TD-less 49ers can’t hold fourth-quarter lead
SEATTLE >> Defensive heroics and Robbie Gould’s three field goals almost were enough Sunday to rally the 49ers and end their six-game losing streak at CenturyLink Field.
Instead, the 49ers failed to protect a 9-6, fourth-quarter lead and succumbed 12-9 to the Seahawks.
It’s the first time in 49ers history they’ve started a season without a touchdown in their first two games, according to ESPN.
After Gould’s third field goal, the Seahawks (1-1) responded with their first touchdown drive of the season, an 82-yard series culminating with a 9-yard touchdown pass from Russell Wilson to Paul Richardson with 7:06
remaining.
Kyle Shanahan’s search for his first win as 49ers coach resumes Thursday night, when they host the Los Angeles Rams at Levi’s Stadium.
“We got ourselves in a position to win that game, and in the moment of truth, we didn’t get it done in the passing game,” Shanahan said.
The 49ers had to settle for a go-ahead field goal instead of a touchdown after Marquise Goodwin dropped a second-down pass, and after struggling quarterback Brian Hoyer failed to complete a third-down attempt.
It was the 49ers’ closest loss among the seven straight they’ve endured in Seattle, including the 2013 season’s NFC Championship game in which they fell 23-17.
The 49ers last won at Seattle in 2011, and it looked like they might do so again Sunday once they went ahead 9-6 on Gould’s 40-yard field goal with 11:36 remaining.
Key impressions
CARLOS HYDE’S MOVES >> When Carlos Hyde burst through the Seahawks defense in the second quarter, he showed faster speed than ever in his four-year career. Hyde covered a career-long 61 yards before being tackled at the Seahawks 22, eventually leading to a 49ers field goal.
“I put (the loss) on my shoulders,” Hyde said. “With those runs I broke, I’ve got to get to the end zone. I put it all on my shoulders. If I get in the end zone there, I change the game with a touchdown.”
Hyde used a spin move on a third-down, 27-yard run to go over 100 yards just before halftime. With 102 yards, Hyde became the first opponent to eclipse the 100-yard mark against Seattle since Adrian Peterson in 2012 for the Minnesota Vikings. HOYER STRUGGLES, AGAIN >> After a dud in his Week 1 debut, Hoyer struggled in his first-ever appearance in Seattle. He passed for only 99 yards (15 of 27) and had a pass intercepted on the 49ers’ second possession. He posted a 48.2 passer rating.
“It looked out there like he struggled. The whole passing game did,” Shanahan said. “Anytime it’s 2 of 12 on third down, and (3.1) yards a pass, obviously we didn’t do a good enough job in the pass game.”
At halftime, he was 8 of 14 for 47 yards with the interception, a thirddown sack and a 33.9 passer rating. Hoyer later narrowly avoided a safety when he got sacked by a blitzing Frank Clark and officials marked the ball at the 1-yard line.
“We felt good about coming into this season, and the first two games haven’t gone the way we’d like them to, especially the way I’d like them to as far as my personal play,” Hoyer said. RED ZONE DEFENSE >> The 49ers red zone defense finally caved in the fourth quarter but not after some impressive stands.
But in the fourth quarter, the 49ers gave up a go-ahead touchdown when Wilson scrambled from pressure and threw a 9-yard touchdown pass on third-and-7 with 7:06 remaining. Dontae Johnson drew a 20-yard, pass-interference penalty to advance the Seahawks to the 49ers’ 12-yard line.
FOURTH-DOWN CALL >> Rather than gamble as he did in the opener on fourth down (1-for-4 conversions), Shanahan made sure to capitalize on the 49ers’ field position and use Robbie Gould’s 37-yard field goal to tie the score at 6 with 17 seconds left in the first half.
Impact players
RUNNING BACK CARLOS HYDE >> He reeled off a career-long, 61-yard run to set up the 49ers’ only firsthalf points.
SAFETY ERIC REID >> He had a gamehigh six tackles before sustaining a non-contact, left knee injury 4:39 before halftime. Reid pulled up in coverage on a third-down incompletion toward the other side of the field. He returned for the start of the second half but twice went down upon aggravating his injury.
FREE SAFETY JIMMIE WARD >> Made his season debut, did not start but came in as free safety on dime package and delivered two hard, openfield hits on the opening series.