Seahawks Cripple Niners' Playoff Hopes

Back in Week 2, the San Francisco 49ers dismantled the Seattle Seahawks with an old school game plan. They ran the football (Frank Gore had 207 yards on the ground) and played sound defense. Thus, it would have only made sense to enter Seattle with a similar plan.

Instead, with their backs against the playoff race wall, the Niners did a complete 180 and it didn't work, as they lost 20-17. Alex Smith attempted 45 passes and Frank Gore had just nine rushing attempts. The result was a ton of passing yards (310 from Smith) and a loss. The Seahawks won the football game despite being outgained by 64 yards, due to timely defense and moving the chains when it mattered.

What was timely about the Seattle defense? They may have allowed over 300 yards passing, but they took the ball away from the Niners twice -- including a huge fourth quarter fumble recovery by Josh Wilson. Also, the Seahawks held the 49ers to just one third down conversion on 13 chances and made them kick field goals in their two red zone trips. That was enough to limit the Niners, but they were still tied at 17-all with less than a minute left in the game. And the Niners had the ball. It was time for more timeliness.

The Niners took the ball with 51 seconds left at their own 11. So they had less than a minute, one timeout, and almost the length of the field to go. Instead, they have one play go out of bounds and throw two incomplete passes. It was a series sure to draw second-guessing from the Bay area, as the Niners ended up giving the Seahawks the ball back with 21 seconds remaining and already close to field goal range. It was questionable, to say the least. A 21-yard Nate Burleson punt return, a defensive holding penalty and a 32-yard strike from Matt Hasselbeck to Deon Butler all-of-a-sudden had the Seahawks ready for a game-winning field goal. This after the 49ers took the ball with 51 seconds left in a tie game. San Francisco head coach Mike Singletary's head had to have been spinning.

A quick setup run by Julius Jones was all the Seahawks then needed before having Olindo Mare kick a 30-yard field goal as time expired to win the game. It was a big blow in more ways than one. Not only did the kick virtually end any chance of the 49ers making a run at the Wild Card, but it likely got Mare back in the good graces of his head coach, Jim Mora, Jr. You might recall Mora was more than peeved at Mare for missing twice in a close loss to the Bears back in Week 3.

With the Cardinals victory over Minnesota Sunday night, the writing is on the wall for both of these 5-7 teams. They are playing strictly for pride in 2009, as neither has a realistic shot at the postseason. Still, it had to be nice for the Seahawks to ruin the season of a division rival.