4 biggest bone-headed plays from 49ers loss to Seahawks
By Peter Panacy
No. 3: 49ers plagued by 2 roughing-the-passer penalties before halftime
The Niners had a chance to lap Seattle around halftime, scoring a touchdown with two minutes left in the second quarter and already with a 23-14 lead, and the Seahawks also had zero timeouts.
Granted, Russell Wilson has historically done much more with less, but San Francisco’s defense certainly aided the Hawks’ touchdown just before halftime with two costly defensive roughing-the-passer calls.
The first, on a hit by EDGE Arden Key, moved Wilson and Co. from their own territory into the 49ers’ part of the field, setting up a fresh set of downs. Five plays later, with Seattle down within the red zone, defensive end Charles Omenihu hit Wilson late on a 2nd-and-10 play from the Niners’ 15-yard line.
Read More: George Kittle carried 49ers’ first-half efforts vs. Seahawks
The Seahawks would score with 18 seconds remaining in regulation to make it 23-21.
Granted, the Hawks could have scored that drive regardless, as San Francisco’s defense was beginning to show signs of problems amid a number of key injuries to defensive backs Emmanuel Moseley and Jaquiski Tartt.
Still, the 49ers made this particular scoring drive too easy.