Niner Noise
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49ers vs. Seahawks: The good, bad and ugly from San Francisco in Week 2

By Peter Panacy

SEATTLE, WA - SEPTEMBER 17: Defensive end Frank Clark #55 of the Seattle Seahawks, left, celebrates sacking quarterback Brian Hoyer #2 of the San Francisco 49ers with teammates, including defensive end Michael Bennett #72 during the third quarter of the game at CenturyLink Field on September 17, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr /Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA - SEPTEMBER 17: Defensive end Frank Clark #55 of the Seattle Seahawks, left, celebrates sacking quarterback Brian Hoyer #2 of the San Francisco 49ers with teammates, including defensive end Michael Bennett #72 during the third quarter of the game at CenturyLink Field on September 17, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr /Getty Images) /
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SEATTLE, WA – SEPTEMBER 17: Wide receiver Tanner McEvoy #19 of the Seattle Seahawks can’t bring in a pass against cornerback K’Waun Williams #24 and safety Jaquiski Tartt #29 of the San Francisco 49ers in the first quarter during the game at CenturyLink Field on September 17, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr /Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA – SEPTEMBER 17: Wide receiver Tanner McEvoy #19 of the Seattle Seahawks can’t bring in a pass against cornerback K’Waun Williams #24 and safety Jaquiski Tartt #29 of the San Francisco 49ers in the first quarter during the game at CenturyLink Field on September 17, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr /Getty Images) /

The Good

True, Seattle has a number of offensive issues to figure out. And it took over seven quarters of football this season before the Seahawks scored their first touchdown of 2017.

In total, the Niners defense was on the field for nearly 37 minutes of play. But this group managed to hold Seattle to 312 all-purpose yards and those 12 points.

Play this game a year ago, and it’s likely the 49ers are trailing by something like 26-13 entering the final frame.

49ers Defensive Line

The Niners had an opportunity to work over Seattle’s porous offensive line, and that’s exactly what happened. After failing to get to Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton at all last week, San Francisco registered three sacks and 10 quarterback hits on Seahawks QB Russell Wilson.

And if it weren’t for Wilson’s elusiveness, that number would have been much higher.

EDGE Arik Armstead registered his first sack of the season, and fellow edge rusher Aaron Lynch added another with three quarterback hits.

Second-year pro DeForest Buckner continued to generate an interior pass rush.

One can only think how the game would have gone if linebacker Reuben Foster was on the field to limit Wilson’s numerous fourth-quarter scrambles on Seattle’s go-ahead touchdown drive.

Running Backs Carlos Hyde and Matt Breida

The Seahawks allowed an average of only 3.0 yards per carry against the Green Bay Packers in Week 1, but the Niners tandem of running backs Carlos Hyde and Matt Breida certainly made their presence known in an otherwise ineffective San Francisco offense.

Hyde rushed for 124 yards on 15 carries — averaging 8.3 yards per attempt — including this 61-yard rush:

Breida added his own change-of-pace abilities, picking up 35 yards on four attempts.

The Niners may want to consider being a run-first team heading into Week 3 against a stout Los Angeles Rams defensive front.

Left Guard Laken Tomlinson

Head coach Kyle Shanahan wisely replaced ineffective left guard Zane Beadles with the recently acquired Laken Tomlinson — a move that certainly worked out well in Week 2.

Tomlinson had a key block on Hyde’s 61-yard run, and he was generally effective in both pass protection and run support.

Overall, the Niners had some solid success running the ball to the left side against a solid Seattle defensive front.

Barring anything crazy, it’s not likely Beadles is placed back in the starting lineup by choice.