Fast Facts: Seahawks outlast 49ers for chaotic 30-23 win
Dec 5, 2021, 4:44 PM | Updated: 5:40 pm
The Seahawks may have won their game Sunday afternoon against the San Francisco 49ers, but it was really chaos that reigned at Lumen Field.
Seahawks 30, 49ers 23: Instant Reaction | Box score
Seattle and San Francisco combined for six total turnovers. A single tight end was responsible for three turnovers alone. The game started with a fake punt that went 73 yards for a touchdown. There was a game-tying safety in the second half. Both teams were denied on their final drives despite getting within 3 yards of the end zone. Adrian Peterson was Seattle’s lead running back.
Should I go on?
In the end it was the long arm of Seahawks defensive end Carlos Dunlap that batted down 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo’s final shot at the end zone from the 3 to seal the 30-23 victory, allow Seattle to improve to 4-8 on the season.
With the game on the line, the Seahawks defense came up HUGE 💪
📺 Re-watch the game » https://t.co/sD6bjGiiN1
📸 Game action » https://t.co/eYrPSQ7XNO pic.twitter.com/aAO8NZtZj4— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) December 6, 2021
The Seahawks came back from a 17-7 deficit in the first half to earn their first win since Oct. 31, handing the 49ers (6-6) their first loss since Nov. 7 at the same time.
Get a look at the fast facts, video highlights and more below.
Scoring plays and highlights
• First half
There was a pretty good indication right away that this wasn’t going to be some ho-hum game. That’s because Seattle threw caution into the wind and instead of punting to complete a three-and-out on its opening drive, Travis Homer took a direct snap on a fake punt and ran for a 73-yard touchdown.
.@travishomer4 took the fake punt 73 yards and they never even touched him 😎
📺 #SFvsSEA on CBS pic.twitter.com/7JpudOsbLI
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) December 5, 2021
San Francisco answered while the Seahawks’ offense continued to struggle, though, with a 24-yard touchdown pass to George Kittle from Jimmy Garoppolo, 2-yard Elijah Mitchell TD run and 50-yard Robbie Gould field goal giving the 49ers a 17-7 lead in the second quarter.
The Seahawks then had their first sustained scoring drive in what seemed like a lifetime, with Adrian Peterson – yes, Adrian Peterson is a Seahawk now – capping off a nine-play, 63-yard drive with a 1-yard score to cut San Francisco’s led to three points. It was his 126th career TD, tying him for 10th all-time with Jim Brown.
Practice squad yesterday, end zone today 🙌 @AdrianPeterson
📺 #SFvsSEA on CBS pic.twitter.com/botFV0HCTJ
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) December 5, 2021
Kittle then scored his second TD of the day on a 48-yard pass play, but Seahawks rookie Dee Eskridge caught his first career TD, a 7-yarder from Russell Wilson, with just 12 seconds left before halftime to bring Seattle within two points at 23-21.
The first of many for @allaroundplays.
📺 #SFvsSEA on CBS pic.twitter.com/me7fAiCDtk
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) December 5, 2021
• Second half
That two-point 49ers advantage didn’t last long, as veteran Seahawks defensive end Carlos Dunlap registered his first full sack of the season for a safety, tying the game at 23-all.
Why run around when you can run right through? 🤷♂️#ProBowlVote @Carlos_Dunlap
📺 #SFvsSEA on CBS pic.twitter.com/LX4VEj1g3d
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) December 5, 2021
That opened the door for Seattle to take control, which it did with a 12-yard TD pass from Wilson to Tyler Lockett that was set up by Pro Bowl safety Quandre Diggs’ team-leading fourth interception of the season to go ahead 30-23.
Back corner. Too pretty. @DangeRussWilson ➡️ @TDLockett12
📺 #SFvsSEA on CBS pic.twitter.com/6MK4cCnMqA
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) December 5, 2021
Seattle came within just a few yards of putting the game away with another long drive in the fourth quarter, only for tight end Gerald Everett to fumble the ball away to San Francisco – that was his second lost fumble of the day, and Seattle also had an interception that bounced off his hands – on the doorstep of the end zone with just over four minutes to go.
.@49ers force the fumble at the goal line! #FTTB
📺: #SFvsSEA on CBS
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/8bAAchM3ld— NFL (@NFL) December 6, 2021
San Francisco marched right down the field and got near the goal line itself, only for Dunlap to bat down a Garoppolo throw on fourth down to seal the win for the Hawks.
Key stats
Perhaps most important considering Seattle had failed to possess the ball for at least 21 minutes in each of its past three losses, the Seahawks won the time of possession battle 33:12 to 26:48. Seattle did so despite still struggling to convert on third down (5 of 15), though it added two conversions on two tries on fourth down.
The Seahawks were outgained by the 49ers 365 yards to 327, but had more rushing yards (146) than San Francisco (71).
Russell Wilson had his best showing since returning from midseason finger surgery, completing 30 of 37 passes for 231 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
Travis Homer led Seahawks rushers with 80 yards on three carries, though that was mostly his 73-yard fake punt TD run. Rashaad Penny added 35 yards on 10 carries and Adrian Peterson had 16 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.
Tyler Lockett led Seattle receivers with seven catches and 68 yards. DK Metcalf added 60 yards on five receptions. Lockett and Eskridge had the Seahawks’ two receiving TDs.
Linebacker Jordyn Brooks had 11 tackles to lead the Seahawks, while Bobby Wagner added nine tackles and an interception. Quandre Diggs also made an interception.
Carlos Dunlap’s safety was the lone sack of the day for Seattle.
For the 49ers, Jimmy Garoppolo had 299 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions on 20 of 30 passing.
Elijah Mitchell rushed for 66 yards and a TD on 22 carries.
All-Pro tight end George Kittle led all receivers with nine catches, 181 yards and two TDs.
Azeez Al-Shaair had 16 tackles and a half-sack for San Francisco. D.J. Jones added two sacks.
Kwaun Williams made the 49ers’ lone interception.
Seahawks injury notes
Strong safety Jamal Adams left with a shoulder injury and watched the rest of the game from the sideline in street clothes.
Defensive tackle Bryan Mone suffered a knee injury and right tackle Brandon Shell left the game with a shoulder injury.
Up next for the Seahawks
Seattle will head to Houston to take on the 2-10 Texans for its last 10 a.m. start time of the season. Coverage of the game will begin on 710 ESPN Seattle and KIRO Radio 97.3 FM with the pregame show at 7 a.m.
Seahawks Inactives: Collins & Lewis out, Penny & Homer active
