Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith saved his best football for the biggest moment, marching Seattle down the field on two second-half touchdown drives and running the ball into the end zone himself for the game-winning touchdown to beat the 49ers today.
Smith’s 13-yard run with 12 seconds left gave the Seahawks a 20-17 upset win over the 49ers and represented a major comeback for Smith after a game in which he threw an ugly interception and struggled for three quarters.
Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba had 10 catches for 110 receiving yards and was Smith’s favorite receiver on the day.
It wasn’t a coincidence that the Seahawks’ two long touchdown drives came after 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa aggravated his hip injury and exited the game early. Bosa had been playing very well, and the 49ers’ defense struggled without him.
49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings was excellent in a losing effort, continuing his very strong season. But aside from Jennings, the 49ers didn’t get enough from their offense and missed the injured tight end George Kittle.
Both the Seahawks and the 49ers are 5-5 on the season, and with the Rams also at 5-5 and the Cardinals leading the division at 6-4, the NFC West is wide open.
San Francisco defensive end Nick Bosa entered today’s game against Seattle with a hip injury, and he made it worse during the game.
On a fairly nondescript play, Bosa got blocked and came up limping. He hasn’t returned and the 49ers have confirmed he injured his hip.
Bosa was off to a good start, with 1.5 sacks, and as soon as he left the game the Seahawks marched down the field and scored their first touchdown of the game.
The 49ers lead 17-13 late in the fourth quarter.
The Titans had long odds to start. It didn’t help that every big call — some of them questionable — went against them in a 23-13 loss to the Vikings.
Minnesota improved to 8-2, while Tennessee fell to 2-8.
Referee Clete Blackman and his crew had a tough day, making it much tougher on the Titans.
Tennessee had 13 penalties for 91 yards, while Minnesota was whistled for only three for 35.
Three huge calls went against the Titans in the first half, two of which led to touchdowns and another a field goal.
The first came with the Vikings facing a third-and-3 at their own 37. Jarvis Brownlee Jr. appeared in good position when he knocked away a pass attempt intended for Justin Jefferson. Officials instead called Brownlee for pass interference, and on the next play, Sam Darnold found Jordan Addison for a 47-yard touchdown.
That penalty was questionable. The next two big penalties on the Titans were egregious.
The Vikings faced a fourth-and-goal from the Tennessee 1 when Darnold tried to hit Addison in the end zone. Addison was well covered and as he attempted to bring in the pass Titans safety Mike Brown hit Addison in the chest, knocking the ball loose. Two flags were thrown.
Social media lit up with complaints about the penalty, and Titans coach Brian Callahan blew up, drawing a penalty though for no yards with the Vikings already on the 1. On the next play, Darnold scored on a quarterback sneak.
CBS rules official Gene Steratore disagreed with the call on the field.
He also disagreed with a horse collar call on a punt soon after when Titans linebacker James Williams tackled Brandon Powell on the shoulder pads. The Vikings got 15 yards, which helped them cash in with a John Parker Romo 40-yard field goal.
In the third quarter came another questionable penalty when Brownlee was called for illegal contact on a Darnold fumble that Jeffery Simmons recovered for the Titans. Darnold threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Cam Akers four plays later.
The Titans also had a 51-yard touchdown reception by Calvin Ridley called back on an illegal formation and had a 23-yard gain negated by another illegal formation.
The Vikings did what they needed to do, outgaining the Titans 318 to 294 as they sacked Will Levis five times and intercepted him once. Andrew Van Ginkel and Pat Jones each had two sacks, and Harrison Smith had the pick.
Darnold went 20-of-32 for 246 yards and two touchdowns. Jefferson caught six for 81 yards, and Addison had three catches for 61 yards and a touchdown.
Levis was 17-of-31 for 295 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He threw a 98-yard touchdown to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, who had two receptions for 117 yards.
Three of the 49ers’ best players were listed as questionable for today’s game against the Seahawks. Two of them will play.
49ers defensive end Nick Bosa and left tackle Trent Williams are active today, but tight end George Kittle is inactive.
The 49ers’ other inactives are QB Josh Dobbs, CB Charvarius Ward, DL Kevin Givens, OL Ben Bartch, DL Khalil Davis and WR Ronnie Bell.
The Seahawks’ inactives are CB Nehemiah Pritchett, TE Brady Russell, LB Trevis Gipson, G Sataoa Laumea, WR Dareke Young, TE Noah Fant and DE Myles Adams.
Every Sunday, NFL insiders empty the tank and/or fill quotas of Sunday Splash! reports.
Sometimes, they have to peer deep into the rearview mirror to find something.
Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports that, shortly before the start of the second round of the 2019 draft, the Seahawks had a deal with the Raiders to move up to No. 35 with the goal of picking receiver Deebo Samuel. The Raiders reneged, however, trading the pick to the Jaguars.
The Jaguars drafted tackle Jawaan Taylor, and the 49ers took Samuel at No. 36.
Schefter suggests that the move was made with the goal of getting both Samuel and Metcalf. The more reasonable assessment (but the one that could ruffle feathers in Seattle) is that, if the Seahawks had gotten Samuel, they wouldn’t have traded up to the bottom of round two to get Metcalf.
Really, why did they need both? They had (and still have) Tyler Lockett.
The item is far more interesting for what it reports than what it could mean. The timing of the disclosure, tied to the latest Seahawks-49ers game, could be a hint to Deebo that, if/when the 49ers move on from him after the season via trade or release, Seattle will be interested.
It also could be a hint to the league at large that Metcalf is available after the season, especially if the Seahawks can land Deebo. Remember the report from Schefter at the trade deadline that “despite speculation,” Metcalf won’t be traded? First, there was no credible speculation that he could be traded. Second, that might have been the first priming of the pump for someone to approach the Seahawks after the season. Today’s report quite possibly is the second push.
Regardless, the only real news in today’s Sunday Splash! report is that the Raiders failed to follow through on a draft-day trade with the Seahawks. More than five years ago. The timing of the leak points to something deeper going on, which could play out in March.
