San Francisco 49ers: Top 10 games of the decade
By James Jones
No. 3: 49ers @ Seahawks: Week 16 — Dec. 29, 2019
For two teams who only became hated rivals in 2011, the 49ers and Seahawks have experienced more blood-boiling games than some teams who have longer histories. Jim Harbaugh and Seattle head coach Pete Carroll brought their distaste for each other to the NFL from the Pac 10. Former Stanford and Harbaugh cornerback Richard Sherman and his former coach also care(d) little for each other.
Personal relationships aside, this rivalry truly took shape as both teams were just beginning their ascents to the upper echelons of the league, at the beginning of the last decade. While they didn’t face each other in the postseason until the 2014 NFC Championship game, their regular-season contests were hard-hitting, slug fests. Many times those games were played amid significant implications to their playoff positioning.
The last regular season game of the decade featured these teams and as in previous matchups, they did not disappoint. It was a game that would determine the No. 1 seed in the NFC with the loser dropping to the No. 5 seed. It was the most important game for the 49ers since their fateful day in Seattle in 2014, as after that day the team would post losing records every year, until now.
As in the first meeting of 2019 between these franchises, the 49ers opened up by taking it to Seattle and establishing a lead of 10-0. San Francisco would add a field goal for a 13-0 lead midway through the second quarter.
What looked like a blowout in the making was summarily put to rest under the weight of a Russell Wilson touchdown pass to wide receiver Tyler Lockett with 5:53 left in the third quarter. Facing one of the loudest crowds in the NFL and only leading 13-7, it was imperative the Niners answered back on their next drive.
After the kickoff and touchback from Seattle kicker Jason Myers, the 49ers offense started at their own 25-yard line. On the first play of the drive, Jimmy Garoppolo hit a wide-open Kyle Juszczyk for a 49-yard gain down the right sideline. The quarterback also connected with wide receiver Deebo Samuel for 24-yards on the drive. That set up a touchdown run from running back Raheem Mostert and a 19-7 49ers lead.
Wilson then led two touchdown drives that made this game all the more stroke inducing. One ended with a Marshawn Lynch hurdle from the 1-yard line, and the other with a pass from Wilson to wide receiver D.K. Metcalf.
Sandwiched in between those scores was another clutch drive from Garoppolo. After a 21-yard pass to what has become Jimmy G’s second favorite target in Samuel, Mostert went off left guard for a 13-yard touchdown run and a 26-14 49ers lead.
After Seattle scored on the Metcalf touchdown and left 3:36 to play, all San Francisco had to do was convert one first down to run the clock out and end the game. They were called for a questionable unnecessary roughness penalty, when center Ben Garland could not hear the whistle ending the play and attempted to make a block on a defender.
We all know how it ended from there.
Seattle ran 16 plays in 2:18 of game clock. It ultimately failed to score even after having a 1st-and-goal from the 49ers 1-yard line. The last chance at winning the game came on a 4th-and-goal from the 5-yard line. Wilson found tight end Jacob Hollister over the middle for what was almost certain to be a score.
Rookie linebacker Dre Greenlaw had other ideas, as he dropped the hammer on his opponent, all but ending the game and securing the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
The Seahawks, in Seattle with the division and home-field advantage throughout the postseason on the line, made this the most important 49ers game since 2013. Those, and San Francisco leaving with the win, are all reasons this game is at No. 3 on this list.