SANTA CLARA -- The Seattle Seahawks did not celebrate on the 49ers' home field. There was no popping bottles of bubbly or toasting with turkey on the 50-yard line.
The 49ers' hopes of gaining the No. 1 overall pick -- and, likely, getting the top pass-rusher in the draft -- took a devastating blow Sunday. But the way the 49ers won this game, 26-23 in overtime, is better than owning the distinction of being the worst team in the National Football League.
Here are the 49ers' grades after their upset victory over the Seahawks:
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Rushing offense
Matt Breida returned to the lineup, but he had difficulty finding room to run, averaging just 2.9 yards on 17 carries. Jeff Wilson Jr. had a lot more success with 46 yards on seven carries, although he lost a fumble when the 49ers were driving in the first half.
In overtime, Wilson tore off a 16-yard run to set the stage for the winning points after Breida left with an ankle aggravation.
Grade: B
San Francisco 49ers
Passing offense
Nick Mullens did it again.
The guy continues to do a really good job as the 49ers’ starting quarterback, completing 20 of 29 passes for 275 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions. Sure, he missed a couple of throws to George Kittle, but receivers Kendrick Bourne and Trent Taylor also dropped fourth-quarter passes. Mullens took some big hits, but he kept getting to his feet and making plays.
Again, there's nothing bad to say about the job Mullens is doing.
Grade: A-minus
Rushing defense
It wasn't a great day for this unit, as the Seahawks gained 168 rushing yards with a 4.8-yard average. But Seattle’s offense never really seemed to control the game like you'd expect for a team that ran the ball as successfully.
DeForest Buckner (you will read more about him under “Pass Defense”) had a game-high 11 tackles, including four for losses.
Grade: B-minus
Passing defense
Russell Wilson threw for two touchdowns, wasn't intercepted and had a passer rating of 117.3. The Seahawks also converted 47 percent of their third-down opportunities. Those numbers would seem to suggest a lot of success for Seattle's offense. But the 49ers made enough plays, led by Buckner’s two sacks. Tarvarius Moore replaced injured Ahkello Witherspoon early in the game. Although he surrendered a 5-yard touchdown catch to Doug Baldwin, Moore also broke up two passes.
The 49ers' defensive scheme is solid. They limit the big plays, and forced the Seahawks to put together long drives to score points. Most of the time, Seattle stalled before getting into scoring range.
Grade: B-minus
Special teams
Two weeks ago, a special-teams blunder enabled the Seahawks to take control with a long kickoff return to open the second half. On Sunday, after Seattle scored early in the game for a 6-0 lead, Richie James Jr. and the kick-return unit came up with a big play. James’ 97-yard TD return gave the 49ers a lead, and they never trailed after that.
Robbie Gould made four field goals, including the game-winner with 3:06 remaining in overtime.
Grade: A
Overall
It appears the No. 1 overall draft pick is out the window. But the fact that the 49ers lost the No. 1 pick because the young players have beaten playoff-contending teams in back-to-back weeks is a definite positive for the future.
The 49ers have been a bad team for most of the season. Sometimes, they appeared undisciplined and sloppy. But they continue to play hard, and Sunday probably was the best win they have experienced since the Jim Harbaugh era.
Granted, that’s not saying a whole lot, but the 49ers’ young players have shown some signs of turning the corner.
Grade: A