Seahawks staff go about fixing that is anyone's guess and that is the major worry as the race for the play offs hots up.

HawksHead (20/11/06)

HOME

FORUM

CONTACT