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The 49ers needed a win to clinch a first round bye and the Seahawks needed a win to stay alive in the playoffs.
Kyle Williams and Michael Crabtree were the starting wide receivers for the 49ers, even though Braylon Edwards was active on the day.
1st quarter
The Seahawks received the opening kickoff and there were scuffles early.
On 2nd and 10, Tavaris Jackson threw one deep down the right sideline for Ricardo Lockett for 43-yards and a big first down. On two consecutive carries, Marshawn Lynch put the Seahawks in 3rd and 4. On 3rd and 4, Jackson from the shotgun hit his tight end on the crossing route for a gain of 18 and a first down.
In the 49ers red zone, a quick pass to Doug Baldwin on the left was caught and he sprinted forward for a touchdown with a block from Golden Tate. It was a 7-play, 80-yard drive to start the game 7-0, Seattle over San Francisco.
On 1st and 10, Alex Smith on play-action found no one open and scrambled for a medium gain. On 3rd and 3, the 49ers with an empty backfield tricked the defense with the snap count and drew an offside penalty and earned a fresh set of downs. On first down, Frank Gore took the handoff and bounced it outside for the gain of a few.
On 3rd and 2, Michael Crabtree made the reception in tight coverage on an out-route at the first down marker, just short of a first down. On 4th and inches, the 49ers went for it. Smith, on the second effort, snuck up the right side and fell forward for a first down. On 1st and 10, Smith threw to Crabtree on a deep out that was caught by the receiver for a gain of 14.
On 2nd and 10, Smith threw a great ball to Davis on the go-route, caught, but can't get both feet in bounds. On 3rd and 10, Smith rolled out right and threw a catchable ball to Crabtree who leapt up for it but with good coverage, couldn't hold on.
David Akers then came out and missed a 52-yarder, giving the Seahawks good field position.
On 1st and 10 with an empty backfield, Ray McDonald got to Tavaris Jackson, wrapping him up for a big sack. On 2nd and 20, Lynch took the carry and picked up 18 yards, weaving through traffic. On 3rd and 2, Lynch took the handoff, enough for a first down. On a Seattle 3rd and 6, Jackson went deep to Baldwin, double-covered by Carlos Rogers and Donte Whitner, incomplete.
On 1st and 10, Gore took the handoff, got low and burst through for a 12-yard gain. On 2nd and 5, Smith quick threw to Crabtree who stiff armed Richard Sherman for a gain of 4 yards. On 3rd and 1, Gore shot up the middle for a first down. On 2nd and 10, Kendall Hunter took the handoff, and with good vision and agility, picked up 10-yards and a first down.
On 1st and 10, Smith checked down to Gore in the flat all alone who took it up the right sideline for 14 yards and a first down. Delanie Walker took a knee to the jaw after he was down by a running Leroy Hill, and had to leave the game. On 2nd and 10, Gore took the handoff for 6 yards off the right side.
2nd quarter
On third down, Smith had no one open and the Seahawks front closed in on him for a sack. David Akers came on and hit one from 53-yards to make it a 7-3 game, Seahawks still on top.
On two consecutive carries, Lynch combined for 11 yards and another Seahawks first down, running hard against San Francisco. On 1st and 10, Jackson threw on the slant to Ben Obamanu who was stopped by Larry Grant for a medium gain. On 2nd and 3, Justin Forsett took the handoff up the middle for a first down
On 1st and 10, Deon Butler took the reception on the out-route for 6 yards. On second down, Lynch took another carry for another nice gain and a first down for Seattle. On 2nd and 19 with an empty backfield, NaVorro Bowman sacked Jackson who had no one open.
On 3rd and 23, a quick screen to Tate was blown up by Bowman for a short gain. On 3rd and 5 for San Francisco, Smith from the shotgun went through his progressions and threw short to Davis, incomplete.
On 1st and 10, Lynch took the handoff for a medium gain. On second down, Lynch took the handoff and busted through for a gain of 9 and a first down, carrying tacklers. On 2nd and 5, McDonald wrapped up Lynch for no gain. On third and medium, Jackson completed to Baldwin on the out-route who stretched out for the first down.
On 3rd and 6, Jackson delivered to Deon Butler from the empty set, first down. On 1st and goal, Lynch took the handoff inside the 5-yard line but held up by NaVorro Bowman. On 2nd and goal, Lynch was stopped short by McDonald.
On 3rd and goal, Jackson scrambled on a broken offensive play, but took a shoulder from Rogers just short of the goal line to force a fourth down. The Seahawks extended their lead back to seven, 10-3 over San Francisco.
On 1st and 10, Smith delivered to Braylon Edwards just shy of the first down marker. On 3rd and 1, Hunter took the handoff 23 yards for a first down before losing his footing downfield. On 2nd and 10, Smith from the shotgun had his pass batted away from defensive end Chris Clemons.
On 3rd and 10, Smith from the shotgun threw short to Davis who was tackled well short of the first down by Kam Chancellor. On a 4th down attempt, the pass is a little too high for Kyle Williams on the out-route and the 49ers turn it over on downs.
On 2nd and 10, Jackson with pressure and no one open, threw it away. On 3rd and 10, Jackson completed a 12-yarder to his receiver for a first down with 12 seconds left in the half. On 1st and 10 from the SF-45, Jackson's pass went incomplete down the sideline to end the half.
3rd quarter
On 1st and 10, Smith on play-action completed deep to Crabtree, working on Brandon Browner for 27-yards. On 2nd and 9, Smith hit Kyle Williams who came back for the football to help out his quarterback. On 3rd and 1, a bad snap is recovered by Smith who managed it for a short loss.
At 4th and 2, the 49ers decided to go for it. With Isaac Sopoaga in motion, Smith threw a precision pass to Davis on the sideline, who reeled it in for 15-yards and a first down. On 2nd and 7, Smith on play-action hit Davis again on the sideline, who tip-toed in bounds for a gain of 16 yards. On 1st and goal, Gore with Sopoaga in front of him charges up the right side for a touchdown to tie the game at 10.
Lynch took the handoff on first down for the gain of a couple. On 2nd and 8, Lynch took another handoff for another short gainer to put the Seahawks in third and manageable. On 3rd and 5, Bowman blitzed up the middle, connecting with Jackson as he released incomplete to his check-down.
Kyle Williams had a nice 36-yard punt return to give the 49ers offense good field position. On 2nd and 9, Anthony Davis had a false start to move the 49ers back 5 yards. On 2nd and 14, Smith from the shotgun handed off to Kendall Hunter who took it off the right side for a short gain. On 3rd and 8, Smith with no one open, scrambled up the right side for 11 yards and a first down.
On first down, Gore took the carry for 11 yards and a fresh set of downs. On 1st and 10, Gore stiff armed Sherman for a gain of 8 - Sherman drew an illegal horse collar tackle, moving the 49ers half the distance to the goal and giving them a first down.
On 1st and 10 from the 9, Gore took the handoff up the middle for no gain. On 2nd a goal, Smith on play-action went to Vernon Davis sitting on his route in the end zone, broken up by Earl Thomas. On 3rd and goal, Gore slipped but recovered and brought it to the SEA-1 yard line, short of the end zone. An illegal block in the back penalty of Braylon Edwards pushed the 49ers back 10 yards and had them repeat third down.
On 3rd and goal from the 13, Smith from the shotgun handed off to Hunter for no gain and the 49ers went for a field goal. The David Akers field goal made it 13-10, giving the 49ers their first lead of the day.
On 1st and 17, Lynch took the handoff up the middle, running right into Bowman and McDonald for a short gain. On 2nd and 14, Tate caught the short pass on the hook-route, wrapped up and slammed down by Bowman. On 3rd and 9, Jackson from the shotgun threw incomplete, too high for Baldwin.
On 2nd and 5 for San Francisco, Gore took a handoff up the middle, just enough for a fresh set of downs. On 2nd and 8, Hunter with a lane hit the hole and took it up for 9 yards and a first down.
4th quarter
On 1st and 10, Smith on play-action threw to Hunter who was all alone on the right sideline for a first down. Two consecutive runs by Gore go for short to no gain to put the 49ers in third and long. On 3rd and 9 from the shotgun, Smith with pressure had to roll out of the pocket and throw it away.
David Akers booted the field goal through to make it 16-10 San Francisco over Seattle.
On 1st and 10, Jackson with no options downfield is met by Ray McDonald and Ahmad Brooks for a gain of 2 yards. On 2nd and 8 from midfield, Aldon Smith exploded from the right side, taking down Jackson for a sack. On 3rd and 15, Jackson connected with Obamanu, just short of the first down, tackled by Goldson.
Davis caught a short pass in the middle from Smith, putting moves on defenders and taking it up for a first down. On 1st and 10, Gore took a sweep right and was downed for a loss. On 3rd and 9, Smith went to Williams on the slant, incomplete.
Andy Lee's punt was blocked, recovered by Colin Jones inside the 49ers 5-yard line.
On 1st and goal, Marshawn Lynch took a handoff left and beat the 49ers around the edge for the touchdown. It was the first rushing touchdown the 49ers allowed all season, and the score gave the Seahawks a 17-16 lead in the fourth quarter.
On 1st and 20, Hunter took the handoff for the gain of a couple. On 2nd and 18, Smith went down the left sideline deep, connecting with Michael Crabtree for 43-yards. A huge, huge catch made by Crabtree at a crucial point in the game - putting the 49ers inside the Seattle 30-yard line. On 2nd and 7, Hunter was hit hard at the line of scrimmage for no gain.
On 3rd and 6, Smith from the shotgun handed off to Gore who picked up a few, short of the first down. Akers came on for the field goal attempt which was good from 39 yards to give the 49ers back the lead at 19-17.
On 2nd and 4, Jackson threw short to Lynch who picked up 21-yards and a first down for Seattle. On 3rd and 3, Jackson chased by Larry Grant, scrambled out right, but Grant staying with him tomahawked the ball loose, recovered by McDonald. The 49ers were able to run some clock with a minute left but had to punt back to Seattle with 50 seconds left.
On 3rd and 2, Jackson threw incomplete down the middle of the field to Baldwin. On 4th and 2, the 49ers bring three and Jackson threw incomplete out of bounds, over the head of his receiver. The 49ers took over possession and were about to bring home the close win to help with their playoff seeding.
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