Game review

OFFENSE

The running game was a rumor (71 yards, 2.8 yards per carry), the 49ers went 4-for-12 on third and fourth downs and QB Jimmy Garoppolo’s performance was marred by two head-scratching picks, the last of which led to a 28-yard TD drive in the third quarter that gave Seattle its first lead. The one bright spot was freight-train tight end George Kittle, who was a run-after-the-catch force en route to nine receptions for 181 yards and 2 TDs. No one else emerged with Deebo Samuel sidelined. No player had more than three catches or 55 yards and the Seahawks knew what to do on the last two plays from the 3-yard line. They doubleteamed Kittle. And won a wild game.

DEFENSE

The Seahawks scored 30 points, but seven came on special teams and seven more came on the short TD drive after Garoppolo’s final pick. The defense largely did its job by collecting four sacks and forcing two key second-half takeaways — cornerback K’Wuan Williams’ pick and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair’s forced fumble — inside the 5-yard line to keep the 49ers alive. Seattle went 5-for-15 on third down and averaged just 4.8 yards per play. Still, the defense shouldn’t be too proud of this performance, considering the Seahawks ranked near the bottom in most offensive categories, and S.F. allowed struggling QB Russell Wilson to re-establish himself after a shaky start.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Total. Disaster. How lost were the 49ers on that fake-punt TD? They looked like they didn’t think such trickery was legal. Seattle reserve running back Travis Homer took the snap and ran behind a convoy, untouched, for 73 yards for the score on the game’s first possession. And they started the second half in similar horrific fashion when Travis Benjamin fumbled on a kickoff return and Seattle recovered. Wait, there was more: Long kickoff returns by DeeJay Dallas allowed Seattle to start second-quarter TD drives at their 37- and 35-yard lines. Almost forgot: Robbie Gould clanged an extra-point attempt and Brandon Aiyuk ran backward for a 4-yard loss on a punt return.

COACHING

It was quickly evident rookie corner Deommodore Lenoir wasn’t ready for the big stage after Emmanuel Moseley was injured (check my Twitter timeline!). But the 49ers didn’t replace him with Dontae Johnson until plenty of damage was done: Lenoir allowed a 33-yard completion, had a pass-interference penalty in the end zone and missed a tackle after giving up a goal-line catch to wide receiver Dee Eskridge, allowing him to score. Kyle Shanahan’s 4th-and-1 play call from the 49ers’ 39-yard line was perplexing. Running back Elijah Mitchell was being evaluated for a concussion, Kittle wasn’t in the game and the call was a read option with Garoppolo and backup runner JaMycal Hasty that was blown up. Shanahan was saved when a pre-snap penalty forced a punt.

OVERALL

That was a step back. Several steps back. After three straight clean and efficient wins, the 49ers made a mess of things with three turnovers, 10 penalties and an unsightly specialteams performance. Perhaps they can chalk it up to the opponent, the dastardly Seahawks, who continued their decade-long dominance. The Bengals are up next and the 49ers need to put this to bed and channel Bill Belichick: They’re on to Cincinnati.